After feeling so relaxed and happy, Reed knew something was wrong when they got to the MacKeefe camp, just by the way Thor was acting. The bird kept squawking and flapping its wings, landing from time to time, making Reed feel very uncomfortable. Thor had done this on occasion and, usually, it was just before a raid.
Then he heard a familiar sound. He groaned when he saw Rowen’s osprey and Rook’s raven flying around in circles above the MacKeefe camp. Thor was happy and took off to the sky to join them, but Reed felt sick to his stomach.
“What’s the matter?” asked Maggie, looking back at him and smiling as they rode into camp.
“Nothin’ really. No’ yet. But my brathairs are here, so there is bound to be trouble.”
“Yer brathairs?” Maggie didn’t sound the least bit English anymore and neither did she look it. It was as if she’d been reborn since their visit to Lothian. “How do ye ken?”
“Dinna ye see their birds in the sky? I have a feelin’ they’re here to take ye back to the baron.”
“Nay, dinna let them, Reed.” She gripped on to his arm.
“Dinna worry, lassie. I told ye I’d die to protect ye and that still holds true. I will fight my brathairs if I have to.”
“You mustna fight them. They’re yer family. Make amends with them instead,” she begged.
“Dinna fash yerself about it, my bonnie cailin. I will take care of the situation. Ye just tend to yer brathair.”
They entered the camp and were greeted by Storm, Ross, Rook, and Rowen.
“Reed,” said Rowen, not looking very pleased. “We need to talk.”
“I have nothin’ to say,” Reed answered, slipping off the horse and helping Maggie to dismount. “Maggie is my wife now and she’s no’ goin’ back to England. And neither is she goin’ to marry the baron.”
“You fool,” spat Rook. “You have no idea of the situation you’ve put us in.”
“Just tell the baron that Maggie canna marry him since she was already betrothed to me and now we’re married, Reed told them. “He can just find someone else.”
“It’s not that easy,” said Rowen. “I’ve entered into an alliance with the very rich and powerful baron. If I break it, it could mean war.”
“That is no’ my problem,” said Reed, handing the reins of his horse to one of the boys of the clan.
“It is your problem,” said Rook. “And don’t forget, you raided us. We’re here to collect the stolen goods as well.”
“We? Us?” asked Reed. “I dinna remember takin’ anythin’ from ye, Rook. Or no’ yet, at least.”
“Please, no more fightin’ and no more raidin’,” said Maggie. “Ye are all family and need to make amends.”
“Maggie, why are you talking like a Scot?” asked Rowen. “And what are you wearing?”
“I’m a Scot and this is my clan’s plaid,” she explained happily.
Rowen shook his head. “Egads, Reed, what did you do to her? She was a refined Englishwoman the last time I saw her.”
“Excuse me, but I am excited to see my brathair,” said Maggie looking around the camp. “I have so much to tell him.”
“Maggie, he’s no’ here,” Storm told her.
“No’ here?” She forced a smile. “Of course he’s here. Where else would he be?”
Reed looked down to the water and first noticed that the Sea Mirage was missing. In its place was another ship that he guessed was used to bring his brothers to Scotland.
“Where’s Muck?” asked Reed.
“He’s gone, too,” Ross supplied the information. “It happened early this mornin’.”
“What happened?” asked Maggie, looking up to Reed in fear. “Reed, I’ll die if anythin’ happened to Duff.”
“Muck must have known we’d come,” said Rowen. “I’m sure that’s why he left - and with leverage.”
“What leverage?” asked Reed, already knowing the answer.
“I’m sorry,” said Storm. “It happened as soon as I left for Glasgow. I returned as soon as I got the message.”
“The rest of us were sleepin’,” said Ross. “Muck took the boy and the crew and left. Hawke came to me and told me he saw Duff bein’ dragged to the ship. But by the time I got down to the water with the rest of the men, they’d already gone.”
“Nay!” cried Maggie, tears streaming from her eyes. “Ye told me ye’d protect him, Reed. Do somethin’. Bring Duff back!”
“I made ye a promise and I intend on keepin’ it,” said Reed.
“What can you do?” grunted Rook. “You don’t even have a ship to go after them.”
“Nay, but you two do.” Reed looked at one brother and then the other. The sound of their birds together up in the sky brought back feelings of the days not that long ago when the three of them were a team. “What do ye say?” asked Reed. “Will ye two help me? Can we take the ship and go after Muck and the boy?”
“The Sea Mirage is the fastest ship on the water,” Rowen pointed out. “You know that not even the king’s ships can catch it. What makes you think we can?”
“Because ye ken the ship better than anyone,” said Reed. “Ye were once captain of the Sea Mirage. If anyone can catch it, ye can.”
“That’s right,” said Ross. “And ye also ken the crew. What do ye think boys? Shall we go get Duff back and reclaim the ship as well?”
“We?” asked Rook. “You’re not coming, Ross. You’ll be no good to us in your condition.”
Ross drew his sword and had it under Rook’s chin before Rook could move.
“Do ye want to bet yer life on that, Son? I may have been a pitiful excuse of a man for the last ten years, but I’m ready to be the man again that I once was. If I have to fight ye to get ye to forgive me for my past mistakes, then I will. But one way or another, that ship is no’ leavin’ without me on it.”
Rook reached out with two fingers and pushed the sword away. He glared at Ross but then cracked a smile. “I swore I would hate you forever for lying to us, but you’re lucky my new wife made me see that I’ve made mistakes as well in my life. I suppose if a black-hearted warrior like me can change, then I should give you a chance as well. What do you think, Rowen?”
“I’m willing to work together, but you’ll all need to help me resolve the issue with the baron as well,” answered Rowen.
“What are we waitin’ for?” asked Reed. “Let’s no’ waste another moment.”
“I’m comin’, too,” said Maggie, stepping in front of Reed.
“Maggie, dinna do this right now.” Reed didn’t want her along because it would take too much of his attention.
“If it were one of my children, I’d want to go with you as well,” said Wren, stepping out of the shadows.
“It’s not her child, it’s her brother,” Rook pointed out. “Besides, a woman on board is bad luck.” He looked at Rowen when he said it.
“I know Duff is my brathair, but I raised him from a baby. I am like a mathair to him. Please, let me come along with ye.” Maggie looked from one brother to the next, and none of them could meet her eyes.
“I suppose she has a right to be there,” said Rowen, scratching his chin and looking at the ground. “It won’t be the first time I’ve sailed with a woman on board.”
“It’s all right with me if no one else minds. I guess,” said Rook watching the birds in the sky.
“Maggie, I’d be honored to have ye aboard,” said Ross. “I dinna believe in silly superstitions and the first of these boys to say they do is goin’ to meet with my foot to their backside. They ken better than that!”
Reed watched as Maggie’s smile returned to her face. “I ken with all of ye there, there is no way to lose. After all, there is strength and luck in bein’ part of a family. Isna family the only thing that matters?”
The brothers all grumbled and looked the other way and pretended like it didn’t matter as they headed to the ship.