Page 64 of Highlander’s Hope

With the long ax in one hand and his sword in the other, Konnor advanced towards them. He looked at Colin, who stared at him with wide eyes. If Colin would move just a little bit, Konnor could thrust the blade of the axe into the guy.

Konnor locked his eyes with Colin. “Look, Colin, buddy, do you remember our game of soccer?”

He nodded.

“Shut up!” the MacDougall said, confusion in his eyes.

“I can score. I just need you to clear the goal for me.”

He blinked, then his face became calm and concentrated. He gave a barely noticeable nod, opened his mouth, and bit down on the man’s hand.

The man screamed and released his grip, which allowed Colin to twist out of his grasp. At the same time, Konnor tossed his sword aside, gripped the pole of the long ax with his both hands and thrust the sharp, upper edge of the blade into the man’s face.

Blood sprayed, and he dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Colin ran into Konnor’s arms, and he hugged the boy.

Oh thank God! He felt so small and yet firm and trembling in his arms. Konnor pressed his cheek against Colin’s unruly mane of hair.

He turned to Tamhas and stopped in his tracks. One opponent lay immobile on the ground, while Tamhas was pressed against the tree, holding a bloody gash on his side. The last warrior brought his mace high above his head for the last, deadly blow. Tamhas’s sword lay on the ground by his foot. He was defenseless.

Konnor let Colin go and darted at the man with a loud whistle. The whistle worked, and the MacDougall glanced.

Tamhas—good man—launched at the man’s stomach, using his head like a battering ram. The man doubled over but hit Tamhas’s back with his mace. Tamhas screamed in pain.

Konnor was now close enough, and with one clean movement, he cleaved off the man’s head. Blood sprayed in a fountain of gore, and Tamhas fell with the man’s body on the ground.

Konnor crouched by his side and lay him flat on his back. He looked at the gash and at Tamhas’s pale face. The man was breathing hard and wheezing. Colin sank to his knees by Tamhas’s side, his green eyes wide.

“Tamhas?” he said.

Fuck. The man didn’t look good. Konnor pressed his fingers against Tamhas’s neck to measure his pulse. It was weak. No!

The man looked at Colin and closed his eyes, his face relaxing with a relief. “Thank Jesu!” he mumbled. “Good man, Konnor.” He looked at him. “Thank you for saving him. Ye two should go back now, before the army notices ye.”

Konnor’s gut clenched. He knew the man was right. But he just couldn’t leave a fallen soldier behind.

“Let me see how badly you’re wounded. I can help you.”

He took Tamhas’s hand off the wound and swallowed a gasp as sharp needles pierced his gut. Blood pumped out of the open wound, and he could see the man’s pink intestines.

Colin saw it, too. His face paled, he turned and vomited.

Konnor pressed Tamhas’s hand back against his wound. The truth was, he didn’t have long. Damn it. Konnor’s hands shook as he took Tamhas’s other palm in both his hands. He glanced at the forest, but no one else had noticed them yet.

“Look at me, brother,” Konnor said. Tears prickled in his eyes, and he blinked, willing them away. He’d seen other men die in battle. It hadn’t happened often, thankfully, but Iraq had been a bloody battle field. “I’m here with you. So is Colin. We’re not leaving you.”

Tamhas’s eyes darkened and focused on Colin. He smiled. “Lad. I loved ye like ye were my own. Take care of yer mother, aye? She’s one of a kind.”

He looked at Konnor. “I hated ye because she looks at ye as I wish she would at me. I’ve wished that my whole life. And yet ye came and it only took a couple of days for her to fall in love with ye. I ken she’ll be safe with ye. She’d never be mine, no matter how much I’ve wanted it. But I ken ye’ll make her happy. Tell her I loved her.”

He stilled, looking at Konnor with unseeing eyes. Colin wept quietly by Konnor’s side, and he hugged the boy and brought him close. He let a tear crawl down his cheek, too, for the man who’d given his life protecting the son of the woman he loved.

His last words burned painfully at Konnor’s heart. Make her happy. Clearly, Tamhas didn’t know Konnor. All Konnor could do was hurt women with his coldness. But he’d lay his life down before he’d let anyone hurt Marjorie.

They needed to get back to the castle quickly. Someone from the MacDougall army could notice the absence of their men and notice Colin and Konnor.

He rose to his feet. “Come, Colin. Let’s go back. We’ll get someone to come back for Tamhas’s body later. Let me take you to your mom. You’ve seen enough bad things happen today.”

Chapter 26