Highlander's Magic (Highlander Heat #2)

“Mary does no’ appear as if she can walk much farther. Your faerie is aiding her as she can. I snuck as close as I dared for a look.”


Which meant he could delay no more. He faced John. “I’ll anchor here, take my men and come in on his rear. You sail ahead to Loch Gruinart and wait for me to join you with my additional numbers.” He signaled to his warriors to disembark.

“I’ll await your arrival.” John gripped both Archie’s forearms. “MacLean is prepared and this has been a tactical attack. He’ll have more men awaiting him at the Rhinns.”

“Aye, he will. He’s making his stand, but then so are we.” He returned John’s strong forearm hold. “Per mare per terras, by sea and by land.”

“We fight.” John pulled him in then clapped his back. “Take care, brother. I’ll see you at Loch Gruinart.”

“Dinnae advance until I arrive.” He’d fight by his brother’s side. Together they’d hold Islay for their clan. He checked his holstered claymore then jogged across the beach and through the gap in the tree line. His men followed soundlessly in his tracks. A hundred yards in, he picked up the trail and motioned for them to fan out along his flank.

Stealthily, he tracked until he caught movement ahead. Eric and his other men closed in around him.

“How close are we?” he asked Eric in a hush. His best tracker was a massive man, yet had the uncanny ability of slipping in and out of the smallest spaces.

“They rested for a mite of time then continued on.”

Not a long enough rest for Mary’s sake. What was MacLean thinking to take a woman so close to her time? His drive to kill MacLean strengthened. At least his numbers were strong, no matter the disadvantage he faced with the abduction of his kin. He’d have to rescue the women and James first, removing them from the possibility of harm. And preferably before MacLean reached the Rhinns. He couldn’t have them becoming a target during the oncoming battle. “We head out. ’Tis time MacLean met his match.”

Justice would be sought.

His mind was set.





Chapter 6


The scent of the sea disappeared as Marie trekked through the thick undergrowth. MacLean’s marauding party had taken a fork in the path and veered away from Loch Indaal. Not a good sign. Loch Gruinart now lay directly ahead, perhaps five to seven miles, no more. If they were to escape, they needed to do something soon, and before they arrived at MacLean’s camp and joined the remainder of his fighting force.

“Halt,” MacLean called out, one hand raised as he stopped in a small clearing. He motioned two of his men forward then left with one of them to scout ahead.

She gripped Mary’s clammy fingers. “How are you doing?”

“I need to tend to my needs.” Gruffly stated as she shot a daggered look at the warrior guarding them. He should wash his face. There was sticky brown stuff on the pointy end of his whiskered goatee. Smelly too, like meat juice, likely from whatever he’d last eaten. “If we’re simply standing here for a while, then it should be safe enough for us to take a moment,” Mary snapped at him.

The warrior scrubbed his hand over the deep scar cutting across his cheek. “Once the chief returns ye can ask him.”

“I cannae hold on any longer.” Mary jabbed a finger into his buckskin-covered chest. “You try carrying a babe and having the mite kick a storm on your—” She threw her hands into the air. “Oh, why am I trying to explain this to you. Those bushes will afford me the privacy I need. Marie, a hand if you please.”

“Coming.” She followed as Mary toddled around the brushwood.

“James,” Mary called. “See to your needs as well. The trees yonder will be fine.”

“Hold. ’Tis I who is in charge.” The warrior grabbed James by the collar then addressed one of the other men. “Take the boy while I watch the women.”

“You’ll no’ be watching us.” Mary’s lips pinched together as she snarled. “Unless you’re afraid a woman in full bloom could possibly outrun you and all these men.”

He growled under his breath. “You’ve a sharp tongue, my lady. A few minutes. No farther than those bushes.”

“Aye, a lady. And dinnae you forget it.” Mary snorted as she led Marie around the copse then hunkered down. “I spied Eric,” she whispered wildly.

“You did?” She clutched her chest, her heartbeat a loud hammer in her ears. “The trees are so thick. Where? What do we do?”

“We wait and—” She glanced in the direction James had been taken. “Did you hear that?”

“No, hear what?”

A man slithered through the underbrush toward them, a dirk dripping with blood in one hand and a determined grimace on his face. Archie had come for them. He must have nerves of steel to do so while so many MacLeans surrounded them.

“Lass, dinnae look so surprised.” He kissed her, hot and hard, and not nearly long enough. “I said you were no’ to go into battle.”