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“Let me go, ye bastard!” she screamed at him, wild-eyed with terror, kicking and biting and tearing at his flesh with her fingernails. But her efforts were in vain, for MacDonald was much stronger than her and easily controlled her. He cruelly squeezed her neck with his arm, cutting off her air and choking her

“Ye thought ye could outwit me, did ye, ye wee whore?” he screamed in her ear, spittle flying, glaring maniacally at Arne over Raven’s shoulder. “Ye’ll both die here on this island, and neither of ye will see that wee brat of yers again!”

“All right, MacDonald, let her go unharmed, and I’ll surrender,” Arne offered, though he had no intention of doing any such thing. He was even more determined now to save Raven and destroy MacDonald, even if it cost him his life. But with Raven in immediate danger, he knew he had to buy some time by appearing to give up. He planned to lull MacDonald into a false sense of security and then strike.

All this time, he did not take his eyes off Raven’s, trying to tell her silently that he would save her. But she was going blue and gasping for breath, and he was unsure if she could even see him.

At that moment, the sound of men fighting grew to a roar, and from the corner of his eye, Arne saw men pouring over the rocks to his right. They were engaged in furious fighting, filling the air with the clash of swords, panting and grunting, as they poured down onto the beach. Soon, they were everywhere. The men with MacDonald joined the fray, and Arne and Raven and MacDonald were quickly surrounded by a turbulent sea of fighting.

“Surrender, MacLeod!” MacDonald yelled at him, his eyes gleaming with triumph. “Ye’re outnumbered.”

“All right, all right, just let her go, and I’ll give mesel’ up,” Arne shouted back, watching, always watching for his chance. It came a few moments later, when he saw MacDonald’s eyes flick away from him to the fight going on around them, clearly believing he had won.

Seeing his opportunity, Arne threw himself forward, closing the short gap between them, and with deadly accuracy, putting all his body weight behind it, he rammed his blade full force into MacDonald’s temple and then pulled it out.

Raven screamed as a fountain of blood erupted from the hole in MacDonald’s skull, showering her and Arne and anyone else within a few feet with crimson rain. Arne watched as the man remained on his feet for a few seconds, an expression of surprise on his face, before his arm fell limply away from Raven’s throat, and his sword fell harmlessly to the sand.

His body tipped forward, collapsing onto Raven, who squealed in horror and wriggled desperately out from under him, scrambling into Arne’s arms. She fell against his chest, coughing and gasping, trying to pull air into her lungs.

Arne leaned over MacDonald, whose mouth was working like a fish’s, but no words came out, only a horrible choking gurgle. “I came here tae kill ye, ye evil scum, and I consider it a service tae humanity tae rid the world of a bastard like ye!” He saw the light go out in McDonald’s eyes with a feeling of great satisfaction.

“Is he dead?” Raven cried hoarsely. “Tell me he’s dead!”

“Aye, he is now. ’Tis all over, Raven,” he told her gently, his arms wrapping around her protectively as he pulled her further down the beach, away from the fighting going on all around them. “Ye need never fear him again. He cannae hurt ye anymore.”

“I truly thought he was gonnae kill me this time,” she sobbed, hugging him tightly as if afraid to let go. “I cannae believe he’s gone, that I’m free at last. Thank ye, thank ye, Arne, from the bottom of me heart!”

“Ye dinnae have tae thank me, bonny lass, the pleasure was all mine,” he told her, kissing her blood-spattered hair tenderly, relieved to have her safe in his arms again, for the moment at least.

“Come on, we need tae get ye and yer friend out of here tae safety,” he told her, taking her by the hand and running to the shelter of the bushes by the path.

“Where are Everard and Max,” she asked anxiously as they ran.

“Fightin’ somewhere.”

“Look, there’s Ava. Och, she’s all right!” Raven cried, rushing to her friend, who was crouching behind a bush, tears running down her face. The two women embraced and sobbed against each other’s shoulders.

“He’s d-dead, Ava, Arne killed him. I’m f-free,” Raven stuttered.

“I saw, melady, ’Tis a miracle. I’m so happy fer ye,” Ava replied tearfully.

“Stay down low and wait here until I come and get ye,” Arne told them.

“Be careful, Arne, please!” Raven said, her eyes beseeching him to stay safe.

“I will,” he replied before running back to rejoin the fray. He soon saw that the death of their leader had taken the heart out of the MacDonald fighters. Many were dead or dying on the sand, while others were retreating over the rocks, clearly making for the relative safety of the castle. The fighting was thinning out, and he could now see Maxwell and Everard and their few men putting up a valiant defense while they fought their way down to the sea’s edge.

Something caught his eye out on the water. To his astonishment, the birlinn was bobbing out there on the waves a stone’s throw from the beach, with two men already aboard, watching the battle. He guessed the brothers had given orders for the boat to be readied for their escape from the island, and he was thankful for their foresight.

He watched as Everard dealt a death blow to his opponent, and Arne ran towards him, hailing him. Everard wiped the blood and bone and sweat from his brow as Arne reached him.

“Have ye got Raven?” he shouted, panting.

“Aye, she’s waiting just back there on the path with her maid,” Arne told him. “She’s all right, and McDonald’s dead.”

“Good. Let’s finish this. Get the lassies on the boat. Once Maxell’s done, we’re leavin’.”

As Arne ran back to fetch Raven and Ava, he heard Everard shouting orders to his men to make for the boat and then saw him running up the sand to aid his brother.