Page 30

T he next day, Crystal brought breakfast to Courteney. Some meat pies from the market, a wedge of cheese, a loaf of bread and a bottle of mead.

"I'll just be a minute," she said as Jamie helped her to dismount.

"I will wait here," he said.

Crystal tapped lightly on the door. "Courteney, it's Crystal, are you awake?"

Courteney didn't open the door, but she opened the shutters on the window right by the door. She was groggy and sleepy and Crystal felt bad for waking her.

"Crystal, good morning to you. I am sorry I am not dressed. I did not sleep well," she said.

"No, I am sorry for disturbing you. I brought you a few things," she handed her the bundle of goods through the window, "here you are. Please, go back to bed. You deserve a very long rest after what you've been through."

"Thank you, Crystal." She gave her a weak smile and then closed the shutters again.

She seemed somewhat ill to Crystal, but she knew it was probably just exhaustion.

Crystal rode with Jamie to the castle. The day was frigid, but sunny and she was able to take in the all the sites.

She saw Maggie's cottage and Loch Ness and as they rode on, she could see the massive castle they were riding toward, sitting proudly upon a piece of land that jutted out into the lake.

"Nearly there, lass. What do you think of your first view of Urquhart Castle?" Jamie whispered in her ear.

"It's beautiful." She was in awe of the place. It was magnificent, and looked well kept, almost new with its grey brick and iron fencing.

The group road up the land bridge toward the courtyard and the gate opened for them. The inside courtyard was bustling with activity. It was very wide, and almost resembled its own little village. There was a blacksmith, a stables, guard quarters and so much more.

"Why are then not already in the dungeon?" Jamie muttered as he directed his horse toward Brendan. "What's going on? Why are Cameron and Brian being held out here?"

"I do not know." Brendan seemed pissed off to Crystal as he rode toward the prison carts that held the two.

Jamie reined in his horse and dismounted.

He held his hand up for her and she leaned down into them so he could help her down as well.

He handed the reins to a stable boy, and then the two of them moved toward the prison carts.

They stopped next to Elena and Melanie, then Jamie moved to join the other guards.

"— them inside?" Brendan was apparently demanding to know why the weren't locked in the dungeon.

"They are full at the moment with those Irish bandits we caught a few weeks ago. Thought it might be best to keep them separated until they went before the Laird."

"Aye, suppose you have got a point." Brendan nodded. "Get them out, we will take 'em before the Laird now."

Crystal felt someone's eyes on her and it was making her uncomfortable. She turned her head and realized it was Cameron staring at her. She shivered in distaste as the guards opened his cart and got him down.

Cameron used his shoulder to push the guard escorting him out of the way. Since his ankles were untied and only his arms bound together he was able to run directly at her screaming and growling.

Crystal was petrified and couldn't move. It was as if every single sound echoed around her and she felt like she was in the cottage again when he attacked her. All she could see was his large body coming toward her.

He was suddenly yanked backwards. She saw that Brian had been released as well, and was right behind him. He used the chains on his arms to wrap around Cameron's neck and pulled him backward from behind. Cameron let out a choking sound.

Full chaos ensued as the Watchmen began to shout.

They attempted to get Brian off of Cameron.

Crystal still stood frozen in fear. It was like she was a character in her own crime thriller novel.

She watched as Cameron acted as though Brian's choking didn't deter him, and continue to move toward her, dragging Brian with him.

"Crystal!" Jamie shouted. He ran straight for them at such a speed that he was at Cameron's side before she knew it. He lifted the hilt of his sword and hit Cameron on the back of the head.

Cameron didn't go down. Instead he crouched and twisted in a way that set him free from Brian's chain. He jumped up with a great stride toward Crystal, his arms outstretched. She shifted, trying to move away. He missed her upper body, but managed to grab her skirts, pulling her backward.

"Agh!" she screamed and fell backward onto back.

"No!" Jamie shouted as he came at Cameron and stabbed him in the lower back with his dagger.

Cameron went limp almost immediately and fell to the ground next to Crystal.

Crystal screamed and shoved herself away from him as he lay dying. He was still trying to reach for her as she scrambled away. The next thing she knew, she was being picked up and wrapped in Jamie's arms.

"Shh, lass, it tis all right now. He cannot hurt you. Not ever again," Jamie murmured in her ear as he held her.

Crystal stood trembling in his arms. She'd seen her life pass before her eyes and she'd been scared to death that she would never get to spend the rest of her life living here in Scotland and loving Jamie. She slid her arms around him and held on tight, unable to let him go.

"It is all right." Jamie rubbed her back as he murmured softly to her.

Around them the rest of the guards got Brian under control, who was laughing gleefully at the sight of Cameron on the ground, bleeding to death. Someone bent over him and checked for his pulse.

"He's dead."

"Get him in a wagon so we can take his body back to town for burial," Brendan said with a sigh.

"Should we wait for the Laird?" Jamie asked over Crystal's shoulder?"

The guards paused in their attempt to lift Cameron's body as they waited for Brendan to answer.

"Aye, I suppose. Rory, go see if the Laird has a moment to come out here."

"Aye." Rory jogged across the courtyard and ran up the large stone steps to the huge wooden door of the castle.

Crystal now trembled for another whole reason. She was about to meet the Laird that everyone spoke about and the thought of do so had her scared to death.