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wood, crying for her mother.
    Lia shivered and shoved the memory away before it awoke more… unpleasant ones.
    “Tell me about your home, about your laird.”
    Connell’s expression changed to one of sadness. “The MacGrigor, he is a good man, lassie. I have been proud tae fight with him, tae defend our homes against the English.”
    “I must admit I don’t pay attention to politics or wars. Only that when one starts, Sueta and I are busier than ever.”
    “Aye ,” Connell said. “We… as in Robert and I, grew up with the MacGrigor brothers. Ronan and his brother, Aidan, were mischievous, full of life and laughter.” He hesitated, a fond but sad smile on his lips. “It seemed we were all in endless trouble. But the MacGrigor’s da was a fine man, a fine laird, tae hear my own da tell it. The MacGrigor be just as honorable. Our clan has been prosperous under his leadership.”
    “And with the war?”
    “The MacGrigor has tried tae keep us out of it for the most part. He says when kings argue, ’tis the common man who ends up doing the bleeding. But there have been times when he’s had no choice. We rallied under his banner. He and his brother… ne’er have I seen two men work as one before.”
    “Really? It seems in all the tales I’ve heard, the younger is always jealous of the elder.”
    “Aye, ye have it aright, but not with these two. Aidan has no desire tae be laird. Too much responsibility. He is more than happy tae allow his brother that.”
    “T hey work well together, then.”
    “Aye. ’Twas his brother who sent us for ye.”
    “So what happened?”
    “We battled the English. The MacGrigor, he understands strategy as few men do. He kens our strengths and our weaknesses as well as that of the enemy. There is a baron in service tae an earl who MacGrigor has defeated more than once, le March. He and other English have taken tae calling the MacGrigor the Scottish Demon. They hate him because he is such a difficult foe. The MacGrigor leads our cavalry and his brother the infantry. They work together like none I have ever seen. They dinna need tae speak tae each other. They just know what tae do.”
    “ That is surprising.”
    “Aye, the two brothers were on opposite ends of the field. The MacGrigor brought the cavalry tae flank the English. No one kens exactly what happened during the thick of the fighting, but we later found the MacGrigor’s horse slain on the field. We think he might have been injured when the beast collapsed. That is the only way the English would have been able tae take him without a fight.”
    “T he English captured him?”
    “Aye. Aidan immediately started searching for him, hoping tae ransom him back from the English. It took three days for us tae hear word of where they held him.”
    Lia swallowed hard, fearing she knew exactly what happened. “His wounds… they were not from the battle.”
    “Nay, lassie,” Connell replied , his voice thick. “They tortured him.” He paused and shivered. “Never in my life have I seen such abuse. But there is one thing ye need tae understand.”
    “What is that?”
    “After three days, they didna break him. He freed himself, lassie. He freed himself and crawled a quarter mile on his belly tae escape. That’s when Aidan found him. The MacGrigor refused tae die. That’s what gives us hope; that’s why his brother sent us tae fetch ye.”
    Lia swallowed hard. That the laird survived all he had said much for his strength of soul. She only prayed he would have the strength to continue fighting until she arrived.
    ****
    Voices screamed in his thoughts, ripping at his sanity. The whip sang and cracked, laying open the flesh on his back. Ronan battled his chains, but fighting was useless. It only brought more pain.
    Hot irons seared his back ; the stench of his own burning flesh filled his nostrils. He howled against the agony.
    “I own you,” le March’s voice whispered. “Your soul is mine.”
    It is a fever dream! his