Melanie Karsak
Highland Vengeance
for my readers
Chapter 1
Macbeth.
Hover through the fog, the snow, the filthy air. There to meet with Macbeth.
Darkness wrapped around me as Ute took her torch and disappeared back into the castle.
“I’ll take you myself. Let me refresh the horses,” Tavis said, heading toward the stables.
I stood with Madelaine and Lulach in the dark. A swirl of light snowflakes fell all around us, dusting the ground.
“Corbie?” Madelaine whispered. I could hear the confusion in her voice.
I shook my head.
“I’ll…I’ll go get provisions ready?” she asked.
I nodded. “Yes. I’m coming in a moment.”
Madelaine left me standing outside the keep. I stared up at the starry sky. Snowflakes fell on my face.
“Gillacoemgain,” I whispered into the darkness.
I closed my eyes. A tear trickled down my cheek.
A raven flew overhead and landed on the castle ledge. It turned and cawed loudly at me.
Gently moving my cloak, I looked down at Lulach who was, much to my surprise, looking back at me. His eyes twinkled in the dark of night.
“See here, child,” I whispered, motioning to the raven. “Hear now, sweet babe, hear how the raven calls.”
Lulach pursed his lips and raised his brows at me.
I smiled at him and gently stroked the little red dart on his brow, a blessing from the faerie world.
The raven cawed loudly at me.
“Lulach the loved. Lulach the light. Remember that you are a child of Kenneth MacAlpin’s line. Be strong, and drive your own destiny. You belong to no one. No man. No woman. No god. No goddess. You alone will choose what is right. Live with a free heart.”
I glared at the raven. “He is a free spirit, not beholden to you or anyone else.”
The raven flew from the ledge and landed on the ground before me, shifting into the red-robed Morrigu. Her eyes were stormy as she approached me, a fierce expression on her face.
I clutched Lulach tighter, stiffened my spine, and met her steely gaze. In my heart, I heard the wings of the raven and felt that dark presence fall over me, hooding my features. I was Gruoch, but I was more. I was Cerridwen, and with a stern expression, I met the gaze of the dark goddess advancing on me.
Then, something unexpected happened. She stopped. “Be careful what you wish for…Cerridwen.”
We stood there under the dim light of the moon glaring at one another.
The Morrigu sneered. “Get you hence before Duncan finds you,” she said, and with a swirl of cloaks, she disappeared back into the night.
I looked down at Lulach and leaned down to kiss him on his brow before safely concealing him under the warmth of my cloak once more.
I closed my eyes and listened to the beating of my heart, which thundered in time to the sound of raven’s wings. Together, the raven and the woman, we would survive whatever came next.
Chapter 2
I headed into the castle. The Morrigu was right. I needed to escape. Duncan would have a head start. Malcolm would have sent him to Aberdeen looking for me. I needed to get to Macbeth. And even as the thought crossed my mind, I felt the sting of guilt. Macbeth, or his men at least, had masterminded Gillacoemgain’s death. I could take this chance to disappear, to run away. But at what cost to Lulach? My boy would have a claim to the throne of Scotland. My son could be king. Didn’t I owe it to him to endure? Didn’t I owe it to my country? My people? But I had to choose, my rapist or my husband’s killer. Death in battle was a chance all warriors took and one Gillacoemgain had accepted. Would he begrudge my choice? Macbeth was his brother’s son. What if Macbeth was more like his uncle than his father? Banquo saw something good in him. Didn’t that count for something? In the end, I couldn’t go to Duncan, couldn’t put Lulach on his knee. Macbeth had warred against Gillacoemgain. The man I loved was dead. If Macbeth sought me, needed me, then Lulach and I had a better chance with him. But the guilt… I shook my head. I would have to live with it. I would have to betray Gillacoemgain’s memory, which I held dear.
Inside the castle, I found Madelaine hurriedly packing supplies. “Send your fastest rider north. He must find Macbeth and tell him I’m coming.”
Madelaine shook her head. “Are you certain?”
“Yes. It cannot be Duncan. One day I will explain. One day, but not now.”
“Oh, my poor girl,” she whispered, searching my face for answers. Finding none, she kissed me on the forehead then turned and began shouting orders.
I went to the chamber where I’d stayed before departing for the coven. There, I quickly grabbed the rest of my supplies and belted my sword.
Thora trotted nervously around me.
“We’re on the run again,” I told her. “If you are too tired, stay with Madelaine.”
Thora wagged her tail.
“My lady,” Ute said, entering the room carrying two satchels. “I have everything ready. But, my lady. Macbeth? He killed the mormaer.”
“Yes. That is true. But I saw Duncan once, and he is quite hideous,” I replied, trying desperately not to think about Gillacoemgain, to shut out the misery that wanted to insist itself upon me.
Ute stared at me.
“Do you have everything?”
She nodded. “My lady, the babies?”
I moved my coat to reveal Lulach who was now sleeping soundly. “This is Lulach. The other child did not survive. Let’s head to the stables.”
“Oh, my lady,” Ute said, reaching out to comfort me. “I’m so sorry. The little one. The mormaer.”
“Now is not the time to mourn our losses.”
“Are you sure you can ride? You risk yourself riding hard so soon after giving birth.”
“We have no choice.”
“Stay here, lady. Send word to Prince Duncan. Let him fetch you here. If you wed him, you will be queen.”
I shook my head. “We’ll go home to Cawdor.”
“I don’t underst—”
“Ute. We must go. Now.”
Sensing I was reluctant to share my reasons with her, she finally said, “Yes, my lady.”
We went downstairs to the main hall. Madelaine had just returned from outside. “The rider left. There was news that Macbeth’s men were on the Spey.”
Kelpie waited, and a fresh horse was brought for Ute. Tavis stood ready with two heavily armed soldiers.
“These two men will join us,” he told me. “They can be trusted. I wanted extra arms along…just in case.” I could see the fear and worry on his face.
I looked at them.
“My lady,” they said in unison, nodding to me.
I inclined my head to them.
Madelaine pulled me into a gentle embrace, moving the fabric to look once more at Lulach. “Little piece of life. Bless you, wee one. Oh, Corbie, are you certain?” she whispered to me.
“I cannot be given to Duncan. Not him.”
“Then may the Goddess watch over you,” she said then turned to Tavis. “Please, take care…of all of you.”
He nodded, and I saw an anxious look pass between them.
Moving as best I could, I mounted Kelpie once more. Pain from my fresh birthing wounds shot across my body. Ute was right. It was dangerous to ride in such a condition, and a long ride could jeopardize my ability to bear again. But there was no choice. I felt yanked forward by the pull of fate. There was no resisting its tide.