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Over a year ago in the Borderlands between Scotland and England

“What is happening?” Merryn MacClane screamed as the pounding of horses’ hooves surrounded their small village.

One of five homes in the rural area near the Borderlands of Scotland, their hut housed her parents and her brother Tristan, while her sister Nara lived next door with her husband, Kelvan Mortimer, and their wee daughter, Shealee.

The other three cottages were friendly neighbors, but they were not relatives.

Screams carried to her from the first hut.

Cries of pain and clashing of swords echoed across the clearing in the center of the five cottages.

Merryn was about to run into the middle of the village, but Nara came in through the back door of the four-room building and thrust her daughter Shealee at her.

“Hide her, Merryn. Hide her well and do not allow Kelvan to touch her or to know where she is. Promise me!”

“I promise.” Confused, Merryn took Shealee and held her tight while Nara ran back out the door, yelling for her husband as she went.

Merryn did as her only sister asked and headed into the secret hiding place in the back of a storage chamber, climbing in with the wee bairn, but not before she made the mistake of pulling the fur back far enough from the window to peek outside.

Kelvan, the man who’d been married to her sister for three years, dropped from his horse to thrust his sword into her sister’s midsection.

Merryn gasped from the shock of seeing Nara grab the sword that had pierced her back and exited through her belly, the tip and blade stained red with her blood. The sharp edges sliced the tender skin of Nara’s palms, and she crumpled to the ground, her eyes locked on Merryn’s. “Save her.”

Merryn dropped the fur before Kelvan’s gaze found her, then opened the door to the storage and crept into the hidden section in the back, something her sire had built for his bairns in case of an attack.

Shaking with fear, she inhaled the sweet scent of her niece and clutched her tight, rocking her to sleep. If she cried, Kelvan would find them.

George MacClane had often spoken of the possibility of an attack from the English and gave strict instructions to his three bairns to hide when in doubt. They told no one about the hidden spot, not even their closest friends. George had made Nara promise not to tell her husband.

Their sire must have had an inkling about Kelvan.

Merryn pulled the top of the closet tighter over their head, Nara’s precious bairn sound asleep in Merryn’s arms. At only three moons old, Shealee was oblivious to most everything going on around her. Merryn clutched her tightly to her breast, praying the child wouldn’t awaken from all the noise.

She heard nothing more until the door opened to their cottage and her sire’s voice rang out.

“Get out of here, Kelvan Mortimer. I saw you kill my daughter with your own hands. You are sheer evil!” Her father unsheathed his sword, a sound they were all familiar with.

Her mother screamed and the sudden sound of iron blades clashing set Merryn to shaking violently, but the wee lass in her arms slept on.

Closing her eyes, Merryn dipped her head to shield the child from the atrocities occurring outside their small hiding place.

She knew exactly when her sire died and then her mother, their shrieks of pain and the odd sound of a dying breath all carried to her through the thin walls, but she held strong in her spot.

Kelvan called out, “Merryn, where are you? And where is my dear daughter? She is mine. I’ll let you live if you give her to me.” He paced through the house, opening doors and cabinets, even the closet where Merryn was concealed, but he didn’t notice the hidden door.

Kelvan cursed several times but finally left as another voice called to him, “Mortimer, we must move on. There are half a score horses headed this way. Grab any valuables and come along.”

“God’s rotten teeth,” Kelvan called out. “I’ll find you, Merryn. You can count on it.”

Then he left, mumbling and muttering. He called to another, “I wanted my daughter. I have a contract for a wee bairn.”

Merryn had no idea what that meant. What kind of contract? She couldn’t think on it. Shealee would stay with her. If they were lucky, Tristan would survive also. He’d come back and save the ones who were left. He had to.

She couldn’t be alone. Where would she go?

She huddled inside the small cupboard and waited, praying her brother would be part of the horses who were about to arrive.

Tristan fought and trained with the men from their uncle’s clan, the MacLeans.

Their father wished to live on his own, and his foolishness cost him the ultimate price. Mama, Papa, and Nara were now dead.

Where would she and Shealee go? She said a quick prayer that Tristan would survive. If they got away, Merryn would go straight to Clan MacLean and hope her brother was still there. But first, she had to wait for someone she trusted to come along.

Leaning back against the hard wood of the cupboard, she ran her fingernails lightly down the inside of their hiding place.

If she had to stay for long, she would surely end up clawing her way out.

What if someone locked the cabinet? Or nailed it shut?

Or set it ablaze? Her hands shook as her thoughts bounced around in the silence, the smell of the wood reminding her that she couldn’t move, couldn’t stretch out, couldn’t stand.

