Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
In the courtyard of Murray Castle, with the gates of both sets of walls firmly closed behind them, Christopher at last felt like he could breathe again. His whole body was numb and tingling from the adrenaline and regret and pain, but also from the relief and joy.
He dismounted, taking a second to steady himself, then reached up to help Morag down.
She slid into his arms and he pulled her close, holding her against him in a crushing hug, his heart pounding in time with hers.
For a few moments, there was nothing beyond the two of them together and safe at last.
"Christopher!"
He pulled back from the hug but never let go of Morag's hand as he turned to see his sister approaching with Rolland at her side.
Arran was nearby, trying to coax a pale and shaking Alexandra down from Splendor's back.
A small group of others surrounded them, including Seamus and Flora Murray, as well as Brid and Liam.
"Elsie," Christopher said. "I—"
"How could ye leave like that? We've waited for months for word from ye! People doubted ye! They thought ye were a traitor! They thought ye were dead!" Elsie yelled, slapping at his arm. "Ye eejit! Ye fool!" Then she threw her arms around him and hugged him tight.
Christopher hugged her too, though only with one arm, not willing to let go of Morag's hand just yet. When Elsie pulled back, she looked over at Morag and her smile faltered slightly.
"Of all the people I expected tae see again…" Elsie started.
Morag paled, but Christopher intervened. "I ken what ye're thinkin', Elsie, but ken that I'm only alive and here now because of Morag. She saved me life. Nae just once, but over and over again. For whatever faults she’s had, she's on me side. On our side."
Elsie burst into tears, the emotion in her breaking her down, and to everyone's surprise she threw her arms around Morag too.
Morag gasped and met Christopher's eyes.
Christopher smiled an exhausted smile and watched as, ever so tentatively, Morag hugged his sister back.
Yes. There was hope here, even in the most unlikely places.
Morag's stomach squirmed with nerves as she sat next to Christopher in the Murray Council room, his warm hand in hers the only thing keeping her steady.
She remembered the last time she had been here with great shame, and she found it difficult to meet anyone's eyes, especially Elsie's and Rolland's.
But, though these people had every reason to distrust and hate her, Morag was shocked and humbled to discover the kindness and gentleness with which they treated her.
Brid tended to her minor wounds while Kenna brought her some strong wine, and Flora actually hugged her on the way past her to sit down.
"Yer maid arrived," Kenna explained. "Mary. Dinnae fear, me sister and I are takin' care of her. She's exhausted, but well. She's sleepin' now."
Relief coursed through Morag at that, and she sagged in her chair, almost crying as it all hit her at once.
Kenna left after that, and while the rest of the council took their seats, Morag looked at Christopher.
He smiled at her, and that smile gave her the strength to do what needed to be done.
She let him speak first, waiting for her chance to share anything—everything—that they needed to overthrow the Campbells once and for all.
"I'm sorry I left as I did. Please send tae me parents and tell them I'm safe, and beg their forgiveness on me behalf.
Cassie as well. But I kent I couldnae let the opportunity pass.
I needed everyone tae think I'd betrayed ye, even meself, so that I could be Murdoch Campbell and infiltrate the Campbell stronghold," Christopher started.
Everyone fell silent, all eyes attentively on him. Arran pressed his lips together, his arm around Alexandra, who was staring unfocused at the table.
"I needed tae ken his plans. I needed tae gather whatever information I could tae save all of us."
"And did ye?" Liam asked. "Did ye find information?"
"Ye could have been discovered, lad," Seamus said gravely. "Ye could have been killed."
"I was discovered," Christopher said. "By Morag. Her father used her tae spy on me. She could have turned me in at any time, but instead, she covered for me. Protected me. Defended me again and again, even when it put her own life at risk."
"I understood at last what a monster Campbell was. What a monster me father is," Morag said in a shaking voice. "I kent… I kent I couldnae live a life of empty lies anymore. I kent…"
"Was?" Flora asked gently. Morag felt warmed by her tone and wondered if this was the truth of a mother's love. "What do ye mean Campbell was a monster?"
"He's dead," Christopher said coldly. "I shot him through the eye with me own arrow. He was goin' tae kill Morag, and so I killed him instead. Caindach had given her over tae execution. He got away, but he's next on me list."
