Chapter Twenty-Two
The Scot’s Quest
Dyna and Derric
Loki is called to assist an old friend and mentor.
Chapter Sixteen
Alex makes a decision to save his family. His plan needs the trickster.
Alexander Grant stood in the middle of the forest, talking to the person whose assistance he’d sought.
“Are you sure about this?” the other asked.
“Aye. I aim to put an end to this. They stole my grandson, my daughter, and they’ve put my family through hell trying to get to me. DeFry and Busby came to MacLintock land and said Edward’s son will not stop until he has my head.”
“You think giving him what he wants is the answer?”
“I’ve lived a full life. I’ll not have a young life lost over my old one. This must end now. I had to choose carefully, but I’ve known you for many years. I believe you will assist me in this endeavor. I only have one caveat.”
“And what is that?”
“You must tell no one. Will you agree?”
The man who stood in front of him thought carefully, something he should do. He knew what this action would bring down upon him. All the Grants would come for him if they learned the truth.
But Alex trusted this man, trusted him with his life. He would do the right thing.
The man turned to him and clasped his shoulder.
“Aye, I’ll assist you. Whatever it takes. I owe you much.”
Alex Grant smiled and let out the breath he’d been holding.
This would end now.
Chapter Seventeen
Alex meets with the man he asked to assist him in turning himself in to the King of England. Who is the secret man? Loki, maybe?
Alex Grant rode to his destination with the man he’d chosen to assist him.
They were about two hours away when the skies opened up.
A thick grove of pines was nearby, and they raced under the trees as fast as they could.
His partner pointed to a large overhang where they could hide from the storm, an outcropping large enough for three men and their mounts.
The sky turned black, thunder clouds rolling in every direction.
The other man asked, “Have you ever seen clouds like that before? They’re going in opposite directions, something I’ve not witnessed.”
Alex got his horse under the stone protection and dismounted, patting Midnight down to console him.
Although he was stalwart and footsure in battle, the beast had always reacted badly to thunderstorms, the quaking of the ground too much for him.
He whispered sweet words to the animal and pulled out an apple from his saddlebag.
The horse took it quickly and munched away, the treat calming him for a wee bit.
Alex set his hands on his hips, staring up at the thunderstorm raging around them. “I have seen one storm like this, and it was not from anything good. It meant evil was trying to steal a sapphire sword belonging to the fae.”
“When did it happen?” the other man asked.
“Avelina Ramsay had control of the sword. She fought with a daft man over it. Her brother told me the storm started because she held the sword overhead. She was driving a man with ill intent away from her. I’ve never seen another sight like it.
Howbeit…” He couldn’t help but think of his granddaughter, Dyna.
Blessed with the talents of a seer and the odd ability to pull power into her cousins’ swords by holding her bow over her head, he began to see a similarity between her talents and those of Avelina Ramsay.
Was there more to the spectral swords than he realized?
And what part was Dyna playing in this unnatural storm?
He wondered where she was and who was with her.
Then another thought thrust itself into his mind.
The sapphire sword. His sister Brenna had said something about a challenge arising every fifty years.
Their mother had told Brenna and Jennie about it, about how a fae queen would choose a mortal being when necessary to help save the Scots, but only when all else had failed.
He pushed his memory back to it, trying to remember all he’d learned, how Brenna had told him that Gregor had been near death, but that Avelina had held him and breathed life back into him.
The fae had given her special powers along with the sword.
Avelina had fought against evil and won, and the fae queen had told her to hide the sword, that she would return when it was needed again.
That was it. The fae queen had said there would be peace for a time, but eventually they would need to fight evil in Scotland again.
Was the time nigh?
“I wonder. Has it been fifty years?” He said it loud enough to be heard, though he hadn’t meant to because anyone who heard him was bound to think him daft.
Then he shook his head, chastising himself for seeing things that weren’t there. Besides, it couldn’t have been more than forty years.
“What is it?” his companion asked.
“Naught,” Alex replied. “Musings of an old man, one who wishes to believe his wife comes to him in his dreams and his grandchildren have special talents.”
“Like an orphan dreams of being adopted someday?”
Alex glanced at him and grinned. “Something like that.”
The two men watched the wild gusting of the wind, the sheeting rain drenching the landscape, the thunder coming so quickly it was impossible to anticipate the claps.
Alex whispered to himself, “Never seen another like it until now.”
The other man stared at him.
“And I don’t like it.”
Chapter Twenty
Alex plans to give himself to King Edward in return for the promise to leave his family alone. He cannot do it without his confidante.
Alexander Grant was tired. Tired of searching over half the Highlands for the person he sought. It wouldn’t be long before someone from his clan found him and he’d be forced to go back to Grant land.
But he couldn’t.
He was done watching his clan be tortured by the English.
The last plan he’d made had failed—the Scottish sheriffs hadn’t been stationed near King Robert like he’d thought. His confidant had done as promised, but he couldn’t keep asking for help.
It was time to complete this mission.
He awakened early that morn and stood on his favorite vantage point, looking down at the snow-topped Highland mountains he so loved. He only knew one person who liked this view more than he did.
