The Splendor of Fire (The Hebridean Shield #2)

Chapter 44

DUN RINGILL CASTLE - SEPTEMBER 28, 1385

F eet pounding against stone, Birdy ran through the darkened tunnel. She’d left Beithir, Lightning, and Lachlan at the edge of the field; she couldn’t bring herself to wait. A feeling of fear grew in her heart. She knew with certainty that Lion needed her. Legs screaming, she slid and scrambled over the long-dry riverbed, the sound of footsteps coming toward her.

“Who’s th—?” The sound of Isobel’s voice was choked out followed by a short shush. Hoping that her instincts were right, she gave the whistle of the chiffchaff.

“Birdy?”

Shadow. Not Léo, but not any other MacKinnon, thank God. She clapped her hands and whistled again.

Flint sparked against lint, and a candle sprang to life in the darkness of the tunnel, illuminating Isobel’s frightened face. Shadow stood, his arms wrapped around Ardis, who hung limp in his arms. She rushed forward looking at the destroyed face of her one-time enemy and could feel nothing but compassion. She hadn’t deserved this.

What’s happened to her?

“Niall. By the look of it, he got to you, too. Saints, lass. You look almost as bad as she does.” Tears sprang to Birdy’s eyes, and she shook her head. She looked a mess, but Ardis looked destroyed.

Isobel stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her. “We tho’ you were dead.”

Birdy patted her shoulder and looked to Shadow. Lion, is Lion inside?

Shadow tried to stop her but couldn’t. “Yes, but?—”

She didn’t stop. She began to run again, away from the light and back into the darkness.

“Birdy, wait!”

She couldn’t wait. He needs you, Birdy. The voice spoke into her heart again. Run, Birdy. He needs you.

Running fast, she collided with the old stairs then got to her hands and knees, slipping through the hole and into the auld dungeon. Softening her steps, she climbed, up and up. She must get to the solar. Rounding the stairs, she crept up the eerily quiet corridor. She looked around, for the first time noticing how devastated the old keep had become.

The glass-paned windows had been knocked out by boulders, rubble and timber lay in heaps, and wind blew in from a massive hole, ruffling papers and sending them scattering across the room. Sticking beside a window, she looked at the ground below and saw the MacDonald warriors using a battering ram to try and loose the door. Dark storm clouds gathered over the loch.

Where was Niall and the family? She moved back into the hall, wondering if they’d escaped.

In an instant, Elspeth’s door ripped open, a flash of metal coming toward her. Tucking into a somersault, she rolled as an axe sank into the table behind her. Malvina picked the axe up again.

Birdy mouthed, It’s only me .

Hatred in her eyes, Malvina swung the axe over her and brought it down again. Birdy ducked away, heart racing, and ran for the servants' stairs. The axe collided with the wall behind her, sending sheets of plaster bursting around her. She blocked her face and began taking the stairs two at a time. The axe launched toward her and Birdy ducked as it sailed where her head had been, clattering to the floor.

Run. Keep running. Her trembling legs scrambled upward, servants' stairs giving way to the battlement stairs. Behind her the axe sank into the door.

Malvina’s eyes were lit with fury, her hair stuck out in all directions, and her dress was torn. “I’ve had my fill of taking harlots into my house. Giving you my place. I took care of Blanche. I’ll be the one to take care of you too.”

Birdy ducked as the axe skittered across the stone and crashed through the lancet window, but Malvina held on.

Not daring to turn her back, Birdy scrambled backward up the stairs toward the high battlements.