Someone swore, not in disappointment but in disbelief. Someone else gasped. Seamus leaned forward.
"Alistair Campbell is dead?" Seamus asked. "Are ye sure?"
"I'm sure," Christopher replied. "But dinnae celebrate yet. Alistair Campbell was never our true enemy it seems. He was never the one we had tae fear."
"What do ye mean?" Rolland demanded. "Alistair Campbell tried tae kill me. He tried tae kill Elsie. All of us."
"But he wasnae the true danger, nae really. That danger lies in his son—in the new Laird Campbell. Ian. Our brother by blood." His eyes flicked to Elsie at those words. "He's the real monster."
Elsie clenched her hand into a fist around the table, her face drawn. "Are ye sure? Perhaps he—"
"He's a monster," Alexandra suddenly burst out in a shriek, tears pouring down her face. "We were fleeing, Rory and I, as fast as we could. Christopher had helped us escape. But Ian caught up with us. He pinned me, and Rory attacked him to save me, and… and…"
She couldn't finish the sentence, Morag realized, and when she glanced at Christopher it was clear he couldn't say it either. It was her time to speak, though she dreaded the words that were about to exit her lips.
"I'm sorry, but Rory McKenzie is dead," she said. "He died defendin' his sister. Ian stabbed him in his gut. We all saw it."
A heavy silence fell onto the table. Seamus's face drained of color and silent tears started rolling down Flora’s cheeks.
Arran looked sick, and Elsie shouted out "No!
" while Rolland slammed his hand hard against the table.
The others turned ashen and sorrowful, stricken by their grief and shock.
And no wonder. The boy had been their family, Morag knew, and he had shared Seamus and Rolland's blood.
The scrape of a chair on stone broke the silence as Alexandra got to her feet and hurried from the room, her sobs echoing on the stone walls.
Arran stood and followed her without a word to the others, both of them disappearing out of a side door.
They left a heavy silence behind them, the kind of loving sorrow that Morag had never known.
"We… will need tae tell me cousin," Seamus said heavily. "We will need tae contact Iona and Finn of their daughter's safe return and of the loss… the loss of their son. Of Rory. God help us." He bowed his head, saying no more.
Flora stood, wiping her eyes. "I will arrange for two messengers, one tae the McKenzies and the other tae the Kincaids. I will go tae Alexandra now, in case she wishes tae travel with them. She should be with her family. Brid?"
Brid and Flora left the room together in the direction that Arran and Alexandra had disappeared.
Morag watched them go, feeling heartsick for poor Alexandra.
She had never loved a family member so much as to feel that kind of grief, never loved anyone truly until she met Christopher, because nobody had ever loved her.
But she knew that Alexandra wouldn't leave. Not now.
There was silence in the room for a few minutes.
Then, hoarsely, Rolland spoke, the grief and pain raw in his voice.
Morag saw the way Elsie squeezed his hand and understood then that the best thing had happened the day that Elsie Kincaid had come to Murray Castle.
She and Rolland would have never been happy together, but she could see the love between Elsie and Rolland as strongly as she could feel it in her own heart when she looked at Christopher.
She hoped one day they could truly forgive her for what she'd done and what she'd tried to do.
"The war isnae over. It's just beginnin'," Rolland said. "I will grieve Rory, but I will also avenge him. His death will nae go unpunished, nor will it have been in vain."
Christopher nodded. "Ken that we—the Kincaids—will be with ye every step of the way. And I, personally, will do whatever it takes tae see Ian gone. There is a brighter future out there. I will fight for it until me dyin' breath."
Elsie shook her head, tears on her cheeks but determination in her eyes. "There will be no dyin'. Not anymore. Our future only holds hope. Right, Morag?"
Morag blinked. Then, seeing Elsie give her a sad smile, she felt a new kind of warmth in her heart.
"Aye," she said. "And we'll fight for it together."
Christopher stood in the doorway of his guest room, still holding Morag's hand and reluctant to let go.
She'd been placed in the room next to his, and although it was comforting to know he'd have her nearby, a primal part of him was still scared to let her go.
He wanted to talk to her about everything, to tell her everything he felt, the good and the bad and the terrible and the wonderful.
He wanted to hold her close and let her know she had become his heart.
But he was so exhausted, and so was she, that first they had to sleep.