Chapter 24 #2
“And then ye went and made a deal with them!” Sorcha growled, her eyes flicking to Lilliana.
Kayden was panting with fear and shock. “I did. I made a deal to stop the attacks. Because I couldnae bear to lose anyone else. Sorcha… where have ye been?”
“Well, I’m Sorcha MacNairn now if ye care. Nay longer a McGill.”
MacNairn.
“Of course I care. Why did ye nae come home?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Come home? Come home to what? Ye didnae even care to look for me when I was gone. Ye didnae ken what I went through… what those English bastards did to me!” she choked out, looking away.
Kayden stared at her in disbelief. “I wish I had ken. I would have helped ye. Ye should have written.”
Sorcha just spat on the ground in disgust.
Kayden sighed. “So ye have been what? Married to a MacNairn all these years?”
“Aye. I got married to Clan MacNairn’s healer, and in turn, they promised to help me destroy ye.”
Kayden was stunned by his sister’s words, unable to fathom the hatred in her eyes. He had grieved her for so long, he was having trouble believing that she was truly standing in front of him, a prominent member of a rival clan just a half-day’s ride away.
His eyes flicked to Lilliana. She was watching him, but seemed less afraid than when he had first stepped into the clearing. The trust in her eyes, the certainty that he would save her, broke his heart. He did not want to let another person down.
“Sorcha, I’m sorry. I didnae ken ye were alive, but ye’re right. I should have looked for ye. I shouldnae have let anything stop me. Can ye ever forgive me?”
Sorcha’s face contorted with hatred, turning red and splotchy with anger. “Nay! I will destroy ye and the entire clan for what ye did to me.”
Kayden’s heart sank. “It’s ye. Ye have been poisoning the well.”
“Of course it’s me.” Sorcha grinned maniacally, her eyes darkening. “Because nay one listens until they are made to.”
Kayden saw Lilliana shift, the smallest movement. He lifted a hand, signaling her to stay still. His gaze never left Sorcha’s.
“Why did ye do it?” he asked, the words tasting wrong in his mouth.
Sorcha’s chin lifted. “I corrected an imbalance.”
“That is madness.”
“Nay.” Sorcha took a slow breath before continuing. “This is what ye do when the world teaches ye that mercy is weakness.”
Kayden’s stomach twisted. “We were raised better than that.”
Sorcha let out a mirthless laugh. “Were we? I remember being raised to obey. To keep quiet. To swallow insults. And what did that earn us?” Her voice sharpened. “It earned me an English blade at me throat and men laughing as they dragged me away.”
Kayden’s hand clenched at his side. “Sorcha…”
Her eyes glistened, but her expression remained hard. “Ye didnae come for me,” she said, and that was the truest wound in her voice. Not accusation, but hurt.
Kayden’s chest constricted. “I searched for ye.”
“For a week,” Sorcha spat. “Just a week, Kayden. And then ye went back to yer hall. Back to duty. Back to being the Laird.”
He swallowed hard. “I thought ye were gone.”
“I was,” she whispered. “And when I crawled back from what they did, I found out ye had replaced me with an English whore.”
Kayden’s gaze flicked to Lilliana for just a fraction, then back to Sorcha. “This has nothing to do with her.”
Sorcha’s eyes narrowed. “Everything has to do with her.”
Kayden’s temper flared. “She is me wife.”
The words echoed in the open air, possessive and final.
Sorcha’s mouth tightened as if struck. For a breath, her composure slipped, and something raw showed through: hurt, disbelief, grief twisted into hatred.
“Ye chose her,” she said softly. “After everything, ye chose her.”
Kayden’s voice dropped. “I did what I had to do to keep the clan safe.”
Sorcha’s gaze grew unfocused for a heartbeat, as though she were seeing something far away.
“And what of me?” she asked, barely audible. “Was I nae part of the clan?”
Kayden’s throat worked. “Ye are.”
The answer cracked something in her. Her eyes shone, and for the first time, the rage faltered, replaced by something childlike and wounded.
“I waited,” Sorcha said, voice shaking. “Do ye ken that? I waited in the dark, telling meself ye would come. That ye would tear the world apart to bring me home. Like the stories.” She swallowed hard. “But the stories were lies.”
Kayden stepped forward again, careful now, as if he were approaching a stag ready to bolt. “Sorcha, come with me. We will go back. We will—”
Her eyes hardened again, the vulnerability vanishing.
“Back?” she scoffed bitterly. “To sit beneath yer roof while she sits in me place? While the clan smiles at the Englishwoman and forgets the sister who bled for them?”
Kayden’s voice hardened. “Nay one forgot ye.”
