Plight of the Highlander (The MacLomain Series: Next Generation Book 5) (11 page)

Opportunity had been presented.

Torra knew what she had to do.

What she’d wanted to do for a very long time.

“I need a sword,” she said loud enough for all to hear. “I wish to fight Valan.”

“Nay!” Grant and Colin said at the same time.

Iosbail, a knowing grin on her face, eyed Torra. “What know ye of swordplay
Nathair sgiathach
?
”

Torra knew Iosbail called her dragon to provoke her. So be it. “Enough.”

And she did. Between ten and twelve winters of age, she’d frequently search out not only her brothers but Malcolm to work with her. Then after, even though in seclusion, she would practice in her chamber. It had often helped her deal with raging emotions.

“It is about time,”
King Naðr said into her mind.
“Be fearless.”

“Stay aware,”
King Erc added.

She never quite knew when they would pipe up but had to admit it was good to have them here now. Though Naðr would obviously cheer her on it became blatantly clear Colin and Grant would not.

“‘Tis foolhardy this,” Colin ground out as Iosbail handed her a sword.

Torra tested the weight of the blade, purposefully turning her attention to Valan. Meantime, the Hamilton remained silent, his expression perplexed as he watched her.

“I will fight you,” Grant said to Iosbail. “After they fight.”

“Nay.” Iosbail shook her head. “Ye will fight me now and ye willnae stop until I say so.”

Though Grant narrowed his eyes, he nodded. Smart. They dared not upset their hostess.

Adjusting to the feel of the blade, Torra swung it a few times, her eyes taking in everything. A light drizzle had resumed. The grass would be slick underfoot. Valan and Grant had yet to remove their tunics so they’d not been battling long. This meant Valan was merely warmed up, his muscles loose and ready for easy movement. Torra by no means thought she would defeat him but was eager for battle nonetheless.

“Call on your dragon blood,”
Naðr urged and she swore she heard battle lust in his voice.

Iosbail and Grant’s blades met as they began fighting.

Torra tuned out everything but Valan as they slowly circled one another.

“Why are you doing this, lass,” he said softly.

Torra gave no answer but stopped circling and held her sword high. Valan, in turn, did the same. Keeping a careful balance between her feet, she thrust. The Hamilton met her blade and she thrilled at the vibration ringing through her body. Yet she knew he held back. But she had expected as much.

So she came at him fast and used her small size to her advantage. Though he clearly hadn’t expected her rapid attack, Valan adjusted quickly and soon smoothly counterthrust her every move.

“I never loved her as I loved you,” Valan said, circling away from Torra only to meet her blade once more.

Torra frowned. “It was never that you loved another but that you didnae speak of her.”

Bloody hell.
Were her issues with Valan not the same as those Colin had with her? They had all kept secrets that should have been shared from the start. Their blades crashed together but still he held back.

“Would it have made a difference had I told you?” he said.

Sweat broke out as she thrust the blade faster and muttered, “Nay.”

Valan came back at her, the clash of his blade harder now. “Then why this anger?”

Yet she felt his quiet fury as he slashed fast and she barely dodged his sword. With a quick leap, she used the slick grass to her advantage and whipped around, nearly nicking his side. Breathing harder, she replied, “Because I didnae mean to hurt you and have long wondered if I deserved what you did in return.” Her pained eyes met his at the same moment as their blades. “And I cannae help but wonder if you’ve since regretted your actions.”

Valan pushed and she staggered under the might of his blade. The tumultuous clouds overhead roiled within his near black eyes as he glared. Deep voice full of emotion, he swung hard and ground out, “And too often have I wondered the same about your actions.”

Torra stumbled back and fell on her arse.

“Call on your dragon,”
Naðr again urged.

Valan stood over her, blade poised, eyes enraged, body shaking as his brogue thickened. “Did ye then, lass?”

“Nay, lad,” Iosbail said when Colin nearly interceded.

Wasting no time, Torra lurched to her feet and thrust, reply vehement. “Never that I loved Colin but
alway
s that I hurt you.”

Clash. Clash. Clash.

Torra might be weakening fast, but she fought him regardless. Yet she did not fight just his sword. She fought all the things that had gone wrong betwixt them, his unthinkable betrayal as well as hers. The truth was had she not fallen so deeply in love with Colin MacLeod none of this might have happened.

But she would not take back her feelings even if she could.

As sweat trickled down her neck, Torra once more circled Valan. “You have not answered my question.”

Emotions warred on his face, but something new settled in his eyes. Or mayhap it had been there all along. Valan shook his head and made to speak then stopped. His brows snapped together and his lips pulled down.

“Well then?” Torra thrust.

He met her blade so violently her teeth chattered. Again, she fell back a few steps as he stalked her, eyes crazed. If she’d not met Colin MacLeod, she would have thought Valan Hamilton the most ferocious warrior to exist. That said much having grown up with her MacLomain kin who were by no means meek men.

“If I could undo what I did I would in an instant,” Valan growled, eyes not compassionate but borderline dangerous. “And have had to live with my actions since.”

Before she could speak, his voice turned gravely, incredibly impassioned. “Do ye think I liked becoming the monster my Da is?”

Now when he swung his blade she knew it was not her, he attacked but the corrupt, evil man who had raised him. Though the Viking king wanted her to embrace the dragon she would not do so against Valan. He didn’t deserve it. Not to mention, she had no idea what might happen if she did save that it would not be good for the Hamilton…or possibly anyone in the immediate vicinity.

But what Valan came at her with now was fueled by too many years of seasoned warrior and Torra knew bloody well she didn’t stand a chance. Still she fought, determined not to give up. Faces flashed in her vision as she twirled, thrust and saw the circle now formed around them. Bradon, Sheila, Leslie, Grant, and Malcolm. They were all there. 

