Page 51 of Saved By the Highland Beast
He made his way down the steps and approached as he realized that Nessie was trying to come in. “Where are the others, girl?” he asked as he knelt down at the bottom of the steps and allowed her to jump into his arms.
The poor creature was covered in snow as the ice clung to her matted fur. Jumping into his open arms, Nessie barked at him before leaping to the ground again.
“What are ye doin’ out here? Did Cillian forget to brin’ ye inside?” His fear began to grow as he watched the dog. It was highly unlikely that Cillian would have left her alone. The boy was, after all, completely enamored with the creature.
Nessie barked at him again and gripped his sleeve, tugging him in the direction of the gates with relentless force.
“What’s out there?”
Dean squinted through the snow when the dog refused to leave him be. Pushing himself to his feet, he straightened and followed the dog as she pounced like a jackrabbit through the white heaps, back toward the gates.
They slowly made their way out as Dean strained his ears to hear. There was something in the distance that almost sounded like a cry for help. He picked up the pace and kept close to the dog as he just began to make out the small figure that was lying in the snow. He broke into a run when he suddenly realized that the figure was just the right size to be his son.
“Cillian!” he yelled as he fell to his knees at the boy’s side. “What happened, son? Are ye hurt?!” Panic set in as his heart raced.
Cillian groaned as he turned in his father’s arms. “Me arm…” He was covered in snow from head to toe as he held his right arm against his chest.
Dean quickly placed him back on the snow as he gently checked his arm, lifting it and turning it from side to side. “I dinnae think it’s broken, it’s just a sprain.” He breathed a sigh of relief but quickly tensed up again when he realized that Sophia was nowhere to be seen. “Where is Sophia?” he asked, searching his son’s face.
Cillian began to cry and sob hopelessly as he recounted the events to his father. “I tried so hard, Faither. There was a man. I tried to fight him, but he was just too strong.” He continued to wail.
Dean picked Cillian up again as he felt his heart being gripped by fear and held him close against his chest. “It’s all right,” he whispered. “It’s nae yer fault.” He gently pushed him away, looking at his tear-stained face. “This is very important, Cillian,” he said with a serious expression. “Where is Sophia now?”
“The… The man took her,” Cillian managed to say through his sobs.
Dean could feel the breath leaving his body as Cillian’s words confirmed his worst fears.
“He kicked Nessie an’ threw me to the ground. None of this would have happened if ye let me learn how to fight sooner! I would have been able to save her!” Cillian cried accusingly. “I didnae have enough experience to fight him off!”
Dean shook his head and lifted his son with him as he stood. “Ye did her best, Cillian, and I’m very proud of ye. Which way did they go?”
Cillian stopped crying, but his bottom lip was quivering., Lifting his left arm, he pointed to the woods in the distance, where a trail of footprints was beginning to disappear into the snow.
Dean’s heart sank into the pit of his stomach as he hoped and prayed that he’d find Sophia in time. Who knew what the man who had taken her was capable of. The thoughts rushed through his mind as he considered all the possibilities.
“My laird!” Anthony suddenly yelled as he came up from behind. “My laird! I cannae find Sophia an’ Cillian.” He stopped and looked at Dean with a panic-stricken face. “I left them in the yard, but I cannae see them anywhere.” His eyes filled with fear as he looked at Cillian in his father’s arms.
“Aye,” Dean quickly said as he turned to him. “Sophia has been taken.” He nodded in the direction of the footprints. “Assemble the men, we will leave at once. There’s nae time to lose. We ride in the next few minutes—”
“Nae,” Cillian interrupted him with a note of urgency in his voice. “Go after her now, Faither.” His eyes were serious as he spoke. “Sophia belongs here with us. Go after her an’ brin’ her back. It has to be ye. She’s going to be me maither after all, isn’t she?”
Dean searched his son’s eyes. “Aye.”
“Then go after her now, Faither. Make sure that man doesnae take her away from us. I heard him saying that he loved her, but I dinnae believe he does. Sophia loves ye, an’ we love her,” Cillian said tearfully. “She made us a family.”
“I must first see to yer arm—” Dean began but stopped when Cillian shook his head.
“Anthony can see to me arm. Go, now, Faither!”
Dean’s heart clenched as he looked at the desperation in his son’s eyes. He’d wished for years that his son would say the very words he was saying now.
I cannae lose her, for all of our sakes.
“Yer right.” Dean quickly handed his son to his friend. “I cannae waste any time.”
Cillian went into Anthony’s arms, turning his body to look at his father again.
“Cillian is right. I will take one of the horses an’ go after them meself. Take Cillian an’ Nessie to the healer an’ have his arm seen to.” The laird set out at a run as he called over his shoulder. “Watch the castle until I return with Sophia!”
