Highland Defiance

chapter Twelve



Hooded cloak obscuring half his face, Bruce grinned.

“You Didnae think any man could defeat yer wizard, aye?” The MacLeod laird spit on the ground and walked over, his heavy brown boots crunching on the rock. When he peered down, she swore his eyes glowed black. “You were never more wrong.”

Mildred tried to protect Adlin’s body but Bruce grabbed her wrist and yanked her away. With a loose nod at his men he pulled her aside while they grabbed Adlin and tossed him into the turbulent water below. Though she tried to scream her sounds were muffled by the MacLeod’s meaty hand.

When she tried to arch away, Bruce lifted and flung her over his shoulder. “The best thing about this is that the agreement is bound by magi. Everything he agreed to cannae be undone.”

Though she tried to scream nothing came out.

Bruce chuckled. “Binding spell, lass. Dinnae bother.”

It was hard not to stare in horror at Adlin’s body as the waves washed it out then slammed it back on the unrelenting cave rock. Pain shot through her chest and tears fell down her cheeks. This couldn’t be happening. There was no way something like this had happened so easily to Adlin? Wasn’t he immortal?

Or had she always assumed such.

Maybe magic alone had kept him so young.

When Bruce turned the corner and the cave was left behind, she started to flail.

“No,” Bruce grunted.

All went dark.

The next thing she knew dim light lit the pre-dawn sky and a MacLeod clansman crouched in front of her. With a creepy, half grin he nodded and yelled over his shoulder. “She’s awake. Just like he said she would be.”

“No,” she croaked and tried to blink the tiredness from her eyes. “Save him.”

The man cocked his head. “Save who?”

“Adlin,” she whispered. When she closed her eyes she could still see his lifeless body slamming against the rock wall.

“Adlin?” He frowned confused, before he understood. “Ah, you mean the other laird.”

With a hearty burst of laughter, he stood and called out. “She’s wondering about the MacLomain.”

Before she knew it three MacLeod’s stood over her. A different man looked down and said, “Three days out, lassie.” He spread his arms in the air and grinned. “They’ve been burning the burial torches over the whole of Scotland to mourn the passing of the great MacLomain chieftain.” With a wink he said, “Guess yer no bride of his now, aye?”

Extreme heat then nausea rolled through her but Mildred tempered it and stared right back. “Then I’m afraid very bad things are ahead for you.”

One man arched a brow. Another shrugged. The third said, “I think the worst is behind.” His lusty eyes traveled over her. “But is it for you?”

Instead of feeding into the fear she eyed her surroundings. “Where is Bruce?”

“Laird Bruce, to you,” one shot.

Mildred nodded, “Sorry, yes, laird Bruce.”

“Not here,” a clansman nearby offered.

“Nay,” the clansman who’d been there when she awoke agreed. “But he’s waiting for ye.”

“Where?” She frowned, pretending to look confused.

In reality, Mildred had a very good idea where she was.

But did they?

Even if the situation felt surreal, she’d never felt more alive. With a nod, she got to her feet. Unsteady, she stumbled a few steps. The men chuckled. After she looked left then right, she asked, “Which way?”

“To the MacLeod keep, lass, where you’ll spend your days being second best.”

Again they chuckled.

Mildred nodded and fell into to rank. A few led, a few were behind. That didn’t matter. What did matter was that they walked along a craggy cliff with the ocean on their right. If they were heading for Bruce’s castle the ocean would be on their left.

How did these men not realize they were traveling north and not south?

A small smile buried deep down inside, Mildred knew. She’d known the minute she’d looked around. They were walking along the very cliff she’d dreamt about for so long…which meant that Adlin was coming.

He wasn’t dead at all.

Not yet anyways.

As they trudged along she thought about the conversation they’d had just a few days past. How he’d wondered how well she truly understood the outcome of her dream. Elation started to blossom inside her as the winds gusted over the cliff wall. How well had she truly understood her dream?

