Page 125 of Highland Ruse

Block.

He attacked from the left.

Block.

Delilah’s left arm screamed in agony.

“Keep crawling.” Delilah’s throat ached with the threat of tears, but she kept her voice strong. For Claire’s sake.

MacKenzie snarled his frustration and redoubled his energy, his slashing attacks so vicious, Delilah had no choice but to step backward with each strike. Her arm trembled, and she knew her strikes were lacking the power they’d possessed only moments before.

The rustle of fabric was the only indication she had that Claire obeyed. Surely she was close enough to the door now.

Delilah’s blade drooped. It was only for a moment, but MacKenzie saw it and thrust his sword at her. She jerked her own weapon upward to defend herself and made it by only a hair of a second. Even as his knocked blade passed over her body, the tip raked against her waist and left a narrow line of red blooming beneath the torn fabric.

She would not be able to last much longer.

“Stand up and look only forward,” Delilah said to Claire.

“But—”

“Do it,” Delilah hissed. “And run!”

She lunged forward, throwing her body into MacKenzie and attacking with every last bit of energy she had. Her sword thrust until it was knocked from her limp grasp and clattered away, out of her reach.

She clawed and spat and bit, all in a blind fury of sheer desperation, lashing out like an animal caught in a trap.

Like a lioness protecting her cub.

Something cold and sharp bit into her hip. She shoved aside the discomfort and raked her nails over MacKenzie’s face.

He howled in agony. His bleeding face went purple with rage. He grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her to the ground with such force, she could not catch herself.

She lay on the floor, exhausted and bleeding, thinking how very much like Elizabeth she must look.

Poor Elizabeth, whom she had not been able to save. The girl whose father had loved her only so far as to send someone in her stead to ensure the safety of his investment.

Had the girl ever known a good life?

MacKenzie loomed over Delilah.

She kicked hard at his shins with all her might and sent him crashing to the floor at her side. He sat up with a groan and rolled over onto her.

His hair stood up in all directions, and his eyes were wild and dark. “Ye stupid bitch. I’ll kill ye for that.”

He jerked something from his waist and a dagger glinted in the moonlight streaming in through the open shutters. Delilah wanted to put her arm up to block him, but her left one was too weak, and her right completely immobile.

She tried to turn away, but there was nowhere to go.

Nowhere but death.

MacKenzie’s eyes widened and near bulged from his head. The breath hissed from him in a low groan and his body sagged forward on top of her.

Delilah blinked, her brain rattling with confusion for a split second before a heavy body collapsed beside her and a hand slid into hers.

Warm and tender, and wet with the blood of her attacker.

Her heart swelled into her throat. She could only lie there and cry while holding tight to Kaid’s hand until they were both inevitably claimed by death.