Page 88 of Kilted Abduction
“Ride like the devil himself is on your heels,” the man said in his curt English accent. “Do not wait for me.”
They shared a chuckle then spurred their houses forward, riding hard and fast through the yard and then the sallyport. They were already on the land bridge into the village before Ciara heard the first voices raised in alarm. They rode through the sleeping village then plunged into the darkness of the woods, spiriting her away. This was her father’s doing. The men who’d taken her were English—Fairfax’s men, of course—but this had been her father’s plan. She felt it.
Ciara was bounced and jostled roughly as they rode. The men had little care for her comfort. They rode for what felt like hours, but she knew it wasn’t nearly that long. The horses stopped and the men dismounted. She heard many voices around her. She knew they had not ridden long enough to get to the valley where the army was encamped, but there was obviously a large detachment waiting for her captors to return from their raid.
She was pulled from the horse roughly then marched through soft, sandy ground. The air was thick with salt, telling her wherever they’d taken her, she was close to the sea. And then she was guided up a wooden plank that bobbed and sprang beneath her feet and Ciara knew was being marched up onto a birlinn.
“Sit down, lass.”
A hand on her shoulder pushed her down onto her backside roughly. A moment later, the sack was yanked off her head and Ciara found herself staring into the cold, reptilian eyes of Lord Edmund Fairfax. His thin, bloodless lips curled back in a feral smile as he took her in.
“Hello, future wife of mine,” he said. “It is lovely to see you again.”
CHAPTER 47
“He’s takin’ her tae a birlinn that’s waitin’ in Moonlight Cove. It looks like they’re goin’ tae sail down the bleedin’ river and make their escape,” Kai said, out of breath.
Magnus and Domhnall stood with Kai in the castle yard. After discovering the incursion, Kai and his scouts had fanned out, reasoning the men who’d taken Ciara couldn’t have gotten far since she hadn’t been out of Magnus’ sight for very long.
“Is she all right?” Magnus asked, his voice choked with emotion.
“Aye. From what I could see,” he replied. “She was bound and gagged, but upright and awake. She looked like she was still fightin’.”
“Sounds like her.”
“How did they get tae her though?” Domhnall asked.
“If I had tae wager, I’d say the last attack on the castle was a scoutin’ mission,” Magnus said. “That was why it was only a few of them. While we were fightin’, I’d say there were others we didnae see who were scopin’ Dunvegan, findin’ the ways in and out and who then reported back tae Fairfax and MacDougal.”
“Makes sense,” Kai said.
“’Tis the only way they could’ve slipped in, grabbed Ciara, then slipped out without bein’ seen,” Magnus growled. “I cannae believe I dinnae see it.”
“Easy, braither,” Domhnall said. “Ye cannae see the future.”
“But Thora can,” he growled. “Why didnae she see it?”
“Dinnae blame her. Ye ken her gift daesnae work like that.”
Magnus frowned and kicked at the ground feeling regret for saying it. “Aye. I ken.”
“The good news is that we ken where she is,” Domhnall said. “Let’s rally some men?—"
“We ain’t got much time tae get tae the cove,” Kai said.
“We need tae go now,” Magnus said. “We need tae move light and fast.”
“Magnus, I ken what she means tae ye, but we cannae?—”
“Dinnae tell me we cannae. I’ll take Kai, Calum, and a couple of men with me,” he said, his voice cold and tight. “We’re goin’ tae get her back.”
“A bit more good news is me scouts are sayin’ the army is still in the valley,” Kai said. “They’ve nae moved yet. Probably waitin’ fer them tae get Ciara clear of the fightin’ before they launch their attack.”
Domhnall nodded. “All right then. We’ll dae it yer way, Magnus,” he said. “I’ll stay here and ready Dunvegan fer an assault.”
Magnus nodded and called for his horse to be brought to him. Domhnall grabbed him by the arm before he could climb into his saddle.
“Be careful, braither. We cannae afford tae lose any of ye,” Domhnall said solemnly then offered him a tender smile. “And bring yer girl back.”
