Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 30228 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 151(@200wpm)___ 121(@250wpm)___ 101(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30228 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 151(@200wpm)___ 121(@250wpm)___ 101(@300wpm)
“I saw her go into the woods with the Macara lass,” Bethany said without hesitation.
Raven saw her brothers’ bodies stiffen in anger. Her own body did the same. It was difficult to believe that Bethany would betray her. The woman had treated her as she would her daughter and loved her the same or so Raven had thought.
“Which way did they go?” the man demanded.
Bethany turned and pointed. “They took off as soon as the fighting started.”
Through tears, Raven smiled. Bethany had pointed in the opposite direction, where he wouldn’t find her or Purity. The woman was misleading them.
“Send warriors,” the man said.
“I’m the cook,” Bethany said. “I can sear that wrist easily.”
The man nodded. “Hurry and get it done.”
Raven feared Royden would refuse Bethany’s help thinking she betrayed the clan, and he tried, but Arran stopped him. It was a change in Royden’s demeanor toward Bethany that she realized somehow the woman had told him the truth. He was aware Bethany had purposely misled the man.
“Gather the men and ready them to leave,” the man who commanded ordered.
“You gave your word,” Bethany shouted.
“And you were fool enough to believe it,” the man shouted back.
Bethany was no fool and Raven didn’t think she had fallen for his lies. She had done what was needed to protect Raven and for that, Raven was grateful.
Raven had to close her eyes when the time came to sear Royden’s wound and it nearly tore her apart to hear her brother roar out in pain. The smell of scorched flesh drifted in the air and stung her nose and her heart. How would Royden ever survive with only one hand?
“You six will wait here to see if the lass is found,” the man commanded to a group of warriors. “The chieftain as well. He needs to be found.”
Arran and Royden’s heads shot up at that news and she was glad they knew their da could possibly have survived. She prayed it would be so.
“We don’t claim the land?” a warrior asked.
“Without her, the claim can be disputed,” the man said. “We’ll find her eventually and as for her father, he probably crawled away and died,” the man said. “The land will be claimed soon enough.”
“He’s not going to like the delay,” the warrior said.
Raven heard the fear in the way the warrior’s voice quivered and wondered who the man was the warrior had referred to. She also wondered how just the mention of him, and not even by name, could instill such fear in a warrior.
“In the end he’ll get what he wants. He always does,” the man said. “Now get everyone moving.”
The surviving chieftains were led in one direction while warriors from the various clans, along with her two brothers, were led in another. Arran kept his arm locked around Royden and his shoulder under his brother’s arm to help keep him on his unsteady feet. Her heart clinched in pain so badly she worried she’d drop from the tree dead.
She shook her head. If Royden could remain on his feet and stay strong after losing his hand, then she could stay strong and find a way to help her brothers, her da, her clan.
She watched her brothers led away from their home along with many of the MacKinnon men. Her tears grew heavy as the defeated group grew smaller in the distance. She didn’t think she’d ever stop crying or her heart would ever stop breaking. She had suffered no physical wound, but she hurt as badly as if a sword had been shoved through her and twisted until she wanted to beg for mercy.
She watched the specs that became her brothers and wondered if she’d ever see them again. Then she thought of the witch’s prediction.
Nothing will be as it once was and it will take years before those torn apart are reunited. Stay strong. Your strength and courage will see you through this.
Strength and courage?
She didn’t feel she had either, but what recourse did she have if she was to see her family reunited. She couldn’t take the chance of searching for Purity for fear she’d lead the unknown foe to her. So where did she go? What did she do?
Most importantly, how would she ever keep her promise to her da and brothers?