Highland Warrior by McCollum, Heather (good summer reads .txt) 📕

Joshua wrapped his arm around her upper chest, pulling her close before him.

“Ye stole Joshua’s sword?” Bàs asked, his mouth turning up on the side in a teasing smile.

“And I needed it,” Joshua said. “So the scraps were the better signal to ye that these people have my support against Robert Stuart, tyrant of Orkney.”

Cain fisted the cloth in his hand. “We learned a great deal about Earl Robert Stuart and his sons from your people.” His gaze dropped to Kára. “And those who stayed alive hiding underground, surviving in constant oppression.” His eyes lifted back to Joshua. “I decided we would go to find ye and discover what type of trouble ye were in. Trouble that would make ye foolish enough to break your oath to me and our clan.”

“’Twas to protect ye,” Joshua said.

“Pastor John said that,” Bàs added, more to Cain than to Joshua.

“We do not need protecting.” Cain ran a hand up through his hair. “And then to send the lie that ye died…”

“He did die,” Kára said. “We both did. Our gravestone says as much back on Orkney. Robert Stuart watched us be buried.”

All three of his brothers stared at her. Joshua rested his other palm upon her shoulder. “This is Kára Flett, queen of her people, and my very-soon-to-be wife.”

“Ye died and were buried?” Bàs asked.

“Queen?” Gideon asked.

“Ye want to marry?” Cain asked. “One woman?”

Joshua chuckled. “One very special woman. And aye, to all three.”

His brothers looked bewildered, making the anger within Joshua abate. He wrapped both arms around Kára. “Kára is quite the warrior.”

“And she puts up with ye?” Gideon asked.

“Barely,” Kára said, making Bàs laugh, his deep chuckle so rare that his brothers glanced his way.

“And I wish to thank you, Chief Sinclair,” she said, bowing her head to Cain, “for allowing my people to land here in Caithness.”

“More people to strengthen the Sinclairs are always welcome,” Cain said, returning her bow.

Joshua glanced at the armies above. “And I suppose… Well, bloody…” He rubbed the back of his neck, realizing what his family had been about to do for him. “Thank ye for thinking to come after me. That was not something I had even considered.”

Cain grabbed Joshua’s other shoulder, squeezing it. “Ye are my brother. Oath or not, my blood would run for ye if needed.”

Joshua smiled. “Like I said, I did it to protect ye and the clan.”

Geir stood off to the side, staring up at the legions of horses and men who had paused in their preparations to sail. “You could still all go,” he said, looking to Joshua. “We could take over Orkney. Robert would be trampled.”

“Nay,” Joshua said. They had gone to great lengths to leave with little loss of life.

“No,” Kára said at the same time, and he felt himself relax at her word.

“War should be avoided when possible,” Joshua said, garnering shocked faces from his brothers. “It weakens both sides and should only be a last resort.”

Gideon’s brows rode high on his forehead. “So, the real Joshua Sinclair died on Orkney. Who exactly are ye?”

Joshua chuckled. “Joshua, a warrior loyal to Clan Sinclair. A man soon to be Joshua Flett.”

Bàs’s smile faded. “The Horseman of War is…dead?”

Joshua took Kára’s hand and walked toward his youngest brother, looking him straight in the eyes. “We can choose not to be what Da told us we are. Something to consider, brother,” he said and slapped a hand down on Bàs’s shoulder.

He interlaced his fingers with Kára’s. “Let us disperse our warriors and open up a slip for the last group from Orkney to dock. And then we can go about getting these odd Orkney people settled.”

“More?” Cain asked. “How many people are ye bringing over exactly?”

“Two dozen more,” Kára said. “And the ship can take back any of my people who wish to join Erik Flett and my aunt Hilda, who remained on Orkney.”

“There is only one woman who has demanded to return from the moment she set foot,” Gideon said, his face pinching as if the memory was painful.

“Fiona Spence?” Kára asked.

“Aye,” Gideon said. “She is an angry sort of woman.”

“She and her son tried to start a war,” Joshua said. “We do not need her here. Chief Erik stayed behind. He can deal with her.” They still needed to tell her about Torben dying. Losing her son would be punishment enough for the woman.

As they walked up the path, sandy pebbles crunching under their boots, Geir ran ahead, anxious to see all the horses. Osk followed after him, the greenish tinge having faded from his face.

Kára squeezed Joshua’s hand, and he looked down at her. “I did not know your family was so large.”

He smiled. “In size or number?”

She laughed softly. “Both.” She glanced back over her shoulder where Calder asked Gideon tactical questions about their cavalry units. “It seems crowded, this new home of ours,” she said, keeping her smile. “We may never find a quiet, peaceful place again.”

Before he could respond that he planned to carry her to a most private place as soon as possible, they rose to the level of the four armies on the bank. A great cheer erupted through the ranks as the men saw him. They roared, their fists high in the air, in welcome. He looked behind him to see his brothers doing the same; even Cain roared in celebration that Joshua was home and very much alive. Kára smiled up at him, laughing at the surprise lighting his face. It grew into a joyful smile.

In answer, he raised his own arm with Kára’s, their fingers linked. “To Clan Sinclair!” he yelled.

“To Clan Sinclair!” the men responded, their voices sending a deafening wave of force. These were his people. And now Kára and her family would join them in peace and continued prosperity. Happiness welled up within him until it felt like a tangible flood to pour out, and he laughed. He pulled Kára into his arms, kissing her before the clan.

Another wave of cheers erupted, but he