Cadha's Rogue (The Highland Renegades Book 5) (16 page)

Lilian shook her head, almost rejecting the memory that she seemed to be holding of her brother. “Erlan was always getting me into trouble when we were children. I relied on him, and I loved him, but I never expected the man he’s become.”

Cadha slid the flower into Lilian’s hair, alongside where she’d tucked it to keep it from the wind. “He spent many formative years apart from you, but you will come to know him better.”

With downcast eyes, Lilian sniffed. “It saddens me to know so little of my own family. I haven’t had enough time with him yet.”

The words landed right in the middle of Cadha’s chest. A protective sister didn’t want to lose the brother she’d just found. Cadha could understand the feeling.

“You will have all the time I can give you.”

Lilian shook her head as though trying to clear the webs of the past. “I’m sorry we could not continue along the sea, but the rocks are so dangerous past here. It’s beautiful this time of day, if you’d like to stay and wait.”

“Here?” Cadha wondered, looking around.

“Erlan told me you like to wait on the docks, to see the sails, and this is the best place to see them, until dark.”

Cadha pulled away from Lillian and they both came to an abrupt halt on the rocky ground. “I’d rather be
with
them.”

“Next time, my dear, when you are stronger. You have been through an ordeal these last days in order to find us.” Lilian offered a smile and touched Cadha’s cheek. The cold skin shocked her, but Lilian’s gaze was so warm, Cadha simply smiled back.

A sheen covered Lilian’s eyes. “You have been a good sister to Erlan, while I could not be. I pray that your love will grow and change for him, all the days of your lives.” Lilian picked up her skirts and hurried away, wiping at her tears.

Cadha sat on one of the high rocks and looked out over the sea. Lilian was so well-meaning, and loved her brother so much. Cadha knew what it meant to love Maas like that.

Maas had been in Scotland only a month, but Cadha could already see how much this was his home. He was such an expansive man. Mama had often said he was made for the mountains, not the narrow causeways of Hoorn.

These were his mountains. They may not be the place he was raised, but they suited him. Cadha tried to imagine herself here.

She could almost do it, until she thought of Valc. The depth of his gaze when he looked at her, the strength of his arms, his insufferable humor. Cadha had loved Maas for most of the years she remembered, but she would love Valc for the rest of her life.

She could not choose the mountains of Scotland over the docks of Hoorn. Maas would always have a part of her heart, but Valcymer Vanhorn had taken her soul captive. She belonged to him, and he would know that as soon as she could show him.

Cadha laid down on the long, protruding rocks near the edge of the cliffs and waited.

Valc’s spirits rose when he saw the empty deck of his ship. They climbed up the boarding ladder, one at a time, padding quietly in case anyone was laying in wait.

The wood was familiar under the pads of his fingers, and when he grasped the rail, he breathed a long sigh. He turned to the men behind him and signaled them on.

There were more of them than he had expected, but once they’d been sure that the other ship had continued on its course and not been bound for their berth, all the Sinclair brothers had insisted on coming. Just in case.

“So, this is your ship,” Brother Auden said, coming over the rail onto the deck.

“It’s larger than I thought,” Erlan said at nearly the same time, jumping on deck behind Auden. “The way you spoke of it, Valc, I expected it to be hardly seaworthy.”

Malcolm followed and took a few steps onto the deck. “What’s her name?”

Valc paused, touching the rig for the mainsail. “She doesn’t have one.”

“Why not?” Malcolm asked.

“My… Greta never named her.” Valc gripped the rope. “She didn’t like to name things. Said it got in the way of knowing them.”

The larger of the Sinclair brothers came on board and spoke to Malcolm, who translated. “Now, where is this treasure of yours?”

A low sun cast shadows across the deck and Valc surveyed the ship. He went for the hold and with Auden’s help, pulled up the hatch. He felt around underneath, his heart thumping in anticipation. But the box still hung where he’d left it.

Erlan went to the opposite rail and looked over the bay. “This is a desolate place. There are ships, but no people. A port, but no town. Such a strange place.”

Valc let those words roll around in his head as he and Auden pulled the box up from the hold and closed the hatch.

“Strange that there is no one here,” Erlan continued.

Valc set down Greta’s box. “There must be someone, if there are all these ships. Balfour would never leave them unguarded.

