Page 17 of Wolf Heir (Highland Wolves of Old #3)

The man’s eyes widened in surprise as he saw Coinneach jump up from the tall grasses and strike at him.

Coinneach felled him in one slash of his sword.

But then Holgar came at him from the side, swinging an ax.

Coinneach struck Holgar’s ax as hard as he could, knocking it away from slicing his chest in two.

Aodhan was fighting the other man, their swords clashing, metal clanging, the harsh reality of the ongoing battle ringing in the air.

Coinneach’s earlier wound was hurting something fierce, streaks of pain shooting out of it, as Blair’s words haunted him. “You canna fight for three days.”

“You have my brother’s sword,” Holgar said, angrier than before.

Holgar came at him with a swing of the ax. Coinneach struck his ax again.

Holgar wasn’t as massive as Aodhan, but he was heavily muscled, and every swing and thrust of his ax and, alternately, his short sword, if they had connected with Coinneach’s flesh, would have killed him.

Holgar came in closer with his short sword and stabbed at Coinneach. He struck Holgar’s sword so hard that he lost it in the tall grass.

Except for the torches and the fires they had ignited when they fell, the light was low. Holgar couldn’t see half as well as Coinneach could in the dark.

Before Holgar could recover and swing his deadly ax again, Coinneach thrust his sword into the Viking’s chest. He quickly yanked his sword out and readied it again, not trusting that he’d given Holgar a mortal wound. Holgar’s eyes were wide with surprise.

Aodhan was watching from a few feet away.

Holgar fell forward, collapsing on the ground on his chest.

“We must put out the fires, but we dinna know if there are others who were with these men,” Coinneach said. “And we must get rid of the bodies.”

“Aye, I’m getting the water.” Aisling was carrying two buckets filled with water.

Immediately, he wanted to carry the buckets for Aisling, but he knew that the three of them would be needed. He grabbed some more buckets for Aodhan and him, and they raced to the creek as Aisling poured water on one of the torchlit fires.

Aisling was headed for the creek again as they were returning with filled buckets when they heard horses galloping toward them from the direction of the castle.

“It looks like Drustan sent reinforcements to help us,” Aodhan said.

“They’re too late.” Coinneach dumped his buckets on another fire, then rushed back to the creek.

“Nay, they will dispose of the bodies for us, finish putting the fires out, and we will retire to bed.” Aodhan bypassed him and filled up his buckets with water.

Aisling joined them and filled hers.

“How long did you watch me fight Holgar?” Coinneach tried to keep up with Aodhan as Aisling followed them from a considerable distance behind.

“From the beginning. How did you know his name? I assume Tamhas didna kill his brother,” Aodhan said.

“Nay, I did,” Aisling called out from behind them.

“No’ with a bow and arrow.” Aodhan glanced back at her.

She smiled. “As a wolf.”

Aodhan nodded. “She is a keeper.”

“Aye. I know. She saved my life,” Coinneach said.

“You didna come to aid me against Holgar, Aodhan.” Coinneach thought they were supposed to have each other’s backs.

And Coinneach was still dealing with a painful wound.

He spoke the words not in condemnation but wishing to learn what Aodhan had been thinking.

“I told you. The two men on our right were yours to fight.”

“But Aisling killed two of the men you said you would battle.” Coinneach didn’t see the logic in it as he poured more water on the fires, groaning in pain. He glanced down at his shirt and saw that it was covered in fresh blood.

“I was busy fighting when you killed the first man, and then you became engaged with Holgar. ‘Tis a matter of honor. The man who sought revenge would have continued to come after your family once he learned you had his brother’s weapons. Unless you couldna fight any longer, I had to let you prove you were the better fighter. And you showed you were.”

The riders from the castle, including Tristan, soon joined them, dismounted, and began hauling water from the creek, and quickly put out the remaining fires.

A wave of dizziness crashed over Coinneach, and he grabbed Aodhan’s arm before he fell headfirst into the grass.

Aodhan quickly held him up. “You’re bleeding. Why didna you tell me? That would have been different. I would have killed Holgar for you.”

Coinneach weakly laughed.

Aisling dropped her empty buckets and ran to Coinneach.

She removed his shirt. “You were no’ supposed to be fighting.

What were you thinking? And you”—she gave Aodhan a stern look—“you knew he was wounded earlier. You should have taken care of Holgar. I would have, but Coinneach was in my line of sight and I couldna hit Holgar with one of my arrows.”

“Aye, lass, just as I was saying. Coinneach fought so well, I didna remember him being wounded.” Aodhan sounded truly repentant.

She wrapped the cloth from her head around Coinneach’s bloody bandage. “Someone needs to give Coinneach a ride back to the castle. He needs to see my mother at once.” She helped him on with his shirt.

Tristan offered his horse. “I’ll help you to get him on the horse. Aisling, you can go with him to ensure he stays in the saddle. We’ll take care of the dead men.”

“Give Holgar’s sword and the short sword to Tamhas,” Coinneach said.

“Aye, it will be done.” Tristan pointed at Holgar’s weapons. “These?”

“Aye.”

“You came late enough,” Aodhan said to the gathered men who had finished putting the fires out and were now ready to take care of the bodies.

“Even though you said you didna need our help, we were gathering a force to come to your aid. Morag stopped us from helping you. She said you wouldna need anyone else’s assistance.

Then Chief Hamish learned about the two of you going to Coinneach’s family’s aid, that Aisling had slipped out to help you, and countermanded Morag’s order.

He wasna happy with her,” Tristan said. “Nor was she with him.”

Coinneach was glad for that. But Morag’s actions made him wonder if she suspected who he was and hoped the Vikings would kill him, which would mean Blair was in more danger. And probably Aisling as well.