“Watch out.” Ethan bounded down the trail and head down, plowed into another of Gavin’s men flying toward them with his blade raised high. Ethan and the man crashed to the ground and blood spurted, Ethan’s dagger embedded deep within the warrior’s gut.
“Ethan.” She scrambled out of Duncan’s hold and grasped Ethan’s shoulders, his pants slashed down one leg. “We have to stop Gavin.”
“Aye, and right this moment.”
“You remain here, Ethan. I’ll return to the fight. Look after my wife.” Duncan left her with her brother, surged toward the battling men and bounded into the battle.
Duncan jumped the low brush and swung at Gavin as he and his warrior fought Ivor. He hadn’t wished to leave Ivor in such a predicament, but when he’d turned around and found Ella gone, he’d made chase after whoever had taken her. Never would she have run from a fight and he’d feared the worst, had barely gotten to her in time. The sight of that thug about to surge into her had made his fury soar, his strike a death blow.
Rocking from foot to foot, he caught Gavin’s next blow then ducked low, whipped his blade into Gavin’s side before striking another of Gavin’s warriors who jumped into the fray.
“Pin him between us.” Gavin grasped his side, the long cut in his heavily padded jerkin drawing blood as he snarled at his man. “We’ll slay MacKenzie where he stands. Three, two, one.”
Their blades descended.
Hell. Duncan spun, caught both well-timed blows above his head, his arms shaking as he held his position. Swiftly, he kicked Gavin off balance then swept his other leg out and toppled the other man. Both fell forward, their claymores sliding down each other’s and impaling the other’s chest. Blood gurgled from their mouths and Gavin’s eyes went wide before flickering shut as he slumped into a heap, his lifeblood flowing into the dirt.
Beside him, Ivor slammed his blade into the MacDonald warrior he fought, metal clanging, his strike so harsh it sent the man toppling sideways and he fell and hit his head on a protruding rock next to a thorny bush. Skin split open and blood sprayed, the hit far too deadly for it not to have taken his life.
“Oh goodness.” Ella clutched a hand to her mouth as Ethan crouched next to Gavin. He rolled him and the other slain warrior over, took one look at both men and shook his head at his sister.
“This is all my fault.” Ella dropped to her knees next to Ethan, her face turning white.
Ivor hunkered down beside the warrior he’d fought, held his palm to the man’s mouth and with a shake of his head, said, “He willnae rise, and neither shall the other warrior who attacked me across the meadow.” Ivor grimaced, grasped his side, blood oozing from a cut. “They intended our death this day. ’Twas either them or us.”
“Are you all right?” Duncan aided Ella to her feet with his hands around hers and shielded her with his body as he searched the surrounding tree line. “Ethan, are all the men traveling with Gavin accounted for?”
“Another warrior joined us on the trek here. There’s one miss—duck.” Ethan jumped to his feet, flung his dirk and sent it spinning end over end right toward him. Duncan dropped to the ground with Ella as the blade whizzed over their heads and thunked into another MacDonald warrior slinking out from the tree right behind them. The man’s raised blade clattered to the ground, Ethan’s dirk now buried deep between his eyes as he crumpled into a heap, death taking him swift and fast. “Aye, now all are accounted for,” Ethan muttered.
“What of you?” Ella swept her hands over Duncan. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine, love.”
With no other MacDonalds in sight, he ran his hands over her body, touched the scrapes on her arms and her ripped sleeve. No other nicks or cuts. She remained clear of any injury, although needing a moment to calm his raging fear for her, he clutched her tight. He should never have let his guard down while on MacDonald land, no matter being within a stone’s throw of her grandparents’ cottage.
Ethan strode past them and looked over Ivor’s wound. “How bad is it?”
“I might need a few stitches, although I’ve suffered far worse than this afore. Are you certain we can expect no more men to suddenly appear?” Ivor searched through the trees.
“Very certain. I’m sorry I couldnae get here sooner to warn you all.” Ethan eyed Duncan. “Gavin caught sight of your galley sailing down the kyle and decided ’twas time for the hunter to become the hunted. I crossed the hills with him as he snuck after you, then when I realized his intent, that there was naught I could do to halt his desire for this battle, I fought him and he had me bound and gagged then tied high in a tree.”