His companion joined him. “’Tis a view I’ve always loved, but you know that. We’ve seen much happen in the Highlands over the years, and I still treasure every single trip I’ve made across this point.”
Alex clasped the man’s shoulder. “Aye, we’ve seen much. I’d hoped to see Scotland back in control of the Scots before I leave this land. I hope King Robert will be successful. This move I’m about to make should seal that for all of our countrymen.”
The other man pointed. “Look below. The ones you’re searching for are there, I believe.”
Alex squinted, cursing his loss of vision. “I cannot see that far any longer. I must depend on your eyes.”
“Trust me that the man you are looking for is ahead of us. ’Tis time for us to move.”
Alexander Grant smiled and squared his shoulders. “Lead on. We’ll end this.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Loki finds Dyna, explaining his plan with Alex. How many readers guessed Alex’s co-conspirator’s identity?
Loki Grant grinned, leading her back off the main path and shouting over his shoulder, “Kenzie, get her horse.” He rode to a hidden clearing that had been concealed behind a thick line of trees.
A quick glance told her Derric was following directly behind them.
“I’m sorry for surprising you, but you would have ruined our plan. ”
“What are you doing here?” she asked, jumping down from his horse as he soon as they slowed down. “We have to go after Grandsire.” When he finally dismounted and stood in front of her, she shoved at him.
Loki just gave her a sly grin. “Uncle Alex came to me after he left Cameron land. He wanted to make sure the English wouldn’t kidnap any more Grants just to get to him.” He stood there with his hands on his hips, over two score of warriors behind him, all wearing Grant plaids.
They had help.
“He told you? Why did he not tell me?” Her insides twisted and turned at the thought that her grandfather trusted Loki more than her.
Apparently, she did a poor job hiding her feelings because Loki took one look at her and said, “Mayhap he asked me because he wanted to come at the English with a different force. They’d know to watch the Clan Grant warriors on your land, but no one would suspect my involvement.
The English are quite ignorant, as you know.
The man had his reasons,” Loki said, patting her shoulder.
“He asked for my assistance, and after all he’s done for me, I certainly couldn’t turn him down.
” As a bairn, Loki had been adopted by Alex’s brother, Brodie, and his wife, Celestina, after they found him living in a crate behind a tavern.
Alex Grant had given him his own castle, Castle Curanta, where he and his wife, Bella, took in other orphans and abandoned children.
They also had two bairns of their own, a lad and a lassie.
“What exactly did he ask you to do?” Derric asked, jumping down from his horse. Then, as if realizing he had yet to introduce himself, he nodded. “Derric Corbett, pleased to meet you. I’m relieved we’ll have your assistance in getting Alex Grant away from the English.”
“Aye, we’ll take care of them soon enough.
Alex asked me not to tell anyone from his clan what he was planning until it was too late to stop him.
I know you’re upset he didn’t confide in you, but if he had told you, you would have needed to tell your sire, your laird, his siblings, his children, and so on.
I didn’t have to tell anyone, so I could do what he asked without upsetting his clan and all his allies.
Don’t take it too hard, Dyna. But I think I’m safe revealing the truth now.
” He glanced back over his shoulder. “Uncle Alex told me to take the garrison out and leave no survivors. He aims to send a message, and that’s exactly what we’ll do. ”
Dyna turned to the sea of warriors that had been gathering behind Loki.
She recognized many of them, and the sight brought tears to her eyes.
She didn’t swipe her tears away this time, instead allowing them to roll freely down her cheeks.
She smiled and said, “Derric, on the left is Kenzie, next to him is Gillie, then you’ll see Thorn and Nari, who helped my mother and father escape some cruel bastards.
And he”—she pointed to one of the four—“is married to my aunt Elizabeth.”
“You’re going to attack soon?” Derric asked.
“Aye, we will. Dyna, why are you the only Grant here? I hardly think your grandsire would approve. He was expecting to see the rest of your group.”
“Alasdair and Emmalin, Els and Joya, and Alick and Branwen will be along soon. They’ve been trailing us down the mountain. They’ll help for certes.”
“Any archers besides you?”
“Aye, Branwen and Emmalin.” Emmalin had worked hard to build her skills, Dyna helping to train her whenever she visited MacLintock land. Joya was best at distraction.
Loki let out a low whistle. “Alex has told me about the spectral swords. I hope we get to witness you at full strength. But wee John and Ailith are safe?”
“Aye, they are on MacLintock land. Tell us what to do.”
Loki stepped out of the trees to glance down the path.
“We’ll follow shortly, but you archers can go ahead if you can find your place quietly.
We’ll take them out from behind so they’ll know not what hit them.
Alex said he’ll make his way to the front so as not to be close to the fighting.
He suspected he’d be bound at this point. ”
“Loki, I’m so glad to see you. We’ll get him back for sure.”
“Aye, we will. We’ll start without your cousins and hope they join us.”
“How many in the garrison?” Derric asked.
Loki spit on the ground in front of him. “This is a small group. There are around four score surly Englishmen by my count to our five and forty, but we can take them. Especially if your cousins join us.”
“Lead on,” Dyna said, mounting her horse.
Her intuition had brought her straight to Loki. The situation was finally tilting in their favor.