Page 2 of The Mad Highlander
No.
Hope burned in her chest once again, Ashton and Tristan were the only family she had left after a lifetime of suffering and hardship. She needed to cling to the hope that something could be done.
Tristan just shook his head, unable to proffer a reply to her question.
“We need to come up with a plan to save him, Tristan; they will not hesitate to kill him.” She tried but failed to stop the tears that streamed down her cheeks. Crying had always been a sign of weakness to her, but there was no stopping the fear that threatened to consume her.
“I will do anythin’ to save him. Do ye trust me?” Tristan asked, his eyes bright with hope and determination.
“I can trust ye, Tristan, but it’s the Murdochs. Ye ken how much they hate us. This isnae something ye or I can do. I’m sure they are nae treating him well if they haven’t killed him already.” Her voice broke as she tried to block out the horrific images of her brother being tortured.
“I think I ken what to do.” Tristan suddenly began to pace after pausing for a second.
Iris cocked her head to the side in question. “An’ what is that?”
“The only other person that is powerful enough to face the Murdochs is Laird O’Brien.” He turned, stopped, and looked Iris directly in the eyes.
“I dinnae ken if I heard ye right. Did ye say Laird O’Brien, the mad laird?” Iris pushed herself with her hands on her knees, wondering if Tristan was in his right mind. Perhaps the shock of losing Ashton had begun to cloud his judgment.
“I think Laird O’Brien may be the only hope we have of getting Ashton back.” Tristan spoke more confidently now as if he’d made up his mind.
“I dinnae understand.” Iris shook her head as if her cousin had suddenly lost his mind like some kind of dobber.
Tristan took a step toward her and began to explain. “I ken that Laird O’Brien hasnae had anything to do with us in years, but hisclan was once our allies. If I can convince him to help us, then we may just have a fighting chance.”
One thought after the other consumed Iris, leaving her feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.How had it gotten to this point?She sighed deeply and buried her face in her palms. Hiding from the world provided her with a moment of respite, but she wouldn’t be able to do that for very long.
“Is that yer plan?” Iris demanded. “Fight one sort of madness with another? He was an ally once, but he isnae now, is he? How do ye even ken Laird O’Brien will help us? He will likely fight us too, willnae he?”
“Me enemy’s enemy is me friend,” Tristan stated. “I ken it is madness, but it’s the only thing that gives us a chance of gettin’ yer brother back. Laird O’Brien doesnae care about yer brother, but he hates the Murdochs enough to jump at the chance or a reason to fight them.”
“Aye,” Iris murmured. “Aye, I suppose ye might be right about that. He’s a powerful man, and any clan fears him. I dinnae like allyin’ with him, but what other choice do we have?”
“Yer seein’ sense,” Tristan said.
He was right. Lord O’Brien was their only hope now. But would a man like that really help them? What if she ended up losing both her cousin and her brother?
A guard ran to meet Tristan and whispered something into his ear.
“I will leave ye now, cousin. There is something I must attend to. I’ll contact Laird O’Brien this evening.” Tristan hurriedly addressed her with a nod toward the guard before leaving.
Iris watched as the men walked away, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
Please bring him back.
She whispered a silent prayer in her heart. She wanted her brother back, even if that meant they needed to contact the mad laird. A chill ran down her spine as she recalled all the stories of Cayden Hart.
2
Pacing back and forth, Iris awaited her cousin’s arrival on the outskirts of the castle walls. She knew better than to be out there, but the anguish of waiting was almost too much for her to bear. It had been two days since Tristan had gone to seek an alliance with the mad laird. She had tried her best to remain patient, yet the long wait was beginning to conjure up fears in the pit of her stomach.
“Were ye looking for someone, Me Lady?” A male voice suddenly made her whip around, and Iris spotted one of the guards coming toward her.
She faked a smile and pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders to ward off the cold. Gray storm clouds had begun to gather over the castle; she knew in the pit of her stomach that it couldn’t bode well. “Aye, the Laird should have been back by now.”
The tall guard had coppery hair that was tucked beneath his cap. His dark brown eyes were filled with concern as he looked herover. “Aye, I’ve been nervous too; the mad laird isnae a man to be trifled with. He will more than likely kill ye ‘afore ye even have a chance to speak. The O’Briens are a bloodthirsty lot, make nae mistake.” He suddenly looked up and realized what he was saying.
The blood drained from her face as she felt her pulse quickening with fear. There was no other way she would be able to get her brother back if anything happened to her cousin, let alone the fact that she would be left without a single person in the world if Tristan didn’t return.