Sorcha’s laugh was sharp. “Ye forgot me.”
Lilliana’s breath came unevenly, and the thin line of blood trickling down her throat drove him mad with anger. Kayden felt it like a pressure in the air. He kept his body between them without thinking.
“Look at ye,” Sorcha said, gaze fixed on Lilliana. “Hiding her behind yer back as though she is precious.”
Kayden’s hand drifted again towards his dirk, not wanting it, hating that he might need it. “I am warning ye,” he grunted.
Sorcha’s mouth curved. It was not a smile. “Ye will protect her,” she murmured. “Aye, that is the point.”
Kayden’s blood ran cold.
“Sorcha,” he said, voice tightening, “what have ye done?”
Her gaze flicked to the stream and back. “Only what was necessary.” Then she moved, fast as a striking snake. “I havenae been able to get into the castle and poison that well, but that’ll happen in time. But I can cause ye pain in another way.”
She looked from him to Lilliana.
“Ye care for this lass, do ye nae? This sassenach.” She laughed bitterly. “I bet ye’d be devastated if I slit her throat.” Her eyes shone with malice.
Kayden took a step forward.
“Ah, ah!” Sorcha held up a hand to keep him back, while her other hand pressed the knife against Lilliana’s throat. “Stay back.”
Kayden fisted his hands to try to regain some control. His entire body trembled with the need to throw himself between Lilliana and that knife.
“Ye killed Nigel,” he said coldly.
Sorcha laughed. “Aye. Stupid lad. He almost caught me. It serves him right.”
Kayden ground his teeth. “What have ye become, Sorcha? Ye’re nae the sister I remember.”
“Who said I wanted to be?” she spat. “Ye’re nothing to me now, Kayden. Just a piece of me past I’ll bury in the ground. Clan McGill shall be nay more.”
Kayden just glared at her as he tried to figure out a way to disarm her and get Lilliana out of harm’s way. He could see that she meant every word she said.
She would kill Lilliana, given the chance, and she wants me to watch.
“Why nae kill me instead?” he asked. “It’s what ye want, after all.”
“No!” Lilliana screamed.
“Why give death when suffering is owed, eh?” Sorcha hissed.
Kayden shook his head in sad realization. “Ye’ve gone mad, Sorcha.”
“And ye married a sassenach wench, so who among us can judge?”
“Daenae call me wife names, Sorcha. And if what ye say is true, ye were already poisoning the water before she came here. So, she has nothing to do with this.”
“She has everything to do with this. Her dear faither and all those redcoats will be hurt by her death. It isnae just ye I want to hurt.”
Kayden decided he was not going to try to reason with his sister anymore. He could see she was beyond that.
“So ye think we owe ye something, Sorcha? Owe ye our lives? Why? What makes ye so special?” he shouted as he stepped forward cautiously.
“Special? I was yer sister! Yer blood! And ye just let those redcoats take me and… do whatever they wanted to me.”
“How did I let them, Sorcha? I daenae even ken what happened!” He gesticulated wildly as he took another step towards them.
“Aye, because ye didnae bother to find out!” Sorcha shouted, pointing her knife at him.
Kayden was relieved. At least it was away from Lilliana’s neck.
Suddenly, Rua leapt up, attacking Sorcha and pushing her down, his teeth clamping around her leg.
She screamed bloody murder, and Kayden, fearing she would stab the dog, lunged at her and pinned her arms to the ground.
Rua immediately went to Lilliana, who had fallen down as well, and stood over her, whining in distress.
Sorcha fought against Kayden, her fury giving her strength. “Let… me… go!” she cried, her eyes glinting with insanity. “I’ll kill ye all.”
“Sorcha! Stop!” Kayden tried to restrain her, but she kept getting her hands loose, her eyes wild with hatred.
“English filth!” she spat and kicked out her legs, hitting Lilliana in the belly.
Lilliana cried out and bent over, panting in pain.
“Nay!” Kayden roared, lunging forward as Sorcha dove towards Lilliana.
They collided hard, crashing into the earth. He gripped her wrists, forcing her onto her back, knees braced against her sides as she twisted beneath him with surprising strength. Her face was wild, streaked with tears and mud.
“Ye chose her,” she spat, voice breaking. “After everything. After what they did to us.”
“Sorcha, stop!” he demanded, breathing ragged. “This isnae justice.”
“It was never meant to be,” she whispered hoarsely.
Her hand slipped free.
Kayden felt the blade before he saw it—a sharp, burning punch beneath his ribs. He gasped as she swung the knife at him again.
Instinct overruled love.
