Chapter 25

“Ran! Please!” Niall screamed as he ran after his car but it sped off and around the corner, out of the courtyard, spraying gravel and dust. “Oh, God…” He whispered as he pushed his hands through his hair then turned back to the castle. He had to get to Ran before they did. Niall hurried up the steps and into the foyer and Isla was chewing her thumbnail and pretending to be confused but her eyes glittered with vicious glee.

“What’s happening? What’s going on with you and Ran?” She demanded but he glared at her as he strode for the stairs.

“I’m going after him,” he said and she grabbed his arm.

“Why? What did you two do?” She asked loudly and Niall could see faces peeking around doors and corners and shadows in the study and along the hall. His eyes narrowed as he stepped closer.

“I’m going after him and I’m going to tell him everything. I don’t care what happens to me but I won’t let him think I betrayed him and I’m not letting you get to him first,” he vowed under his breath and she was still for a moment before her eyes swept upward. She calculated before a smile curved her lips and she rose on her toes to kiss his cheek.

“Good luck with that,” she whispered then laughed. She danced away and sauntered back into the sitting room and Niall realized Simon wasn’t hovering. His nerves fizzed as he ran up the stairs and sprinted down the hall but he didn’t have time to lurk and figure out what they were planning. He threw the door open and rushed into his room and Catriona was zipping his overnight bag shut.

“I heard what happened and I thought you’d want to go after him,” she said. She tossed it and Niall stumbled back and tripped as he caught the bag against his chest.

“Where’s Simon?” He asked and she shook her head quickly as she came around the bed.

“I don’t know. They put their heads together and there was a lot of excited hissing and then he ran up here. I didn’t see where he went but he wasn’t in his room when I peeked in,” she said and Niall swore as he pulled the strap over his shoulder then caught his keys as she dropped them in his hand. “I’ll keep an eye and an ear on them and message you as often as I can,” she said and Niall’s cheeks puffed out as he gave her arm a squeeze.

“Thank you. I don’t know what’s going to happen after I tell Ran everything but I’ll make sure he knows how much you’ve helped,” he said and she waved it off.

“I didn’t have much else going on and it was the right thing to do,” Catriona said then cocked her chin at the door. “You better get going. I’ll do what I can to get in their way or confuse things,” she said and Niall frowned.

“Be very careful. Don’t put yourself in danger, you know how cruel they are,” he said and waited until she nodded then left her. The house was silent and Niall didn’t see Isla, Simon or any of the staff as he snuck out. He hurried into the garage and unlocked the Jaguar Ran kept for him and threw his bag at the passenger seat then ducked inside. He started the car as he waited for the garage door to open then jumped when Simon sat up in the seat behind him.

“I really hope it was worth it,” he said and Niall hissed as a needle pushed into the side of his neck. Niall wanted to slap it away but his arms were immediately too heavy.

“Had to sssave him,” Niall slurred as he slumped forward and his cheek smashed against the steering wheel. Simon hummed sympathetically as he reclined.

“I’m more impressed than angry. You had us baffled and chasing our tails for months and I certainly can’t begrudge you for enjoying yourself while you were at it,” Simon said but it was deep and distorted. Niall shut his eyes and he shook his head. It was never about that and every minute of it whipped at his soul. The driver’s door opened and Niall wanted to scream but his throat muscles were locked and he couldn’t make his mouth open as he was pulled out then crammed into the backseat. Something was shoved into his mouth and his hands were pulled behind his back and bound. Niall prayed for Ran as the last of his consciousness dissolved into darkness.