Page 28 of The Mad Highlander

28

T wo days later, Ashton woke up properly, and Iris was by his bedside when he did.

He blinked his eyes open as he had done many times before and licked his dry lips. Iris reached for the small cup of water by his bedside and brought it to his lips, giving him a little at a time as Astrid had instructed her. He coughed as he swallowed the first amount and then swallowed some more.

Iris placed a hand on her brother’s forehead. For the longest time, it had alternated between being hot and cold, but it only had some warmth to it now. She took her brother’s hand and tried to soothe him.

“Yer fine, Ashton. I’m still here with ye.”

“Ye were in me dreams,” Ashton replied. “Ye’ve been in them for the longest time. Ye stood before me with a sword, ready to fight off the darkness.” His voice was weak, but it was the most he had said since being rescued.

Iris looked into her brother’s eyes, and they were not swimming this time. He looked at her intently.

“Ashton?” Iris asked.

“Aye, I’m here. Help me sit up, will ye? I feel so uncomfortable in this position.”

“How are ye feelin’?” Iris asked. “Do ye have any pain anywhere?” She dug an arm underneath him and pulled him up toward the head of the bed, and he pushed with his legs.

Ashton shuffled the rest of the way up into a sitting position. “Nay, I feel fine. I feel like I could eat a horse, and me throat feels like I havenae had anythin’ to drink in a week, but apart from that, I’m fine.”

“Yer awake,” Astrid said from behind. “Keep him talkin’, Iris. I’ll fetch him some ale to drink.”

“Ye’ve really come back to me?” Iris placed her hand on her brother’s cheek.

“Aye, I’m back. I’m nae a ghost. Yet, if I were, I would still come back and haunt ye.”

Iris leaned down and hugged her brother softly. “I thought we had lost ye. When Tristan told me ye had been taken, I thought ye would be killed.”

“How did he get me out of there?” Ashton asked.

“Laird O’Brien did. He?—”

“Laird O’Brien!” Ashton gasped. He looked around the healer’s hut, and his head lolled for a moment before he composed himself. “We’re somewhere else. Where are we, Iris?”

“Castle O’Brien,” Iris replied.

“I dinnae understand. What’s goin’ on?” Ashton reached out and took the cup of ale from Astrid when she brought it. He took a mouthful by himself, his energy flooding back as he tried to make sense of the situation.

“It’s a long story, but I am to wed Laird O’Brien in exchange for him savin’ ye.”

Ashton’s eyes widened. “Nay, ye dinnae have to. I willnae let ye. I’ll speak to him, and I’ll deal with him meself.” He almost spilled his ale as he ranted.

Iris placed a hand on her brother’s arm. “Dinnae worry about that, Ashton. I’ve been here a while, and I will marry him. He’s nae the mad laird we have all been told of, and—och! None of that matters right now. I can explain it all later. All that matters is that war is comin’ between the O’Brien clan and the Murdoch clan, and they might be headed to this castle as we speak. It’s worse than just that, though. Laird O’Brien is convinced that Tristan has some part of it. That he will march with Laird Murdoch. I tried to tell him that he isnae part of it, but I’m worried that he will attack McCabe Castle when he is done with Laird Murdoch.”

Ashton looked into his ale, clearly thinking.

“I ken this is a lot to take in, but ye have to speak to him. Ye have to tell him about Tristan,” Iris begged.

Ashton took a moment before he spoke. He took another mouthful of ale and shifted in the bed to become more comfortable. “I wondered how it had happened when they ambushed us.”

Iris’ breathing started to quicken. “What do ye mean?”

“When Tristan sent me up north of our castle, it was to check for missin’ livestock which didnae sit right with me. It was a menial task for me to do, but I didnae question him. I assumed it was part of me trainin’. He sent me with a handful of villagers who had only gone because of the coin they were promised. I should have kenned then that somethin’ was wrong.”

Iris leaned forward in her chair, not daring to ask any questions. She hoped beyond hope that the Laird was wrong, and her cousin was not behind any of it. The hair on the back of her neck began to prickle.

“When we got to the northern fields, we were attacked out of nowhere. There were three times as many of them as there were of us. We were off travelin’ roads. Either they stumbled across us somehow, or they kenned we would be there. There was no warnin’, and they didnae say a word as they attacked. They killed every man I was with and took me prisoner. I tried to fight back, but there were too many.”

Ashton shook his head and took another mouthful of ale. He was far too young to lament the loss of others.

“They took me to Murdoch Castle and tossed me in the dungeon. No one visited me—not the Laird or the captain of the guards. I was brought enough food to keep me alive and was kept there without being told why. I have a vague recollection of being rescued, and if it were the mad laird, I would very much like to shake his hand.”

“What are ye sayin’?” Iris could not control the beating of her heart or the sharpness of her breath. She didn't want to hear it but needed to.

“It was him,” Ashton confirmed. “Tristan sent me up there to be captured by Laird Murdoch. He sent me out there to start a war.”

“I have to go,” Iris told him. “I need to speak with the Laird. I’ll come back to ye as soon as I can.”

“I’m fine,” Ashton assured her. “Go and thank him for me. I would have died in that dungeon if he had not come. I owe him me life.”

Iris kissed her brother on the forehead and quickly left the room. She almost ran straight into Thomas, the castle steward.

“Me Lady, I was lookin’ for ye. I need to take ye to safety. Yer brother, too.”

“What?” Iris’ heart beat faster—she could feel it pounding against her chest, threatening to break out. A metallic taste formed at the back of her mouth. “What’s goin’ on?”

“We’ve had reports of an army marchin’ on the castle. They’ll be here sometime after sunrise. We need to get the women and children to safety.”

“Not right now.” Iris held her ground. “I need to speak with the Laird. Get me brother to safety and the others. Ye said sometime after sunrise, aye?”

“Aye, Me Lady.”

“Are ye usin’ the empty larders and tunnels that lead out to the potato fields?”

The castle steward nodded and smiled, impressed with her knowledge. “Aye.”

“I will head down there once I have spoken to Cayden. I ken where to go. Get the others to safety, and I will join as soon as I can.”

“I was given me orders, Me Lady. I need to get ye to safety.”

“And I need to speak with the Laird. I’m givin’ ye new orders.”

“All right,” Thomas said.

Iris walked past him and headed toward the keep.

I need to apologize to him before he goes into battle. I need to see him in case… I don't get to see him again.