Read Online Faelan: A Highland Warrior Brief by Anita Clenney - Free Book Online

destroyed, Faelan saw his face change and knew th e ancient demon had had enough.
    “Out of my way!” Onwar roared. Moving quickl y, he stalked toward the steps.
    Faelan reached for his talisman. He would have to use it now and hope he was strong enough. “Get out!” he yelled to his brothers and Kieran. He couldn’t use it with all three of them there. They would get caught in the light.
    Kieran looked up at Onwar and his face set. He dropped his sword and pull ed his talisman from his shirt.
    Faelan’s eyes widened as realization dawned. “No!”
    Kieran’s gaze was resolute, sad. “Get behind that wall, Faelan and close yo ur eyes.”
    “No! Kieran. I can—”
    “You have family. I don’t. Close your eyes, my friend.” Kieran didn’t give him time to react. He started to chant.
    No! He pushed through the deformed bodies, shoving aside claws and swords as he tried to reach Kieran. He felt the air churn, and knew it was too late. He dove behind a stone wall and squeezed his eyes shut. There were screams and the clatter of falling swords. He opened his eyes, and saw that the demons were destroyed, vanished, except for Onwar. The ancient demon was bleeding and his skin looked burnt. Faelan roared out a cry of agony and rage and sprang at Onwar. With one swing of his sword, he took the weakened demon’s head.
    In the dead silence that followed, he forced himself to turn and face the lifeless body of his friend. Heart aching, Faelan fell to his knees. Shouts sounded below, along with the sound of men running up the steps. Tavis and Ian raised their swords and prepared for another attack, but it was only Benjamin and a group of warriors from his clan. They had tracked the in mates and demons to the castle.
    The Morgan Clan disposed of the minions’ bodies and weapons, which was the only mess there was to clean up. Demons disappeared when they were destroyed. They were erased, as if they’d never existed, along with the weapons they’d manifested.
    Numb with grief, Faelan and his brothers helped the Morgan clan round up the inmates to return to London. The clan planned to leave several warriors at the castle to make sure more of Onwar’s demons didn’t sh ow up.
    ***
    Faelan and his brothers took Kieran’s body home to Connor Castle. Kieran had no family, other than the warriors. Faelan dug the grave himself, beside the cottage where Kieran often stayed. It was a good place. There was a small burn nearby. He and Kieran had sometimes fished there. Some times they just sat and talked.
    Kieran had said that when his time came, he didn’t want to be buried in a graveyard. Didn’t want any fuss. He got his first wish, but not his second. The entire clan, and visiting clans who were still there awaiting news about Faelan and Onwar, followed behind Kieran’s coffin on his final journey from the castle to the waiting grave. There were songs, stories of Kieran’s bravery from warriors who had fought alongside him, and the haunting sound of bagpipes as his body was lowered into the ground. When it was over, and everyone had left, even his brothers who’d been shadowing him all day, Faelan sat next to Kieran’s grave and cried. And t hen he went out and got drunk.
    ***
    “Are you sure you want another?” the owner of the tavern asked. He looked nervous. The villagers didn’t know they were warriors, but the Connors car ried a reputation nonetheless.
    “Aye.” Faelan slammed his whisky glass on the bar. He blinked his eyes and looked at the two tavern girls hovering nearby. “Forget the drink,” he said, his voice slu rred. “I’ll take them instead.”
    The tavern owner looked at the girls, surprised. Faelan and his brothers sometimes came in for a whisky, but they never used the girls. “Maybe I’d best call for your brothers instead.”
    “No.” Faelan struggled to his feet and walked toward the girls. Both were young. Bonny. Even though neither on e had dark hair and green eyes.
    One of them licked