Highlander's Magic (Highlander Heat #2)

“Nay, my—” An arrow thunked into his chest and he toppled from the bench.

Terrified, Marie screamed, and Mary’s shrieks echoed in her ears.

“Down. We’re under attack.” A warrior bounded from his horse and covered them as an arrow shot whizzed by.

Another guardsman groaned then a blood-curdling battle cry pierced the air as a score of warriors crashed through the trees.

“Remain where you are,” boomed a man from somewhere near the thick brush.

The guard protecting them launched to his feet then grunted. He hit the ground with a sickening thud, a massive battle-axe wedged into his back.

This couldn’t be happening, had to be a nightmare.

She scrambled down and heaved the warrior onto his side. Blood flowed from his mouth, down his neck. His eyes were blank.

A dark shadow fell over her and the slain warrior. “Get. Up. Now. Or you shall be the next to die.”

“Do as he says, Marie.” Mary clambered down and grabbed her arm.

She staggered to her feet.

The murderer seized his axe and slung it into a catch at his side, splattering the dead warrior’s blood.

“W-what are you doing here, Lachlan.” Mary’s grip tightened on her.

A thick buckskin vest covered Lachlan’s dark tunic, and a strip of leather tied back his blond hair, the same pale shade as hers. “I’ve come to fetch you, sister. I hear Angus awaits his death in the king’s dungeons. ’Tis time you returned to your clan.”

“I go nowhere, and the king’s men will come for you too.”

He snorted. “No one comes for me and succeeds. Who is this lass?”

“Marie MacLean.” Mary edged in front of her. “She’s my kin, our kin.”

“A MacLean?” He circled them both, inspecting her from head to toe. “Then why does she travel with MacDonalds?”

“She is fae. The Guardians of Dunyvaig sent her.”

“Interesting.” MacLean caught Marie’s chin. “You bear a striking resemblance to my daughter, Bethag, though she is very young.”

“I—I am a MacLean. My father was Locky.” A shortened version of this man’s name. “Please, don’t hurt me.” Katherine would be furious if she died.

“I would never take the life of one of my own clan, or the fae. You will live.” He released her and signaled to his men. “Grab my nephew as well. We leave for the Rhinns and make haste. I wish to lure MacDonald into a battle. I want my land returned.”

His men cheered.

This was not the kind of adventure she’d signed up for.





Chapter 5


With the skies toward Dunyvaig darkening, it appeared Archie’s faerie had taken the sunshine with her. She’d been wrong to demand she go with him into battle when their women had to remain safe. He’d speak to her this eve and ensure she understood he needed her magic from a distance, not on the battlefield.

The pounding of hooves shook the ground as a rider galloped into the village. What was George doing back so soon?

“Attack.” George slumped forward and spat out blood.

“What happened?” He caught George as he toppled.

“Mary. Marie. James. All taken.” An arrow, embedded deep into his man’s side, had him gasping for breath.

“Was it MacLean?” Fury taking hold of him, he wiped the blood from George’s mouth.

“I didnae see. Scouting. Hit. The others. Dead and injured.”

Damn it. He shouldn’t have underestimated MacLean, not after he’d attacked so close to Dunyvaig. “I’ll bring them home.” He handed George into the care of one of the village women who’d tended the midday meal. He snatched his sword propped against the water barrel, holstered it across his back and hoisted himself onto George’s destrier. Mounted along with his warriors, he raised an arm and pumped his fist into the air. “I want MacLean’s head. Now.”

A thundering roar boomed around him.

They would fight. To the death.

MacLean would not survive this attack.



Anger thrummed fiercely though Marie. MacLean had killed or maimed their entire guard. He couldn’t be allowed to get away with this.

“Pick up your pace, lass.” A scraggly bearded guard prodded her from behind, his grass-stained tunic tattered and smeared with blood.

Arms bound behind her, she stumbled across the thick roots poking from the ground. Mary and James had been trussed as she had, and they walked together with MacLean’s warriors surrounding them.

“What will MacLean do once we reach the Rhinns?” she whispered to Mary.

“Use us as bait.” Shoulder lifted, Mary wiped her sweat soaked brow against her puffy blue woolen sleeve. “I cannae believe the lengths my brother goes to. He’ll pay with his life for what he’s now done.”

“Archie will come, won’t he?”

“He’ll come, and he’ll be after my brother’s head.” She drilled a stare into MacLean’s back as he led them through the ever-thickening forest.

“This is bad, isn’t it?”