Highland Queen

Chapter 46

As I made my way back, it occurred to me that time had passed in the real world. In the wake of Banquo’s death—or, at least, what they would believe to be his death—everything would have fallen into disarray.

I needed to get to Fleance and Lulach. I needed to let them know we were still alive.

As I hurried through the tunnels, I heard strange sounds beyond the rocky hill. The noises confused me. I was glad when I found my way to the court of the Parisi king but struck with a chill when I realized the center brazier was lit. Someone had been here recently. Had Macbeth returned to Dunsinane? How? Surely Killian would have followed him to the ends of the earth for what he had done. Unless Macbeth killed Killian, in which case, they might not even know.

I pulled Uald’s Gift and rushed down the hall. As I did so, I heard shouting and saw fire. When I emerged in the yard, I saw soldiers everywhere. Archers were on the wall, shooting flaming arrows into the night. A battalion of men stood ready at the gate as a battering ram crashed into it. Dunsinane was under attack.

“Madelaine,” I whispered.

I turned and rushed up the steps toward the second floor. As I passed, the soldiers gawked at me in surprise.

“It’s the queen.”

“The queen!”

I grabbed a soldier by the arm. “Where is Lady Madelaine?”

“On the third tier, with the king.”

Macbeth was here. He was here! That damned, murdering bastard was here.

I raced up the steps. As I did, I felt the raven within me swell in power. My blood thundered, my heart beat wildly. I heard the beat of ravens’ wings. Rushing to the third level, I watched as flaming arrows were launched from Dunsinane into the night. Outside the castle walls, men cried out.

As firelight streaked the sky, I spotted Macbeth standing at the wall. He was all alone. He stood, staring down at the forest.

I went to the wall and looked out.

There, I saw something strange.

The woods were moving. Branches and leaves made their way toward the castle.

“Loose,” a soldier called from below.

Flaming arrows shot into the night sky once more. As they flew, they illuminated the hill below Dunsinane. The trees were not moving. Those were men. Siward had disguised his army. He had bedecked the soldiers with tree limbs and leaves. Under the flash of firelight, I spotted the colors of Northumbria under the disguise. Siward had used the forest itself to creep in on Dunsinane.

Birnam Wood had come to Dunsinane Hill once more.

I turned and looked at Macbeth. To my great surprise, he had turned and was staring at me.

He wore a white dressing gown and his crown. He held a sword in front of him.

“Are you real?” he asked.

“You’re about to find out how real,” I answered. Brandishing Uald’s Gift, I rushed at him.

Macbeth blocked my attack and spun away.

I swung again. Uald’s Gift glimmered in the firelight. Our swords met, and we dueled one another, moving across the stones. My heart beat hard in my chest. I would kill Macbeth. I would kill him, or I would die trying.

“Gruoch,” he said, his voice pleading.

Feeling even angrier at the mere thought that he would try to talk to me, try to appease me, I attacked once more, screaming as I advanced on him.

Macbeth fell back, defending himself from my blows.

“Gruoch, I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“I am sick to death of everyone’s regrets,” I said, launching an attack once more.

Macbeth backed toward the wall. Unable to retreat further, he blocked my moves, but he was out of space.

“Loose,” a soldier called again, fire illuminating the sky.

In a final effort to save himself, Macbeth swung his blade hard.

To my shock, Uald’s Gift flew from my hands and clattered across the flagstones.

Macbeth lowered his blade. “Gruoch,” he began, but I rushed him.

I punched him hard in the face, hearing his nose crack, then I wrenched his sword from his hand, throwing it over the wall behind him.

From deep within the castle, there was a terrible commotion. Something crashed.

“The gate is down. The castle is breached,” someone screamed.

“Gruoch,” Macbeth whispered.

I grabbed the collar of his nightshirt and stared him in the eyes.

With my free hand, I pulled Scáthach from my belt. I sneered at Macbeth then said, “Join your father.”

Macbeth’s eyes went wide when he eyed the dagger.

With a slash, I opened Macbeth’s neck.

Blood splashed all over me as his head lolled, his eyes rolling back into his head.

With a hard shove, I pushed him over the wall. Gripping the stones, I watched as Macbeth fell into the tangle of men, stones, and trees below. The forest swallowed him.

From the castle yard, I heard screaming and the sounds of metal clashing.

“Madelaine,” I whispered. I grabbed my sword then raced into the castle. Everywhere I looked, people were fleeing in terror. I ran to Madelaine’s chamber and flung open the door.

To my surprise, she was standing by the window, gazing out placidly at her impending doom.

“Madelaine,” I called.

Gasping, she turned and looked at me. “Corbie?”

I took her hand. “Come on,” I said, then pulled her from the room.

“You’re covered in blood,” Madelaine said. “Are you hurt?”

“Not yet, but we better move quickly.”

We raced down a back stairwell to the second floor. At the other end of the hall, I spotted Siward’s men. They were already in the castle.

“This way,” I said, pushing aside a tapestry to reveal an opening that led down a flight of stairs to the first level of the castle. When we reached the bottom of the steps, I peered out. Everywhere I looked, I saw soldiers. Luckily, most of them were so engaged that Madelaine and I had a chance to pass through unseen.

I nodded to Madelaine, and we slipped out.

“We need to get to the old part of the castle. Quickly,” I told her. We rushed down the corridor. Turning, I spotted one of Siward’s men in the hallway ahead of me.

“You there, stop!” he yelled at me.

I grabbed Scáthach by the handle and lobbed her at the man. She hit her mark, knocking the man off his feet as he fell to the floor.

Bending, Madelaine grabbed a sword off a fallen soldier, and we raced down the hallway. I stopped only long enough to grab Scáthach, and we rushed on. The corridors in this part of the castle were dark, winding, and confusing to strangers. I heard the sound of metal as soldiers rushed about the place. I turned a corner, but Madelaine let out a yelp.

“Stop,” a soldier called, grabbing Madelaine by the arm.

But he hadn’t seen the sword.

Madelaine thrust the weapon in the man’s gut.

He groaned and fell.

Pulling out her weapon, she nodded to me.

We passed the ancient hall then followed the steps down to the caves once more. Again, my raven eyes led me.

“Corbie, I can’t see anything,” Madelaine whispered.

“We will walk between the worlds. Take my hand,” I told her then we stepped into the deep, dark passages. We wound through the twisting halls. The sound of men and fighting receded. The air grew cold. I could smell minerals and loam. Not long after, I spotted blue fire ahead of me. Leading Madelaine, we stepped into Ynes Verleath.