Page 17 of The Anguish of the Scottish Lairds (Clans of Mull #3)

Kelvan

Kelvan stood on the parapets of Mingary Castle near Kilchoan in Ardnamurchan, catching sight of the small galley ship headed toward him. It was too small to be from Europe, so it had to be his men near Mull.

As soon as word reached him about the green meadow faery and the wee laddie with special powers, he arranged everything just the way he wanted. He’d arranged to have men on Ulva, Coll, and Mull, all ready to do his work. He’d had Egan at Drimnin and Garvie on Ulva, but some chieftain had taken care of Egan for him. And Garvie had gotten too arrogant, so his death was no true loss either. He’d found someone to take his place in less than a day. A younger man who did whatever was asked of him.

It didn’t matter. Egan had been past his prime and had gotten too far along in his years. And Garvie’s temperament was too explosive. He’d become more of a hindrance than an asset. The only true loss had been the old couple who’d watched over the bairns. That had upset him because they were harder to replace. The woman had treated the bairns as if they were her own, but when the entire incident with Egan and his men had taken place, someone had located the couple and set them free. This was a huge loss because it wasn’t easy finding someone to care for bairns.

He’d have to search for a replacement soon because he already had a plan in motion to abduct the wee ones.

His priority was finding that faery who would grant his wishes. It was the only way to the one missing piece in his life—his daughter.

He and his wife had gone through a difficult time, and while he smiled at the thought of shutting that bitch’s mouth finally, he hadn’t expected to lose his daughter. Someone had been smarter than he had been, whisking the wee lass away before he could grab her.

He wouldn’t stop until he had the lass. His new wife wanted power and revenge against two clans; he just wished to get his daughter back. She could gain him some good coin from afar, though getting her back was more than that. It was revenge against his wife and how she’d treated him. She hadn’t liked his ways so he put an end to that by putting an end to her.

He nearly giggled with delight at how easy it had been, but now he had to find his daughter and he didn’t care how he did it.

He stood on the parapets as the boat approached, four men getting off the vessel. “Come inside,” he shouted down to them from above, pointing to the back of the castle. “Come around and my men will let you in.” He’d had to lock up anything facing the water because of the many pirates who dared to try to take over his estate in the past. They couldn’t be trusted.

However, whoever was fool enough to try paid the price. He smirked at the last one he’d thrown off the parapets. It had been quite a loud smack when the lying fool’s body had landed on the rocks below, his own frame shivering from the memory. The various man’s parts were now fish food.

He led the men into the large meeting chamber he kept locked because he had a safe inside, one he did his best to keep hidden. The jewels and the coins nearly overflowed the container, but if he had to, he’d buy another one.

The man in charge of Ulva shoved one of his men ahead of him, cursing at him.

“Problems?” He made a point never to use anyone’s name. It was a rule once anyone stepped onto the land around Mingary.

“Aye. The fool decided to try to tap a lass at Dounarwyse and nearly got caught.”

“Cut off his cock, and he’ll not do it again.”

The man’s hands went straight to his private parts, telling Kelvan who the culprit was. Men were so ignorant.

“I promise not to touch her again. I was bored waiting for the instructions on when we are to go to Mull. When do we move? I wish to return home to Tiree.”

“You’ll leave when I tell you,” Kelvan said, scratching the stump where his hand used to be. How could he feel his hand when it was no longer there?

His boss, Kelvan’s second, shoved the man into a chair. “Sit down and shut up.”

The fourth man sat in the next chair.

Kelvan asked, “Have you determined which ones they are and where they are?”

“Aye. Almost certain. The faery girl watches over a wee lad, one still in raggies. I think he’s the one with the special powers.”

“Almost certain? Are there other possibilities?”

“Aye. The Grant woman who is a seer has two daughters and a son. One has her powers as a seer, the lad has special powers, but no one knows exactly what they are. But he’s not the one who is the most special.”

“So, you have one who is a faery, a lass who possesses seer abilities, a lad with special powers, and a bairn who might have special powers too?”

“Aye.”

“Why do you think the bairn has special powers? He surely cannot use them if he cannot speak or walk.”

“Because the faery girl watches over him. They say she never leaves his side.”

Kelvan sat down in the large chair behind his desk. “Then we have no choice. We take both lads and both lasses. And …”

“And? Who else could you possibly want?”

“The bairn’s mother. Somebody has to change his raggies, unless you wish to, and the last time I looked, I don’t have any food coming out of my nipples.”

That sent all three men giggling, and Kelvan rolled his eyes. “Get the five of them on the morrow and bring them here.”

“Fine, but we’ll have to go south with them first. You know there’s too much traffic on the sound.”

“Go around. In fact, do what you must, but get them to Coll within three days, and I’ll visit you there. I’d like to watch the group on my own and decide for myself. And if I have to hurt one of them to get the mother to talk, I’ll do it. Get them here safely. Your job today is simple. Make sure you have enough poison for all the rest in the castle. Ready the vessel and the other men. Find enough blankets, raggies, and food for the journey.”

“Aye, Chief.”

“Get it done on the morrow. No more delays. We need these bairns before my wife gets here. She’s headstrong and is determined to take over the Isle of Mull, with my help, of course. I don’t care if she does, but I want the bairns before she starts her attack.”

“A woman wants to battle? Why?”

Kelvan moved over and pulled the furs back from the window. “She thinks the Grants and Ramsays owe her. And I don’t wish to battle those large clans without some extra help.”

“Why do they owe her?”

“They owe her for something that happened a long, long time ago.”

“A battle?”

“Nay, they killed her grandsire. Specifically, Alex Grant killed her grandfather, and she wants revenge.”

His second said, “Going against the Grants is not going to be easy. Why the Ramsays if Alex Grant was the guilty party?”

“She said Logan Ramsay was there too. She wants him dead.”

“I know someone who gets close enough to do it.”

Kelvan nearly gasped. “Don’t be a fool. He has to die in the only way possible.”

The man tipped his head at him. “How?”

“At her hand. She has to kill Logan Ramsay herself.”

“A woman killing the man who was a spy?”

Kelvan smiled. “You can count on it.”