Page 105 of Dark Victory

He felt her rage. The wind blasted him this time, causing dirt to strike him in the eyes. But even though briefly blinded, he did not release Coinneach. Instead, he sent his power at the tower, intending to strike stones from it.

But his powers failed him entirely.

He was furious and disbelieving.

The gods would dare to interfere now?

He had sworn off his vengeance against the MacDougalls, and his revenge now was against the evil hunting Tabitha!

But he was trying to change history, and it was not allowed.

Criosaidh laughed and this time, her black magic brought hail upon him. He withstood the onslaught somehow, refusing to cower, refusing to release Coinneach, who remained untouched by the debris. When it was over, he was bleeding and breathless and furious.

“You dare to fight me?” she called down to him. “I am the most powerful here!”

He looked up, wiping blood from his eyes. And then he saw the other witch at her side, pale, blond and diminutive in size.

Furious and aware of being weakened, he flung his power at them both—with no results.

Criosaidh roared and lightning cut across the bright blue skies. Macleod tensed. If she could strike him with the lightning, he would become very mortal, he had not a doubt.

Leap away.

Macleod looked past the Highlanders at Nick and the woman. Nick was telling him to flee like a coward. He wasn’t a coward but he needed his power to vanquish Criosaidh. There was no other possible way.

“Macleod!” Tabitha screamed.

Stunned, he turned. In doing so he accidentally released Coinneach, who ran into the safety of the MacDougall soldiers. And he saw her standing with Royce and Allie, her face pale with fear, her expression imploring him to run and hide.

“Get her gone!” he shouted in alarm. He was afraid Criosaidh would try to destroy her again and, this time, succeed.

The words were hardly out of his mouth when the lightning bolt came.

He saw it come from above, veering toward him. And as its fork sizzled toward his heart, he knew he was going to be struck and that he would die.

Tabitha screamed in horror.

The lightning blazed into him, fire meeting flesh, searing it, and going through tendon, muscle and bone.

Macleod fell.

Blue flashed before his eyes—the bright blue Highland sky—and then there was only darkness.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

TABBY SAW THE LIGHTNING bolt go through Macleod’s chest and she screamed again as he collapsed. It was Royce who reacted first; he flung his power at Criosaidh. As the tower where she stood began to collapse, he rushed forward, heaving Macleod onto his shoulder, a feat impossible for a normal man. He shouted at Allie, already running for a sally port. Allie seized Tabby’s hand and as they started for the exit, a man standing there slammed the small door closed.

“Dinna let them escape,” Coinneach screamed. “Seize them!”

More power blazed and the man fell over, but two other Highlanders had reached the sally port. Tabby had never cast a spell while on the run, but as the man seized the door, she did so now. “Highlander stand aside,” she gasped, “mindless and let us pass!”

He whirled and Tabby cried out when she met Nick’s blazing blue eyes. He flung the small door open as a hail of arrows began. Tabby cried out but Nick seized her, jerking her past him and into the small doorway, Allie on her heels. A moment later they were all outside Melvaig, and Allie was kneeling over Macleod. Royce flung his power back at the men on the ramparts, and Tabby saw a dozen men fall from them.

She rushed to kneel by Macleod. He didn’t appear to be breathing. He was white as a ghost when he was normally a swarthy man. He could not be dead.

A strong hand clasped her shoulder, pulling her to her feet. “Stand back an’ let Ailios heal him.”

Tabby looked up at Royce, terrified. How could he die? He was larger than life, and he meant everything to her! “He won’t die, will he? Allie can save him, can’t she?”