She wiggled her foot to keep the cramp at bay.

Her mind tore through all the things she would need to grab for sweet Shealee before she ran to Uncle Neil’s—raggies, fresh gowns, blankets, and milk. Young enough to still be at the breast, Shealee would have to settle for goat’s milk. Somehow, she’d find some for the wee lass.

The horses came closer, and shouts of pain and anguish rang out. Merryn nearly opened the door and screamed for Tristan, but she didn’t dare, afraid that Kelvan would be nearby.

She waited, the fate of the innocent lass in her arms entirely in her control now.

It was nearly an hour before the door to her hiding spot opened. Merryn’s whole body trembled, but she held her breath, letting it out in a loud gush the instant she saw who it was. “Oh, Tristan, it was horrible. Kelvan killed Nara. And Mama and Papa. I heard him.”

“Come,” Tristan said, tugging her out of the compact closet, easing her to her feet as she held Shealee tightly.

“I’m so happy to see you two managed to hide.

Praise God for this. We’ll go to Uncle Neil’s, then he’ll find a safe spot for us.

Kelvan will be back. He’s traveling with a cruel group.

I’ll go with you to grab a few things for the bairn, then we’re leaving immediately. Do not tarry, Merryn. We must hurry.”

She stepped out and headed to the front chamber, but Tristan grabbed her, turning her toward the back of the hut. “Nay, you do not wish to see what’s in there.”

“Mama,” she whispered.

“They’re both gone. I checked them all. Move quickly. I’ll find another gown for you and a tunic for myself while you find things for Shealee, then I’ll meet you at the door. I’ll get your mantle.”

Merryn did as her brother asked, Shealee still sound asleep. How she wished she could stop her hands from shaking, but it was not to be. The shock of losing her parents and her sister all at the same time began to settle in, tears misting her gaze.

But she had a wee lass to save first. She fumbled through the few belongings they kept in their hut and collected enough for now—raggies, gowns, blankets, a tiny bonnet to keep the bairn’s head warm.

She stuffed them into a small sack and then returned to Tristan, who’d gathered some belongings along with some foodstuffs.

“Here, put on your mantle. The wind will be cool. Keep her next to your warmth, lass.”

Her brother handed her the bairn after she mounted, climbed up behind her, then headed away from their home, checking the surroundings before venturing farther from the protection of the building and onto the main path.

“Don’t look, Merryn. Kelvan is mad. Everyone is dead that I saw.

I have no idea if anyone survived. All for gold coins.

How did you have the sense to grab the bairn and hide? ”

“Nara gave her to me. She saw Kelvan coming and told me to hide. She must have seen him attack the others. I peeked out the window before I hid, and I saw him strike her from behind. She was running and then she was dead. Oh, Tristan. She looked at me and I could read her lips. Save her .”

“And you did it. That’s the sign of a strong lass. I’m so proud of you, Merryn. You and I and Shealee, we’ll survive. Uncle Neil will help us.”

Strong was not the word she would use to describe herself at the moment. She willed her trembling to stop, but it would not.

The three arrived at MacLean Castle an hour later without interruption, their uncle greeting them at the gates.

“I’ve heard about the attacks. They are still out there and killing more.

He has a group of English guards with him.

I have land on Mull. I’m going to have a group of guards escort you there.

They can stay and help you finish the work that needs to be done, Tristan.

I’ll go with you, but only to show you my land and then I must return.

Kelvan will kill both of you if you don’t leave.

I don’t know why he’s turned daft, but I always thought he was not to be trusted. ”

Merryn couldn’t think of anything else but the wee lass awakening at her breast. “Goat’s milk, Uncle. I need food for Shealee.”

Uncle Neil peered at the sweet bairn he hadn’t noticed under her now untied mantle.

“Bastard. Coldhearted bastard. You can feed her in the kitchens while I arrange your transport, Merryn. I’ll send along some goats and chickens, sacks of grain and vegetables.

You’ll need them.” He paused to stare at her.

“Truly? Nara is dead? He killed his own wife?”

“Aye. I saw him. She gave Shealee to me and told me to hide just before …”

He clasped her shoulder. “Then we have no time to waste. He’ll kill the rest of us without hesitation.” He led Merryn into the keep and called a serving lass over, giving instructions to prepare food for the journey, find the goat’s milk, and package some extra plaids and linens to take with them.

Merryn sat in a chair and sobbed.

They were headed to the Isle of Mull, a place she’d never been before. Would they survive?