Alex glowered at his enemy. Slowly, Niles smiled. He walked a little closer to Alex and said quietly, “Did your lassie tell you how much I made her bleed? She was such a screamer.” Alex’s eyes turned dark as coal, but he refused to be baited.
At that, Niles swung his claymore over his head and brought it straight down on Alex, trying to slice him in two. Alex blocked the swing, but stumbled and fell to his left. Niles saw his opening and quickly brought his sword over his head again for the killing blow. Just as he swung in a downward arc, Alex turned back to his right in a flash and forced his blade into Niles’ belly and pulled up. Niles looked at him briefly, stunned, before crumpling to the ground, dropping his sword.
A cheer erupted from the crowd as the Comming went down. His men pounded his back as he lowered his sword. He turned to search for Madeline, but couldn’t find her in the throng of people. Sweat dripped down his face. He shook his head because his vision blurred, but he couldn’t stop. He frantically scanned the area for her. Kenneth was still out there and she was no longer with his brothers.
***
Madeline screamed as soon as she noticed Alex’s stumble. Then she saw Niles go down, but couldn’t tell if Niles’ sword had found Alex. She clawed through her guards in the chaos and ran toward Alex, tears blinding her vision. Robbie yelled at her from behind, but she continued on. She had to get to him, he had to be all right. She could not lose him now! Alex was the only man for her. She knew deep in her heart how much she loved him. The crowd surrounded Alex and she could not get through. People were grabbing at her, but she punched, kicked, and scratched at everyone in her way. She kept screaming his name, but couldn’t see him. When she finally found him, she threw herself against him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
He held her tight. She sobbed his name, but he never spoke. His breathing was rough, ragged from the battle. She swore she would never let him go. Drenched in sweat and grime, he ran his hand over her back. She would never forget the feel of his skin or his warmth or the way he protected her. He swept her into his arms and moved slowly toward the keep with the crowd at his back, but Maddie could tell he was weakening. There was too much blood, blood from his thigh, from his arm. How many days had he fought? Exhaustion was overtaking him, she could sense it in his grasp. She tried to pull away from him after he made it up the steps to the great hall, but he wouldn’t release her.
“Alex, Alex, are you all right?” Tears blinded her vision as she attempted to assess his wounds.
But as soon as he stepped inside the door, he collapsed.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Alex’s guards dispersed the crowd. Robbie and Brodie carried him to his chamber with Brenna in quick pursuit. Robbie sent Angus, one of his warriors, out to have Kenneth thrown into the dungeon with two guards on him. Wee Jennie took one look at Alex and opened her mouth in a wail. Maddie followed Alex into his chamber, but Brodie hustled her back out the door. Her head spun in confusion.
Jennie grabbed onto Maddie’s skirts. “Maddie, is he dead? Is my brother dead? What is wrong with him? What happened? Who killed my brother?”
Maddie took Jennie into her arms and sat on the floor, “Hush, child, he is not dead. There was a battle and he fought very bravely. I think he is injured. Your sister needs to see to his injuries.” The fear visible in Jennie’s eyes broke her heart.
“Oh, Maddie! I cannot lose my brother, too! Do something. Why was he fighting, what happened?” The tears could no longer be contained. Jennie’s gut-wrenching sobs echoed through the stone corridor.
Madeline searched for a suitable explanation. “He was protecting us from a very bad man, Jennie. But that man will never bother us again. We will sit here and wait for your sister.”
Jennie sobbed until all that remained were hiccups. Rearranging Jennie’s head on her lap, Maddie brushed Jennie’s hair back and sang a soft ballad she remembered from her mother until the tension in Jennie’s wee body abated.
Fiona ran by with hot water and linens along with Brenna’s healing box. After a short time, the door opened and Brodie stepped out. Opening his arms wide, he said, “Och, come here, little squirrel.”
Jennie jumped into Brodie’s arms. He wiped her tear-stained face with a cloth.
“Is Alex going to be alright, Brodie? He is not going to die, is he?” She tugged on Brodie’s hair and twisted it as she spoke.
“Nay, lass, your brother is strong. He will be sore for a bit, but he will be fine. You know you will have to be extra good to him and help take care of him,” Brodie said as he kissed her forehead.