Not well at all apparently.

With a deep cleansing breath, she looked at the ocean as she walked. Would her dream become reality? Yet even as she contemplated it her thoughts became all too familiar.

“Let’s go. No time!”

Mildred ignored the sharp bark from the man leading them and kept a keen eye to the ocean.

“Now!” He roared.

A hand shoved her lower back. Instead of stumbling, she leapt forward with her head held high. They’d not for a second see her appear weak. Chuckles rose behind her. So be it. She’d walked this path a million times. She’d do so again.

“Cocky lass, aye?”

“Seems it.”

“Laird’ll give her a good run over and that’ll be the last of that.”

“It’ll be a sight to see.”

“Think he’ll do it in front of us?”

“Aye!”

Eyes glued to the sea as she walked, Mildred no longer prayed to wake up because this was no nightmare.

Soon.

Very soon.

Suddenly, the man in front of her stopped.

She knew why without a doubt now.

The man behind wrapped an arm around her waist and dragged her down. Mildred said nothing. It was the same as it had always been. The way she landed half on the rock and half on him. The way her elbow caught the stone. No need to look down. She knew that it bled.

“Every last one of you will die if you dinnae release her now.”

His voice, always his voice, deep, dark and unforgiving.

His voice.Beautiful, wonderful and all hers.

Even with five men ahead of her, their eyes locked. Icy blue, Adlin wore a determined look.

Rage seemed to sizzle around him.

Mildred covered her ears.

She knew what was coming.

Even with her ears covered, the loud boom of thunder slammed into her. Dark clouds rolled overhead. The air chilled.

Through it all, his eyes never left hers.

As always, she felt no fear.

One by one, the men crumpled, caught in his strange magic, in his pure power.

As always, they were left alone on the cliff watching one another.

She stood and once more looked to the sea, forlorn and sad.

As he jumped.

Except this time she glanced around to make sure all the MacLeod’s were down. Assured they were she stood and smiled. Without a moment of hesitation she ran with all her might and jumped over the cliff after Adlin.

Swoosh. Air rushed by her. Mildred looked down and saw just what she expected, a massive white eagle. It swooped around below then vanished. With a whisper of prayer she closed her eyes and held out her hand.

Everything seemed to slow and suddenly she was dangling off the cliff, held fast by a strong hand. “I’ve got you.”

Before she could respond she was lifted.

“I’ve got you,” he whispered over and over, pulling her into his arms.

The dream had not been the end but the beginning.

When at last she pulled back, Mildred wiped away tears and looked around. “We’re in the original Defiance.” She shook her head. “Somehow I knew this was the area.”

Before he could respond she said, “Adlin, I love you so much. You need to know that.”

He wiped away her last tear and nodded. “I know.”

“How are you alive?”

Adlin tucked her hair behind her ear. “Apparently you don’t know my sister that well.”

“Oh,” she smiled. “Iosbail, really?”

“Of course,” he murmured.

“Of course,” she murmured.

A flicker of anger flashed over his face then vanished as he slid his hand over her elbow. “This should never have happened to you. None of this.”

Mildred looked down only to realize that he’d healed her small wound. She shook her head. “I’m glad it did or I would’ve never known you beyond my dreams.”

Before she could say another word, he cupped her cheeks, his eyes intense, determined. “I love you, Mildred. One way or another we will always be together.”

She frowned but allowed him to cherish her. “You make it all sound so unsure.”

“Well, nothing’s ever for sure, lass.” He kissed her softly. “But some things are forever.”

“Are we?” she whispered.

“Without a doubt, my lass, without a doubt. I will never leave you. You are mine forever. You are my one true love, in this life and beyond. I will follow you until the very end.”

Caught in the window between times, the Highland Defiance, Adlin kissed her until all thought fled… kissed her until she knew that he spoke the truth.

Their love would indeed last forever.

The End