Page 88 of Sins of a Scot
“What are ye talking about?” Hamilton asked.
Iseabail finally pulled her eyes away from Owen and, looking at her father, she said, “When I was a prisoner in the Sinclair castle,I compelled the guard tae free me. He also told me the way out through the tunnels.”
“Ye would have made it too, if I hadnae have been trying tae avoid me faither.”
Hamilton now looked even more confused.
Owen looked Hamilton straight in the eye. “All ye need tae ken is that escape is possible. I have great faith in yer daughter’s abilities.”
Seeming to understand Owen, Hamilton nodded. “All right. Then we wait until dark, which, by me estimation, willnae be more than a few hours.”
During that time, Iseabail went into more detail of some of their adventures, sometimes causing her father great distress, particularly when he heard about the waterfall episode. At one point, the key turned in the lock and the door opened. Two guards arrived with bread, meat and water, which surprised Iseabail.
“Och, if naething else, the laird has been keeping us well fed,” her father said upon seeing her amazement.
“I’ll be honest, Faither. I was pleasantly relieved tae see ye and Keane alive at all. While I tried tae keep me hopes up, I ken the kind o’ man Laird Sutherland is, and I was certain he wouldnae honor the agreement.”
Her father frowned and shook his head. “I dinnae ken that he still will. He says that he will let us all go once he has yer hand in marriage, but after all he has put our clan through, I still find that hard tae believe.”
Iseabail nodded. “I agree. With that stone, he is now more powerful than ye can ever imagine. He could well take over any clan he desires. And yet, there is something I have nae told ye about the crystal.”
“What is it?” Keane asked, having listened to their conversation.
“The crystal is indeed powerful,” Iseabail continued. “But Owen and I have discovered that it is dangerous tae any who are blessed with a gift. We met a very wise healer who herself, possessed a power. She told me nae ever tae touch the crystal, fer it might be fatal tae me.”
Keane’s eyes grew wide. “And ye think it will have the same effect on Sutherland?” he pressed.
Iseabail shrugged. “I cannae imagine why nae. If it would be fatal fer me, then surely, the same applies tae him.”
“And yet, he held it in his hand and looked fine,” Keane said.
A frown danced across her brow. “Aye. I noticed that too.”
“Perhaps it has tae dae with the length o’ time he has it on his person,” Hamilton suggested.
“It’s something we cannae speculate upon,” Owen cut in. “We can only hope that it might debilitate him, but none o’ us can ken fer sure. Me suggestion would be tae put that hope aside and concentrate on the escape.” He looked at Keane. “That being said, I would advise ye nae tae touch it either. It’s nae worth the risk.”
The time passed quickly, and by the tiny window in the cell, it was easy for them to see nightfall eventually overtake the dusk.
“Right, Iseabail,” Owen said, once the stars dotted the sky. “It’s time.”
Iseabail nodded and moved over to the door. She began banging on it with all her might.
“Help us! He’s sick. I’m sure he’s dying.”
Silence hung in the air at first, but then hurried footsteps could be heard in the corridor outside. After the jangle of keys, she heard the key turning in the lock, and the door flew open.
Looking the guard directly in the eye, she said, “Ye will stop and nae move.”
The man blinked and then stood perfectly still. “What have ye done tae me?”
“Ye will be quiet,” Iseabail said.
She then turned to the others and waved hurriedly for them to join her. One by one, they stepped past the guard, who remained perfectly still and silent, each of them scanning up and down the corridor to check no other was coming.
“Now, ye will tell me how tae escape through the hidden tunnels,” Iseabail demanded.
With the others listening to his words, the guard spilled out what Iseabail compelled from him; the corridors, the directions they needed to take, and where they would end up.