Erlan pointed out. “Empty. Like a graveyard.”

“That box looks heavy,” Malcolm said, then translated for his brothers.

“One man can lift it.” Valc set his hand on the lid. “Which is why I was worried it would have been found.”

Erlan gestured to Valc. “Look at this.” He pointed across the shadowed water and Valc went to his side. “There have to be five or six ships out there, besides the ones we saw here.”

“There are nine in total.” A strange voice rang out. But it wasn’t strange at all. Valc recognized it and whirled around.

From behind the pinnace, a familiar yellow-haired boy emerged. He carried Valc’s sword and wore a wide smile.

“It’s Balfour’s translator,” Valc whispered to Auden. The men fell into line behind Valc and drew their swords. Valc pulled out his dagger. “What do you want, Alwin?”

“Don’t bother taking out your weapons, lads,” the boy said. He had a strangely confident air about him and swaggered forward. “You’re surrounded.”

Valc’s heart thudded almost to a halt. Two more men came out from behind the pinnace, holding swords. And then another. There was no way the quarterdeck could have held so many. They must have been pulling one another up, or shimmying across from another ship.

“We won’t surrender,” Malcolm growled. The two Sinclair brothers followed him as they all flanked Valc and spread across the width of the deck.

With the box in the open behind them, Valc’s blood raced. He wanted to let the fight begin, and stealthily stow the box once again. But Alwin’s eyes were already on it.

“I’m glad you pulled out that box for us. We might not have found it on our own.” The boy laughed and brandished Valc’s sword.

Valc glanced around at the growing opposition, but the Highlanders behind him were getting itchy. One of them yelled something and all the men dropped the tips of their swords toward the deck.

“What did he say?” Valc whispered.

“He said he’s the Earl of Caithness and if they don’t stand down, he’ll have them all hanged.” Auden nudged Valc’s shoulder. “Should we let him take the lead?”

“It’s my ship,” Valc said, stepping forward. He pointed his dagger at the boy. “Your captain said I could take my ship if I produced Cadha’s brother-who-isn’t-a-brother. We are here to produce him.”

Alwin glanced at his companions and made a signal behind him. The boarding of Balfour’s men appeared to have halted, but from far off to the starboard side, someone swung in on a rope.

When he landed, the scarred-faced pirate stomped up to Valc, hissing words in another language. He had no weapon and no one stopped him.

The boy translated from near the pinnace. “You come into my bay and sneak aboard my ship…
my
ship… and order me to give it to you?”

“This is my ship.” Valc stretched to his full height. “You threw me overboard into the sea before I had a chance to agree to your terms.”

The big Scot glared down at him, but Valc glared right back. He looked from face to face of the Sinclairs and the monk, and then put his eyes back on Valc.

“You lied to me.” Balfour spat on the deck. “No one lies to me.”

“But Cadha told you the truth,” Valc said. “She told you her father adopted a boy, and you didn’t believe her. Don’t you want to hear it from his own lips?”

Calum Acheson sneered. “I will know if he lies.”

Valc nodded and stepped back. He put his hand on Erlan’s shoulder. The flame-haired young man still had his sword at the ready, and Valc pulled at his grip until he lowered the weapon.

“This is Erlan. He is the one that Cadha spoke of.”

Acheson moved to stand in front of Erlan, as he had stared down Valc, and moved his gaze around the group. He spoke Gaelic, and Auden whispered in Valc’s ear.

“He asks if we know who he is, and Erlan says he does. Balfour wants to know if the girl’s story is true.”

Valc held his breath while Erlan explained his relationship to Brecht de Witt. He didn’t need to speak the language to see the impact on Calum Acheson. The incredulity was almost palpable.

When the big pirate had finished listening, he took a step back and crossed his arms. He made a reluctant pronouncement, and Valc could see he believed Erlan. But something was still not right. The pirate still hadn’t made his men stand down. There was an apprehension among them that could snap into battle at any moment.

The Bastard of Balfour retreated to his men and held conference. Erlan released a long-held breath, and sidled up to Valc.

“What was that about?” he asked.

“Do you know Balfour?” said Valc.

“No.”

