Page 57 of Desire of a Highlander

Elodie spoke to Morag’s mother. “Anna, get the children.”

Anna nodded and trotted off, and Elodie hurried down the street, shouting orders.

“Everyone under twelve into the north barn! Elderly folk too. You know what to do!”

People obeyed, and within minutes the settlement had transformed. Children disappeared into the reinforced barn. Doors were barred. Supplies were moved.

The villagers who had trained with Ronan hefted their staffs and formed around him in four groups, just as they’d planned. One group each to guard the entrances to the valley, one to defend the Steading itself and the fourth group—those Ronan deemed to be the most accomplished fighters—to move out and meet the threat.

Ronan moved among them, giving orders, offering encouragement. Finally, he came over to Elodie.

“Everything ready?”

Elodie breathed slowly, her brain clicking through lists and preparations. “As ready as it’s going to be.”

There was so much she wanted to say. Be careful. Don’t take any risks. Come back to me.

Instead, she settled for, “Good luck.”

He nodded. “We’ll be fine.”

Then he was gone, turning away and leading his group towards the valley entrance, Bran and Skye bounding at his heels.

Elodie watched until the group of defenders disappeared from sight. Only then did she force herself back to work, organizing the villagers, making sure everyone was in their allotted positions.

Then the waiting began. As agreed, Elodie stayed with the group assigned to defend the Steading. She checked positions. Organized watches. Found jobs for anyone whose nerves were getting the better of them. Idle people worried. Busy people coped. It was a lesson she’d learned long ago.

Faye came over. “Ye should sit down.”

“I don’t need to sit down.”

“Ye’ve been pacing for an hour.”

“I’m fine.”

Faye snorted. “Perhaps ye are, but it doesnae do anyone else any good to see ye this nervous.”

Elodie glared at her, knowing the healer was right. She sucked in a breath and forced herself to stop pacing and try to calm the tangle of her thoughts. But it was hard. What if Ronan was hurt? What if they’d been ambushed? What if—

Okay. Enough. Taking a deep breath, she marched off down the street to check on the children in the barn.

It wasn’t until the sun began sinking towards the western cliffs that the cry she’d been aching to hear all day finally went up.

“They’re back!”

Elodie was in the barn when she heard it but she was moving almost before it finished. She ran out into the street—along with half the Steading’s residents. A group of figures was approaching from the direction of the northern entrance. Relief washed through Elodie as she saw Ronan walking at their head. Thank God. Thank God.

But her relief lasted only a moment as she saw that someone was slung across Angus’s saddle. Her blood went cold. Oh no.

She pushed to the front of the surging crowd as the defenders approached. It was only then that she saw that the figure slung across Ronan’s saddle was David. His skin was waxy pale and blood had soaked the side of his shirt, turning it crimson. Sarah walked by his side, all color drained from her face, one hand resting on her husband’s prostrate form.

“Let me through!” Faye shouted, elbowing the onlookers aside. She took one look at David’s pale face and snapped, “Get him into the barn.”

David groaned weakly as Ronan lifted him down from the saddle, kicked open the door to the barn, and carried him inside. Sarah hurried beside him, clutching his hand. Tears streamed down her face.

Ronan lowered David onto a bed whilst Faye shouted instructions and snapped at everyone to get out of her way. Elodie caught a glimpse of the wound as Faye cut away David’s shirt and immediately wished she hadn’t. Something had torn through the flesh beneath his shoulder. The wound looked angry and deep and blood leaked out of it, staining his shirt, the mattress beneath, Faye’s hands.

“Out!” Faye bellowed.