Isla ducked behind one pillar and held her breath while listening to their conversation. Her heart hammered in her chest, but she controlled her fear and licked her dry lips. All she needed to do was wait until they left then she could hurry along and continue to the caves she sought.
As she hid there in the shadows, their conversation caught her attention. “It happens tonight,” one guard said to the other.
“The Laird dies tonight. Everythin’ is in place, and once it happens we will be free to do whatever we want just as he as promised. We dinnae need to do anythin’ besides leave the Laird’s door unguarded. We will get rewarded for it in the end anyway.”
“It is sad that this has to happen,” the second guard said. “He was indeed a good Laird… the best our Clan has seen.”
“Master will make a better Laird.”
Bile rose in Isla’s throat as she listened to them.Master? Who could it be?
The men stopped walking and she heard one of them sigh.
“The Laird’s brother could nay have stood a chance against us even if we hadn’t ambushed him in the fields. Since the assassins failed, it is our duty to now make sure the Laird doesnae live past tonight.”
“What was our Master’s orders?”
“We dinnae need to do anythin’ besides watch the Castle tonight. Nay one comes in as the Laird ordered. He will go to the Laird’s chamber, and he will end it all himself.”
The last statement made her pulse jump, and she nearly cried out from the shock of what she just heard, but she plastered her hand tighter over her lips and held herself back.
Someone is going to kill Jack … I have to warn him.Isla felt rooted to the spot, and she made sure to silence her panicked whimpers.
All her nerves were on high alert now, and the only thought racing through her mind was Jack’s safety. Isla couldn’t return to her time knowing that he wasn’t safe.
What would be the whole point of this then?She was leaving because she needed Jack to be happy. She wanted him to wed someone, have children and protect his Clan, but now that she knew of this plan? She couldn’t leave.
As she stood there, frozen in one place, she realized what her choice was going to be.
It’s Jack…Isla did not just love him, she wanted to tell him how much she did.
While her mind raced, she waited for the guards to walk past her before she dropped her hands again and sucked in a deep breath to steady her lungs.
Isla knew what she had to do, so without hesitating, she adjusted her cloak over her head and turned away from the caves and hurried back toward the path she came from with caution not to get caught.
I must get back to Jack… she had to warn him of what was planned against him tonight.
36
Jack drifted in and out of sleep. He tried to fight the grogginess, especially when he heard footsteps, and someone entered his chamber. His eyelids opened and he tried to keep them open so he could see the face in the shadows.
What’s happening?
His entire body ached. It had to be because of his battle wounds, and the concoction Moira had given him earlier tonight. It was the only explanation for why he felt so weak.
When Jack realized his cousin was the one who entered his chamber and approached his bed, he relaxed a bit, and let his eyes close again.
In his short sleep, he dreamed of Isla, and they were happy in his dream. She had stayed with him instead of returning to her time, they wed and had lovely children.
Jack enjoyed hearing her laugh. It sounded so real that he did not realized it was all a dream as a smile spread out on his lips and his heart warmed with flutters that resembled butterflies.
The light footsteps closing in on him encroached into the bliss of his dream, but Jack wanted to ignore anything that would take him out of the happiness he enjoyed.
When a scream followed in the next second, it tore him out of the sleep-dazed state he was in.
He sat up on his bed with a loud gasp. His eyes flew open, he saw the blade pointed at him, and instantly jerked out of his bed, rolled over to the other side, and grabbed his sword.
“Jack.” His heart leaped in his chest when he faced the entrance of his Castle and realized the one calling for him was Isla.