The Condemned Highlander by Donna Fletcher

29

“You need to wake up, wife. You have a quest to finish,” he said as they rode toward the village with his wife in his arms. He wanted to hear her snap back at him, argue with him, tease him, tell him how much she loved him. “You have rested enough. Wake up!”

She laid still in his arms, not a muscle moved nor did her eyes flutter. She was as still as death itself and he had the urge to shake her awake. She remained that way all the way home.

He was in a hurry to get her to Una and left all but two of his warriors to see to returning Rudd to the village. His warriors had been shocked and angry over Rudd’s betrayal and fearful that they also might be accused of treachery. Unfortunately, Brogan wasn’t sure who to trust.

He was relieved when the village came in sight, and he directed the horse straight to Una’s cottage. People soon gathered outside the cottage once they learned what had happened to Annis.

“I need to get her out of these bloody garments and to clean the blood off her face before she wakes,” Brogan said, entering the cottage cradling his wife in his arms.

“I will fetch water,” Una said and hurried off.

Brogan laid her on the bed to more easily and gently strip her garments off. She had some bruises on her arms and legs and a sizeable bruise on her one side. Her wrists were rubbed raw from the rope, and he could see bruises peeking out from under the blood left on her face.

Una returned and he was quick to ask, “She has a bruise on her side. Will it cause a problem?” It troubled him since he had seen men die of bruises there though they were much deeper in color. He pulled the blanket back for her to see.

Una looked at the discolored area and felt around it. “I don’t believe so but sometimes the insides suffer more than it shows. I would tell her to rest until the bruising fades a good bit.”

“I will see that she does,” Brogan said.

“I can also fix a brew she can drink that might help, but…”

“Tell me, Una,” Brogan said when Una hesitated.

“If she does not wake by nightfall, I would take her to the witch. There are herbs that grow on her land that I have no knowledge of, but she does.”

“She will wake,” Brogan said as if he commanded it, but he would keep Una’s suggestion in mind. If she did not wake, he would take her to the witch and, if necessary, he would beg her to help his wife.

“Her wounds tell me that she suffered many punches, but until she wakes and tells me more, I can do nothing for her,” Una explained. “I will prepare a brew and bring it to you for when she wakes.”

Brogan tucked the blanket over his wife’s bare shoulders and laid a cloth over that before he rinsed a cloth in the bucket of water, then he talked as if she was awake to hear him as he began to gently wash her face.

“You have much courage, wife, though if you had minded your tongue more you would not have so many bruises. But that is something I do not think you will ever do—mind your tongue. You say what you will when you will, and that is what I admired about you when we met—your tenacious courage. It should serve you well now to wake from this forced sleep.”

He rinsed the cloth again and winced when he cleared the blood from the one side of her face to reveal a good-sized bruise. He wished Skelly was still alive so he could kill him slowly and painfully.

“Wake, Annis, and speak with me. I miss you teasing me, telling me how much you love me, and I especially miss you telling me what a handsome and wonderful husband I am.” He chuckled, waiting for her to tell him that there he goes thinking highly of himself again, but he was met with silence.

He continued to talk as he finished cleaning her face and moved the bucket away from the bed when he was done. It was growing late. Dusk would be on them soon and she still had not woken. The only thing he could think to do for the moment was to slip in bed beside her and take her in his arms and hold her. And that was what he did.

He closed his eyes against the million thoughts and fears that rushed through him and thought only of how his wife slept comfortably in his arms and how she would wake, and the nightmare would end.

Wake up, Annis. You need to wake up. You cannot leave us. Elysia and I need your help. Please, Annis. Please do not abandon us. Do you hear me, Annis? You must wake up. Wake up now before it is too late. WAKE UP NOW!

Annis’s eyes opened and for a moment fear gripped her. Where was Elysia and Bliss? Why did they need her help? Then she felt the strong, warm arm that cradled her against the solid, warm body and her fear calmed. She was in her husband’s arms.

Everything rushed back at her at once muddling her thoughts and she buried her face against her husband’s chest.

“Annis?” Brogan whispered, waking, not sure if it was a dream that he felt his wife move.

She looked up at him, her heart overflowing with joy and relief to be in his arms. “I knew you would rescue me.”

He pressed a kiss to her brow, keeping his lips there, while he silently thanked the heavens that she finally woke.

She moved her head when his lips left her brow and winced.

“You have a bump on the side of your head.”

“Rudd,” she said anxiously, it was all coming back to her. “He and Skelly argued, and Rudd slammed me in the head with a rock.

“We got him, thanks to the ravens,” Brogan said, furious the man had dared to harm his wife.

“I remember now, but why?” she asked.

“He told me that someone, who he refused to name, has a plan, and your death is part of that plan.”

“Elysia! She almost lost her life as well.” She gasped. “Bliss must be warned. Her life is in peril as well, not only being wed to Lord Rannick but from this mysterious group of insane people.”

“I will send a message to Rannick first thing tomorrow,” Brogan assured her.

“This is not done, is it?” she asked.

“I wish I could say differently, but it is not done.” He ran his hand softly along her arm. “We must find who is responsible before you or either of your sisters are harmed.”

“It would do us well to break the curse, then this group will have no reason to come after any of us.” His questioning eyes disagreed. “You do not think so?”

“I cannot be sure of anything. I am only glad we managed to take Rudd alive. He knows much about this mysterious group and the leader, and I intend for him to tell me.”

“Troy and his men?” she asked.

“I had them return here so that Una could tend the wounded and you can talk more with him and hopefully he trusts us enough to reveal where we can find Gunna.” His hand shot up when she went to speak, knowing she would have endless questions. “Before anything else, I want Una to see how you do. After that we can continue to talk.”