He caught her wrist, wrenched it to the side, and in the struggle, the blade turned. There was a sickening resistance, then warmth.
Silence fell.
Sorcha’s eyes widened, shock replacing rage. She looked down at the knife buried in her side, then back at him.
“Kayden,” she breathed, something fragile flickering across her face.
His hands trembled as he held her. “What have ye done, Sorcha?”
A faint, broken smile touched her lips. “What we were taught,” she whispered.
Her body slackened.
Kayden stared down at his sister, realizing it was over. The battles and wars he had fought, the soldiers he had killed, all of that was nothing compared to this.
He shook his head, a tear spilling over. “Sorcha…”
Lilliana coughed, crawling over to him. She touched his arm, looking him in the eye. “I am sorry,” she whispered hoarsely, her throat still bleeding.
Kayden gave her a bleak look and then looked back down at Sorcha. He swallowed hard and blinked a few times, his entire body shaking.
“That wasnae Sorcha.” He looked up at Lilliana with bleak, pleading eyes. “She was the sweetest lassie ye could ever meet. Kind and generous. I cannae imagine what she went through to turn into… this.” He gestured towards his sister’s body.
Lilliana squeezed his shoulder, her heart breaking for him. “I cannot apologize enough. I know it was my fellow countrymen who did this, but… I am ashamed.”
Kayden gazed intently at her. “Ye’re sorry? For what?”
“What was done to her,” Lilliana whispered. “If she was as you say, and I have no doubt it’s true, then they must have hurt her badly to turn her into this person.” Her voice cracked. “I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to send me away, Kayden. We have inflicted so much pain on your family.”
“Ye havenae,” Kayden said. “Ye’ve done nothing but help us…” He shook his head ruefully. “Even when I didnae want to let ye. Are we all to be tarred with the same brush as the worst of us?”
“I suppose not.” She put a tentative hand on Sorcha’s limp one. “Nor should we be judged by the worst thing we do. We will remember her as she was and not as she became, won’t we?”
Kayden nodded, and she wrapped her arms around him, drawing him into her bosom. She rocked him back and forth, and he let her soothe him, breathing in her unique scent as his head rested against her chest.
Rua came over, nosing at them, and Lilliana let out a soft laugh, reaching out a hand to pet the dog. “You’re a good boy, Rua. You saved me.”
Kayden sighed. Everything had happened too quickly. He could hardly fathom it all.
Lilliana laid a hand on his cheek. “Kayden?” she said softly. “We should… go.”
He sighed, straightening up. “Aye, I suppose we should.” He avoided looking at his sister’s body. “We need to bring a wagon to transport…”
She nodded in understanding, her hand still caressing his cheek. “Yes. Come on, let’s go.”
She stood up and pulled him to his feet, her eyes never leaving him. He could feel her worry.
Reaching down, he pressed his lips to hers. Whatever transpired, he did not regret saving her life. To his surprise, she pulled him closer, her fingers digging into his shoulders.
She clung to him, just as much as he clung to her, and he realized exactly what he had been depriving himself of.
“Lilliana…” His voice was raw, her name embodying all the worry and fear he’d experienced when he saw a knife held to her neck. Just one nick and he would have lost her forever.
“Kayden,” she whispered, her voice breaking at the end.
She looked up and met his eyes, desperation shadowing her own. He understood exactly how she felt.
They held onto each other, but however close he got to her, it was not enough. He wanted to disappear into her skin and live there.
He looked into her eyes, wanting to see if she was feeling what he was. She stared back intently, wholly focused on him, mouthing his name. His eyes dropped to her mouth.
“Ye saved the village like ye said ye would,” he whispered.
She shook her head, swallowing hard. “At what cost?”
He sighed and pursed his lips, his eyes flicking down momentarily. “This isnae yer fault…” He looked up, trying to smile. “Although I owe ye a punishment for disobeying me.”
The corner of her mouth ticked up in a semblance of a smile. “Punish me? How so?”
“Oh, trust me, lassie, I will think of something.”
Her hands pressed into his shoulders. “I look forward to it.”
Her scent surrounded him as he held her close, citrus and peppermint, jasmine and lavender, all mixed together into something uniquely her.
His mind quieted when she was in his arms, and he was grateful for it.
They broke apart at the sound of rustling and looked down to find Rua watching them impatiently. Their eyes met.
“We should get back to the castle, I suppose,” Lilliana said.
He nodded. “Aye, we should.”
He took her hand, leading her back to the horses. He hated to leave the bodies behind, but it was best to return with a wagon to collect them.
He turned to Lilliana. “Are ye ready?”
She nodded resolutely.
“Alright then. Let’s go, Me Lady.”