Page 77 of Highlander’s Haunted Past

Ellen smirked. “Was not one of my better plans, but ‘twas interesting to see ye panic a bit.”

“And then, on the road here, ye wanted us to share a tent because ye thought ye would be preventing Rob from siring a child. Too bad ‘twas coming a little too late.”

Ellen shook her head. “What did ye do to him to make him choose ye? Did ye just throw yerself at him? Promise to leave him alone if ye came down with child? What did ye do?”

“I didn’t do anything. Rob was in love with me from the moment he saw me. He told me so himself just last night. He can be so loving, ye ken. Oh, I suppose ye do not since ye are not quite as great as ye seem to think ye are.” Kenna hoped that the comment would wound Ellen. “So, what now, dear sister? It seems that we have reached a point of no return. What is yer plan?”

Ellen turned, looking back toward the shore. Kenna followed her gaze and there, standing silently, with Kenna’s missing red cloak draped over his arm, was Hugh. Now that they had noticed him, he came walking out toward them, the dock swaying just a bit under his heavy footfalls.

“Kenna, while we were out on this walk today, ye admitted to me that ye had not moved past the Gordon rebellion. Ye felt like a traitor to yer clan and family and could not take it anymore.”

Hugh arrived behind them and handed Ellen Kenna’s cloak. Ellen took Kenna’s hair and pulled it aside, giving her space to draw the red laces around her neck and knot them. When she was done, she stood, and Hugh reached down, grabbing Kenna by the arm and pulling her to her feet. As she rose, she felt the heaviness of her cloak. It was far too heavy, unnaturally heavy.

“We came out to this dock, and ye jumped. I thought ye would rise back up, but ‘twas discovered later that ye had sewn rocks into the seams of yer cloak so that ye would sink to the bottom of the river.”

With a sharp shove, Hugh pushed her forward, moving her along the dock until she had just reached its edge.

Kenna laughed, fully understanding that it was the wrong response for the situation, but what else could she do? She didn’t even know what was happening. The recent events were incomprehensible.

“Quiet,” Hugh said, then growled.

“Or what?” Kenna asked. “Ye’re going to kill me?”

“I have many things to do today, ye ken. Why don’t ye just jump and get it over with.”

“Sure, that is what I am going to do,” Kenna said, trying to sound confident despite her voice cracking.

“Come on, Kenna. I ken that it seems terrifying now but think of how much better things will be this way. No one will be coming after ye anymore. Ye’ll finally be safe. I ken that is all ye want,” Ellen said.

“But I don’t want to do this. Stop telling me that I want to drown when I certainly do not want to drown,” Kenna snapped.

“I’ve heard that those who just accept it suffer far less than those who fight it,” Hugh said.

“And which one came back to life to tell ye that?” Kenna challenged, feeling the tears coming down her face.

It was starting to feel real. This wasn’t a dream. She would never wake up from this. Her child… Christ.My child. A mother was supposed to keep a babe safe. She would fail at that before she ever held them in her arms.

Hugh placed his hand on her back. “Jump, now, or I’ll push ye.”

“Please, I’ll leave Dounie. I’ll leave and never come back. I’ll tell everyone that the child isn’t Rob’s. I’ll do whatever ye want if ye just let me live long enough fer the child to live.”

“Ye do not seem to be understanding… The child is the greatest problem.”

“But—” Kenna was frantic. Her mind had overworked itself, spinning so quickly that now it was out of control and unable to string one thought together with the next. But she needed to stall, to talk herself out of this. She didn’t have a sword, she didn’t have any strength; all she had was her foolish mouth, and if that failed her, then she would have nothing.

“Shall I count down fer ye?”

“Wait! Just let me say one more thing.”

“No,” Hugh said, and she felt his hand push against her.

Her body tipped forward, falling down and down and down until there was only darkness and cold.