Over the Highland Mountains

Chapter 16 • Spy

"Who would possibly want to harm Lily?" Alasdair whispered harshly when they were sitting in the chamber where Lily lay, waiting for her to wake up.

It had been two days.

Two days without seeing those bright blue eyes looking back at him.

Two days without hearing her laugh.

Two days of being sick with worry... jings, this love thing was exhausting.

Lily's fever had just broken that morning and Keeva pronounced her out of the worst danger. Now all they had to do was wait for her to wake.

They hadn't caught the perpetrator yet, but everyone was on high alert and two guards were stationed outside the chamber door to prevent any unwanted person from entering.

"Aye!" Keir agreed, "She's the sweetest thing I've ever met."

"Does she have any enemies back in Leslie, Keeva?" Ivor's deep voice came from where he leaned against the wall.

"Nay," Keeva answered with a deep frown and arms crossed, looking down at her dear friend, "Everyone back home loves her..."

"Tell us what happened exactly, Alasdair," Ivor suggested after a pause, "Ye were the only one who actually saw it."

There was a slight change in Ivor's voice that sounded like he had an idea he was following up, but Alasdair knew better than to ask. Ivor the Strategist would reveal his thinking when he was ready.

"Well, I was helping Fraser with his basic drills -"

"Where was Lily standing?" Ivor interrupted.

"Under the shelter."

"Hmm," Ivor hummed, "Please continue."

"Weel, that's basically all, I was helping him when an arrow flew by, grazing Lily's cheek. After checking where it had come from, I thought it was from the archers training, I went to check on her. Then another arrow came, bouncing off her brooch and into her chest."

"How close were you to the arrows?"

"Weel, it flew straight by me both times, rather close actu-" Alasdair stopped abruptly, his mouth dropping in realisation. He scoffed before whispering, "She was never the target."

"How do ye mean?" Fergus piped up, while stoking the fire.

He sighed, "Each time, I was almost hit. I was moving around a lot with Fraser so they must have missed me each time."

He looked at Ivor who was nodding in agreement.

"Aye, that's what I've been thinking," he confirmed, "I also believe, this may not have been the first attempt on yer life, Alasdair."

Everyone turned curious confused faces to the man.

"When yer mother was poisoned, are we certain she drank from her own goblet?"

"What do ye mean, Ivor?" Alasdair asked.

"I mean, there were two goblets near her place, what if she accidentally took yers?"

Alasdair felt his stomach drop and he gulped.

He couldn't answer. He was so angry with himself for putting them in danger. He should have been more careful, made sure they had better security.

The two most important women in his life had gotten hurt because of him.

"Alasdair, do no' blame yerself," Keeva told him, placing a comforting hand on his arm, "There is no way ye could have kenned -"