Page 93 of Sins of a Scot
Laird Sutherland replied with a command of his own, and his men roared into battle. A second later, a deafening sound of yelling and clashing metal rang throughout the courtyard.
“Och, dear God,” Iseabail cried, as her father grabbed her and pulled her into him.
Keane had secured a sword from somewhere, and just as Laird Sutherland turned toward Iseabail, her huge brother ran in front of her and toward him with his sword high above his head. But the laird lifted his hand, and Keane was stopped in his tracks, for he roared out in pain as the laird used his power against him.
“Nay!” Iseabail screamed, watching her brother suffer the immense pain she herself had experienced earlier.
Owen came rushing behind the laird, battling men left and right; men coming from every direction to protect their chief. Helooked as though he were about to be overpowered, when Daire arrived at his side, and the two men battled back-to-back.
Madigan also appeared, giving Owen a chance to make his way forward, and with his sword held high, he ran toward Laird Sutherland screaming. The laird spun on his heels, and drawing his sword, he and Owen clashed, their swords clanging together, strike after strike. But as strong as Iseabail knew Owen to be, the laird seemed to be stronger. Given his age and level of unfitness, Owen ought to have no problem defeating this man, and yet, Laird Sutherland was overpowering him, strike after strike.
“The crystal,” Iseabail whispered, suddenly realizing the reason. “The crystal is making him stronger.”
She watched in terror as Laird Sutherland pounded Owen over and over, until eventually, exhausted from the strength of the laird’s strikes, he stumbled and fell to the floor. Sutherland did not stop there, and launching forward, he lifted his sword high, ready to implement the killer blow.
Laird Sinclair, searching for his son, saw what was about to happen, but was too far away. Still, he left the man he fought and ran, punching and shoving soldiers in his way to get to his son.
Owen lay there, terrified of what was about to occur, but then, the strangest thing happened. Laird Sutherland seemed to halt, as though frozen in time.
“What is… what is happening?” Sutherland cried.
Suddenly, a panic washed over his face, and his hands went to his throat. His face became redder and redder, and he gasped for air, even though no one was near him. Madigan arrived, and stopped dead at the sight of what was occurring before him, for the man appeared to be suffocating.
“The crystal,” Iseabail gasped. “It is finally turning against him.”
Hearing those words, her father let go of her arm and moved forward. Grabbing a sword from beside a slain soldier, he ran through the battling men without a sound. Coming from behind the laird, he raised his sword up high, bringing it down into Laird Sutherland’s back.
Laird Sutherland actually looked surprised as he fell forward onto the cobblestones beneath him. Final gasps left his lips, and a few seconds later, the man closed his eyes and expired.
Not a second later, Madigan turned to all those battling. “Yer chief is dead,” he bellowed. The clanging of swords faded, and eventually, everyone turned to look at Madigan. “Go home. There need be nay more bloodshed here.”
Slowly, but surely, bewildered men began to walk away. Some lifted the wounded from the ground, but clearly, with their laird dead, they had no more stomach to fight.
Owen was just struggling to his feet when Madigan turned back to see him. As father and son’s eyes met, Owen beamed a smile and Madigan launched forward and threw his arms around him, pulling him to him in a strong embrace.
Iseabail ran to Keane, who now was on his feet after the dreadful pain he had been subjected to, and their father ran toward them, all three hugging each other tightly.
“It is over now, me dear,” her father murmured. “It is all over.”
EPILOGUE
Four weeks later…
Owen’s guts were churning as he paced back and forth in his father’s study. Daire and Madigan sat looking at him with amused smiles on their faces.
“Anyone would think ye were going intae battle again,” Daire grinned.
“Battle would be easier,” Owen quipped back.
“Och, yer overthinking this, son,” Madigan said. “I’m sure all will be fine.”
Four weeks had passed since that dreadful day where he had thought he was certain he would lose his life to that maniac, Laird Sutherland. As a seasoned warrior, he had fought with all his might, but it had soon become apparent that the crystalaround his neck had given the laird far more power than he would ordinarily have had.
In the end, however, the crystal had fulfilled the promise Ada had told him and Iseabail . She had warned them that the crystal would be dangerous to anyone with powers, and while it had taken a little time, the stone around Laird Sutherland’s neck had indeed proved fatal to him.
When the battle was over, and they had left Clan Sutherland to deal with the fact that they no longer had a leader, Owen had ridden beside his father.
“Thank ye fer coming tae our rescue,” Owen had said, now feeling far better than earlier. “But how the devil did ye ken where tae find us?”
