None of this was real. It couldn’t be. Everything had happened so fast, maybe her eyes were playing tricks on her. But there they were. Dead.
All of them.
Four bodies were spread out on the floor before her, surrounded by a flowing river of blood. She stared blankly at what remained of her family: her father, her step-mother, her two older brothers. Their eyes open and lifeless. Faces forever twisted in terror. Slaughtered.
She'd watched the gruesome scene unfold while hiding under the dining room table, unable to make herself look away. Powerless to stop it. She should've run when she'd had the chance like all the servants had, fleeing the impending bloodbath.
Jane looked up at the warlord towering over her, broad sword held firmly in his hand. The blood of her family dripped from its tip to a sticky, crimson puddle on the floor beside her. She would be the next to go. The last .
She never imagined death would come for her like this. Not so soon. Yet here it faced her, and her only thought was of her family. This was all their fault. Life had been one complex intrigue for them, filled with lies, murder, theft, and who even knew what else. Jane tried her best to stay out of their affairs, but she knew they had enemies lurking around every corner, which was why they'd moved so often. This one had finally caught up with them.
“Looks like you're it, lass.” The warlord's deep brogue rumbled through the room like thunder.
Her eyes went to the thick scar running along his left cheek. She thought he'd be a handsome man if not for that, with his broad shoulders, short, dark hair and deep, blue eyes. His skin was golden from the sun and his face unshaven. Jane silently mourned the fact that she would never know love with a man. Her life was going to end before it had even started. Why hadn't she run?
“What did they do to you?” she asked, not certain she wanted to know. It must have been some awful offense considering the way his eyes had glowed with fury when he'd run his sword through her entire family.
“They took my life from me,” he yelled, pointing his sword at her. “Now I've taken theirs!”
She instinctively backed away from him, sliding herself across the floor on her bottom. His rage was a palpable thing, consuming the room. He gripped his fingers around the hilt of his sword as he advanced on her. She wasn't going to get far in her current position.
She moved to get to her feet, but he stayed her with his sword, smearing fresh blood in the soft waves of her blonde hair.
“Going somewhere, lass?”
Jane stared up at him, helpless. Her heart raced wildly. He was going to kill her. The anguished screams of her family still rang in her ears and she knew it was going to hurt.
“I haven't finished with you yet.” A wicked gleam flashed in his eyes. “I've a reason for saving you till last.”
Dread lodged in her gut. She could think of a few things he might do to her, and none of them were appealing. She had no desire to drag this out. The whole situation had her furious. She shouldn't have to be the one to suffer for the vile things her family had done, the pain and injury they'd caused. She should've been the first to go. Nice and quick.
“I haven't done anything to you.” Could a madman be reasoned with? “I don't even know who you are.”
“My name is Gavyn MacLaren . I come from the north,” he said. “And I have sworn revenge on your family, Jane.”
Hearing her name alarmed her. What else had he uncovered about them? “How do you know my name?”
“I know all the Stewart names,” he told her. “I vowed to take from your father that which was taken from me. His wife and children, and finally, his life.”
She couldn't contain her shock. Her eyes went wide. No wonder the man was so hostile. Menacing . He’d lost the family he loved by her father’s hand. Revenge was the only thing he lived for now.
She didn't blame him. Her father had gotten exactly what he'd deserved, and so
All of them.
Four bodies were spread out on the floor before her, surrounded by a flowing river of blood. She stared blankly at what remained of her family: her father, her step-mother, her two older brothers. Their eyes open and lifeless. Faces forever twisted in terror. Slaughtered.
She'd watched the gruesome scene unfold while hiding under the dining room table, unable to make herself look away. Powerless to stop it. She should've run when she'd had the chance like all the servants had, fleeing the impending bloodbath.
Jane looked up at the warlord towering over her, broad sword held firmly in his hand. The blood of her family dripped from its tip to a sticky, crimson puddle on the floor beside her. She would be the next to go. The last .
She never imagined death would come for her like this. Not so soon. Yet here it faced her, and her only thought was of her family. This was all their fault. Life had been one complex intrigue for them, filled with lies, murder, theft, and who even knew what else. Jane tried her best to stay out of their affairs, but she knew they had enemies lurking around every corner, which was why they'd moved so often. This one had finally caught up with them.
“Looks like you're it, lass.” The warlord's deep brogue rumbled through the room like thunder.
Her eyes went to the thick scar running along his left cheek. She thought he'd be a handsome man if not for that, with his broad shoulders, short, dark hair and deep, blue eyes. His skin was golden from the sun and his face unshaven. Jane silently mourned the fact that she would never know love with a man. Her life was going to end before it had even started. Why hadn't she run?
“What did they do to you?” she asked, not certain she wanted to know. It must have been some awful offense considering the way his eyes had glowed with fury when he'd run his sword through her entire family.
“They took my life from me,” he yelled, pointing his sword at her. “Now I've taken theirs!”
She instinctively backed away from him, sliding herself across the floor on her bottom. His rage was a palpable thing, consuming the room. He gripped his fingers around the hilt of his sword as he advanced on her. She wasn't going to get far in her current position.
She moved to get to her feet, but he stayed her with his sword, smearing fresh blood in the soft waves of her blonde hair.
“Going somewhere, lass?”
Jane stared up at him, helpless. Her heart raced wildly. He was going to kill her. The anguished screams of her family still rang in her ears and she knew it was going to hurt.
“I haven't finished with you yet.” A wicked gleam flashed in his eyes. “I've a reason for saving you till last.”
Dread lodged in her gut. She could think of a few things he might do to her, and none of them were appealing. She had no desire to drag this out. The whole situation had her furious. She shouldn't have to be the one to suffer for the vile things her family had done, the pain and injury they'd caused. She should've been the first to go. Nice and quick.
“I haven't done anything to you.” Could a madman be reasoned with? “I don't even know who you are.”
“My name is Gavyn MacLaren . I come from the north,” he said. “And I have sworn revenge on your family, Jane.”
Hearing her name alarmed her. What else had he uncovered about them? “How do you know my name?”
“I know all the Stewart names,” he told her. “I vowed to take from your father that which was taken from me. His wife and children, and finally, his life.”
She couldn't contain her shock. Her eyes went wide. No wonder the man was so hostile. Menacing . He’d lost the family he loved by her father’s hand. Revenge was the only thing he lived for now.
She didn't blame him. Her father had gotten exactly what he'd deserved, and so
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