“Aye, husband,” she said, knowing it was pointless to argue.

* * *

It wasn’tlong after Una examined Annis and asked several questions that she advised, “You should remain abed.”

“She will remain abed today,” Brogan assured Una as he stepped out of the shadows where he had waited impatiently to know his wife did well. He scowled seeing that one of her wrists was wrapped with a clean cloth.

“A closer look showed that the one wrist was worse than the other,” Una explained, seeing where his glance had landed. “I put a yarrow salve on it. It should heal well. I will brew more of the ragwort root which will help with any bruising inside and out. Other than that, rest is what will serve her best, my lord.”

Brogan sat on the edge of the bed after Una left and leaned down to brush his lips lightly across hers. “There will be no argument about it. You will stay abed today and rest.”

Annis sighed, content with her husband there beside her. “No argument, husband. I am tired and my body aches. I will do as Una advises and rest.”

It troubled him that she did not argue with him, which meant she suffered more than she would admit. And that she did not reach out to rest her hand on his chest or rest it against his arm was also proof that she was in pain.

Annis saw the worry in the way his whole face seemed to scrunch. “I will suffer less if you smile, since your gorgeous smiles always brighten my day.”

His face burst into a smile. “I do have a gorgeous smile.”

Annis laughed and winced, her hand going to her side. “Do not dare stop smiling. A small pain is nothing to the joy your smile brings me.” She moved her hand slowly to poke, with effort, at his chest. “Now tell me what weighed so heavily on your mind while you waited in the shadows.”

Brogan took gentle hold of her hand to kiss, then place on her chest, since he saw how much effort it took for her to poke him. He knew the familiar gesture was to calm his worry and that she would brave the pain to ease his concern spoke of how much she loved him, and it warmed his heart.

Brogan shared his thoughts. “It makes sense that the group who wishes the curse to end with me, Odran, and Rannick is the one who hired the mercenaries to abduct and kill you. But they will not stop if we do not cut off the head of the group.”

“The curse was a heavy burden to place on you and the other cursed lords to see the clan’s name carried on. Surely, it would have been easy for your fathers to have more bairns to help so the burden would not be carried by only one.”

“A thought that had been considered, but when several miscarriages were suffered by all three wives, it was believed the curse would allow no more bairns to be born. And I also think the sorrow of losing those bairns brought an end to the effort as well.”

“The curse had a wide-reaching effect on many,” Annis said.

“Far too many and it still does,” Brogan said unable to keep the annoyance from his remark.

Annis understood he blamed himself for what had happened to her, and she would argue it with him, but it would be useless. Instead, she said, “Which is why our quest expands to finding the leader of this mysterious group.”

“When you are well-healed,” he commanded, but with a smile. “You need to sleep.” He tucked the blanket up over her shoulders. “There are guards posted at the door. No one enters without my permission.”

“Can you trust them?”

Brogan smiled. “I do not think we have to worry about Seward or Maggie. And Maggie assured me that her scream would wake the dead if necessary.”

Annis laughed and winced.

Brogan kissed her brow. “Sleep, wife, we will talk later.”

Her eyes closed and Brogan left, pleased that he heard a slight snore by the time he reached the door.

Seward and Maggie greeted him when he stepped outside and assured him that they would alert him if anyone, but Una, tried to disturb Lady Annis.

Brogan was eager to speak with Rudd now that he knew his wife would heal. He would get the information out of the man no matter the cost.

The villagers paused in their tasks to inquire about Lady Annis and wish her well. Risley asked that she be told the building is going well and he is following her plans as instructed. Brogan knew she would be happy to hear that.

Troy approached him with a smile. “This is a nice village you have here. My men and I might stay for a while.”

“Are you asking permission to remain here?” Brogan said.

“Since you lost your right-hand man, I thought you might need a new one.”

Brogan snickered. “And I should trust a mercenary?”

“I believe I have proven you can trust not only me but my men as well and time will confirm that.”

“You and your men are skillful warriors, but what of Gunna, will she agree to reside here as well?” Brogan asked, reminding the man that everything depended on finding Gunna.

“That will be her decision.”

“Then I hope to see her soon, for Annis is not well enough to chase after her,” Brogan said, knowing Annis’s quest would have to wait while she healed. Something she would not be happy to hear.

“Very soon,” Troy said.

Brogan was pleased with his response and knew his wife would be as well. “Join me while I speak with Rudd.”

“A test to see how well I would serve you?” Troy asked.

Brogan shook his head. “I do not think you serve anyone.”

“You are right. I don’t serve anyone, but I do make a trustworthy friend.”

“We will see about that,” Brogan said, though he had a feeling the man spoke the truth.

Rudd was where MacRae warriors had left him, tied to a stake in the ground.

“I will tell you nothing,” Rudd said defiantly.

Brogan was more confident. “In time you will.”

Rudd laughed. “You will not stop this. The plan will succeed, and a great power will arise from its depths. And I take great pride in being part of it.”

“You failed and those who come after you will fail, for there is one thing you have failed to consider,” Brogan said.

Rudd laughed. “You are wrong. Everything was considered.”

Brogan shook his head. “Nay, you failed to account for the tenacity and courage of three sisters.”

“They will soon be gone, each one of them,” Rudd said.

“If the other two women are like Annis, you do not stand a chance,” Troy said with a smug grin. “And you will talk. Torture always loosens the tongue.”

Rudd smiled. “You will not torture me.”

Troy laughed. “Do tell me how you think you will escape torture?”

Rudd’s smile widened. “Death.”

Brogan realized what he meant. “Cut him down,” he shouted at the guards.

Troy realizing it as well drew his sword.

They were too late. An arrow landed in Rudd’s chest, killing him instantly.