Page 96 of Steel & Surrender

Pride washed over Brìghde. Eòghan was young, yet he was fast and brave.

Her brother shifted back, next to her—axe ready once more—to defend their parents.

Brìghde’s heart started to pound.

They’d done well, but the two of them weren’t enough.

They’d only hold this lot at bay for a short while. A group of brawny men surrounded them now, hemming the Boyd family in.

Brìghde caught the flash of their teeth, white in the darkness, and panic clawed up her throat.

They were enjoying this.

They were playing with them.

“Bàs no Beatha!” The Maclean war cry shattered the MacDonalds’ mirth.

Death or victory!

The words tore through the night. And for a heartbeat, everything stilled.

Then two figures burst from the dark—fast, lethal—steel flashing in the firelight.

Greig brought one man down with a stab through the throat, while Davy handled the warrior next to him.

Brìghde’s heart lurched. Of all men, he had come to her rescue.

However, the distraction was all she needed.

She swung her poker hard at another of the warriors who had turned to face the Macleans.

The crunch of iron colliding with his jaw was sickening, yet she followed through.

The man stumbled and fell to his knees. And then Eòghan was there, slamming his axe down onto the warrior’s skull.

Brìghde stumbled back, cold horror washing over her at the violence, at the bloodshed.

All her life at Duart, she’d felt safe and protected.

Tonight, all of that changed.

Tonight, the world had shattered.

But now wasn’t the time to lose her nerve—not with her parents needing her protection.

She moved close to them once more, beating a warrior off with her poker.

A sting followed on her forearm as a blade grazed her.

She didn’t stop, even as she felt warm blood trickle down her arm.

She couldn’t let them hurt her parents.

She’d die first.

But then, suddenly, it was over.

Despite that Greig clearly favored his left leg, he fought with breathtaking brutality, swapping his dirk from his left to his right hand, and back, with ease, bringing down opponent after opponent until they all lay either dead or groaning from their injuries on the ground.