Valc explained the legends of Calum Acheson’s parentage. His father’s sudden withdrawal of legitimacy that put the Balfour lands into limbo and bastardized a son he’d long ignored. “The old man has always lived in France. Never even set foot in Scotland,” Valc said. “You can see why Balfour is befuddled by your adoption? He’s never seen love from his real father.”

Erlan’s eyes clouded. “Brecht is a good father. Not like this man’s.”

Without bidding, Valc’s mind was overtaken by images of Cadha. The moment when she’d sailed overboard after him, their kiss in the cold, rolling sea. Her easy laugh, her free love.

If Brecht de Witt was anything like Cadha, Valc could imagine the man inspiring the deepest loyalty.

Calum Acheson came back to stand before them. Through Alwin, he said, “You did as you promised. You produced the man I didn’t believe existed. He tells the truth.” He waved his arm and his crew began to disappear behind the pinnace once more. Alwin stepped forward and stood at Balfour’s hip.

“You are leaving?” Valc asked.

“You may take your ship,” the boy said. “But not your treasure.”

Valc’s sigh of relief was so loud, he felt like it echoed across the whole of the bay. But the Bastard of Balfour stepped past Valc before he realized what was happening.

“What are you doing?” Valc bent into a defensive stance and put his dagger out. “Don’t touch that.”

Balfour pushed him aside. “I must have some spoils for my trouble. The first place you went was for this box. I believe this will be my reward for letting you go.”

One of the Sinclairs reacted before Valc could slash his own dagger through the air. The big broad sword sunk into Calum Acheson’s chest.

With a roar, the scarred pirate staggered backward and Alwin rushed at them, weapon swinging, shout piercing the night. Erlan sliced into the young man’s stomach and Valc’s stolen sword clattered to the deck along with the boy’s entrails. An inhuman howl loosed from the Bastard of Balfour. He surged forward and caught the boy in one arm.

They all stood in silence, watching the pirate wail and bleed on Alwin’s clothing. The crew began to spill back onto the ship, weapons cutting the air, and the Sinclairs had to defend themselves once more. Auden, Erlan, and the Highlanders entered the fray. Valc went for his sword, which Alwin had dropped.

As Valc bent to retrieve his weapon, he felt a sharp, burning pain in his back. In a moment of shock, he stumbled forward and felt the sword leave his body. When he collapsed on top of the box, he saw Balfour behind him, his big blade hovering in the air, covered with blood.

Valc lay curled on the box, unable to move as the pain coursed up and down his body. Balfour wailed again, and the lad stretched over his lap went slack.

Bodies fell all around Valc, but he couldn’t make out what was happening. He heard splashes in the water, and saw the Sinclairs throwing men overboard. Soon, all three of the Highlanders, along with Auden and Erlan, stood around the Bastard of Balfour, their weapons pointed at his head.

Valc shook his head as his vision began to blur. He heard the Highlanders trading words with Balfour, and saw them force the big man to his feet. One of the crew came rushing again from behind the pinnace, and Auden dispatched him, throwing him over the rail. Another splash.

Auden ran around the ship’s boat and Valc saw the flash of his sword and heard two thunks against the wood of the ship, then heard something slink into the water.

“Help me up,” Valc said. He tried to get to his feet, but slipped and crashed to the deck again. The pain bit through his back and he clawed at the box for stability.

The Highlanders walked Balfour to the edge of the rail. The scarred pirate bared his teeth at them and held the dead boy in his arms.

“What are they saying to him?” Valc whispered to Auden.

The monk touched something painful on Valc’s back and winced in sympathy. “Do not worry about it, my brother.”

Erlan pulled at Valc’s shirt. “I have some training in medical arts. Let me look at it.”

“Can you repair it?”

Everything went dark for a moment, as Valc closed his eyes. The pain was so intense, in his back, but all through him. He could barely think at all.

Another splash sounded and when Valc looked up, he saw that Calum Acheson was no longer on board his ship. The three Highlanders spoke to each other in hushed tones.

“Balfour has been warned,” Erlan said, although Valc wasn’t sure if he spoke to Auden or to himself. He was losing his ability to tell direction or time, or distinguish between voices.

They all traded words back and forth, but Valc couldn’t really understand anything they said. It sounded garbled and quiet. He lifted his head and a sharp blast of pain made him cry out.