Clash. Clash. Clash.

Arms nearly numb, body shaking, Torra refused to give up as Valan drove forward in his relentless pursuit to defeat dark memories. Her vision blurred as fury ravaged his features and he sliced down hard. This was it.
This
was her end. And did she not in some small way deserve it?

But within inches of her face, another blade intercepted Valan’s.

Colin’s words were low and lethal. “Nay lad, ye’ll not defeat memories of your Da by killing my lass.”

“Nay,” Valan ground out, angry eyes shooting to Colin. “But another memory altogether, aye?”

Rain had started to fall more steadily and Torra slid as she scrambled to her feet.

All she could think of as she watched Colin and Valan fight was a memory better forgotten. It was a moment in time between her, Valan and Colin that had far-reaching repercussions.

As it did now, it rained that day so long ago at the Highland Defiance…

“‘Tis poor weather this,” Valan muttered, running a hand through his wet hair as he eyed her.

Torra sat, stiff-backed, beneath the eave of the stables. Nervous, she could only nod. She kept warring between guilt and anger as she watched him. Guilt because this was the first time she’d seen him since meeting Colin. Anger because she was still hurt by what he’d said when last he saw her. Though, truthfully, she had no right to be angry in the least considering her actions.

But Valan, despite his upbringing, had always had an easy way about him so she was not particularly surprised when he offered a loose grin and sat next to her.

“How fares your lass?” she said caustically, irritated with herself the moment the words slipped out.

Valan’s eyes met hers, roughly strewn with emotion.

“She’s ready to marry me,” he said honestly.

“And are ye of the same mind?”

Why couldn’t she just be happy for him? Why couldn’t she just seize this moment to tell him of Colin? Torra frowned. She knew bloody well why.

Pride.

Hers.

Hesitating, he stared into the courtyard for a long moment before his eyes swung her way, softening. Instead of answering her question he said, “It has been too long. How do ye fare, lass?”

Torra twisted a bit of hay between her fingers, not sure precisely how she should respond. Best to keep the focus on him. “Ye didnae answer my question.”

Though she was not looking at him, she felt Valan’s eyes hesitate on her face before he finally murmured, “I love her more than I thought I would. ‘Tis a pre-arranged marriage that will strengthen my clan.”

Nodding, she felt not frustration but a wave of unexpected relief. Though she’d gone back and forth about her feelings in regards to this, all had vanished when she met Colin. Though unburdened by his words, Torra remained under the weight of what she must share.

“Why the sadness on your face, lass?” Valan said softly. “Ye said when last we met ye’d ken all this.”

And thank the gods she had. Yet still, why did he come back here to see her? Torra knew. They both did. A bond of sorts had formed between them and it hurt more than she expected to let it go. Or at least it had.

Torra was about to respond when the last person she expected appeared in the courtyard. Drenched, silver eyes narrowed, Colin MacLeod breathed heavily as he stared at them through what had become a heavy rainfall.

Valan’s brows perked and a grin itched at his face before confusion settled over his features. Obviously unclear why Colin was there, he walked over and clasped him on the shoulder. “How are ye here, my friend?” He shook his head slowly. “I dinnae ken.”

Colin ground his jaw in distress, eyes never leaving Valan’s. “I am here for Torra.”

The Hamilton’s head pulled back a fraction and his lips twitched as though he thought there was a jest to be had. Thoroughly confused he said, “
Who?
”

Colin’s eyes moved beyond deep emotion then dulled, his gaze never leaving Valan’s and his declaration clear. “I am here for Torra MacLomain.”

She recognized the look in Colin’s eyes, had seen it many times before in her brethren’s. It was the look of a man getting ready to battle.

Valan looked at Colin for a long moment before his eyes turned her way. The Hamilton’s astounded, hurt gaze met hers and he again said, “I dinnae ken.”

Torra almost averted her gaze but knew she could not. Colin, for whatever reason, had returned, which said so much. He was willing to see what they had started through. And so was she. Though it took a great deal of courage, she walked over, her feet incredibly heavy. So close she could reach out and touch them, she stopped.

Rain trickled down their faces as they stared at her. Mayhap it was the guilt but she thought when this day finally came, when she stood betwixt them, that she would realize that she loved them equally.

But that was not the case.

Not even close.

Valan deserved the truth so she met his eyes and pushed gentle words past her lips. “I am so verra sorry. I didnae know Colin was your friend.” Torra closed her eyes briefly then opened them, determined to say it all. “I love him, Valan. I love him so verra much.”

Eyes watery beneath the onslaught of rain, Valan simply stared at her, expression dumbfounded before his eyes slowly swung to Colin. The Hamilton did not need to ask how Colin was here. It was clear enough. He’d been followed. Torra felt the rage flare a split second before Valan drew his blade.

But Colin was just as quick.

Torra jumped back as their swords struck.

“Nay, stop!” she cried.

And snapped back to the present.

Yet her cry that they stop was no longer directed at them in the past but here and now as they fought at the Broun castle. Except this time, an ever-thickening crowd surrounded them. The past was once more the present and as it had so long ago, rain slashed down. Lightning almost seemed to spark off their blades so fast did the MacLeod and Hamilton go at one another.

Confused, pushing aside memories, Torra quickly gathered herself and rushed after them with her sword ready. Though she was weakened by fighting with Valan, she gripped the blade with shaky hands and came alongside.

Valan’s words were directed at Colin as they fought. “Why did ye never tell me ye tried to turn Torra aside before again returning to the Defiance.”