Last Wish (Highland Magic #4)(54)

Tipsania seemed frozen. Taylor, sensing her dismay, grabbed her arm, pulling her back towards the crowd of MacQuarries for safety. The pair of them had only just moved past me when Aifric emerged. ‘Try anything,’ he smiled at us, ‘Invisibility or Teleportation or goddamned flower arranging, and it’ll be the last thing you do.’

It was hardly the most inspirational of threats. Then again, when three burly guys stepped out after him, each holding a shit-scary machine gun, it didn’t need to be.

I watched them all. The Apportation trick had worked on Ramsay’s knife but I wasn’t sure how much magic it would take to work simultaneously on three guns and, with no practice, it was a dangerous manoeuvre. If it had just been me standing there, I would have tried it without thinking but there were fifty people at my back.

The last person to get out of the car was the Bull. His eyes landed immediately on Tipsania and he let out a choked cry, throwing out his arms as if to run towards her full of fatherly joy. He hadn’t realised that Morna was lying next to him, however, and his foot caught on her outstretched hand. If Aifric hadn’t grabbed him, he’d have gone flying. Tipsania snorted in disgust but I could feel her fear.

Aifric smiled at me, the very picture of dictatorial benevolence. ‘Integrity,’ he boomed. ‘I’m so thrilled that you’re still alive.’ The scariest thing was that I knew he was telling the truth.

‘If you want to call for Bob again,’ Taylor murmured, ‘now would be a really good time.’

If I could have been sure that Bob would hear me and appear in a flash I wouldn’t have hesitated but there were too many variables to consider. I told my thumping heart to quieten down. I wasn’t even close to waving my white flag – but I wasn’t going to rush into anything either.

‘I believed you, you know. The whole death shebang. It was very clever.’ Aifric smiled again. ‘Just not clever enough.’ He paused. ‘Tell me, does my son know you’re alive?’

I prayed that my expression wouldn’t give me away. If Aifric remained ignorant of Byron’s actions, it could only work to our favour. I supposed there was a certain irony: Byron wouldn’t believe that his father was evil and Aifric wouldn’t believe that his son could plot against him. All the same, I didn’t reply. I wasn’t ready yet.

‘What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?’ he grinned, trying to appear disarming. ‘Or are you still pretending to be a ghost? You know it took me some time to work out what my friend the Bull here was referring to when he kept going on about hauntings.’

I cursed inwardly. So the Bull had found a way past the compulsion after all. Maybe I could use his real name to order him to attack Aifric. That was an idea.

The Steward was already five steps ahead of me. ‘Unfortunately for him,’ he continued, ‘your knowledge of his true name makes him too much of a liability these days. Even though he did as I asked in hiring these idiots to mop up things.’ Aifric shrugged at the Bull. ‘It’s not my fault, friend. It’s hers.’

He stepped away and flicked a finger at the gunmen. There was a sharp retort and then, as if in slow motion, a blossom of red appeared on the Bull’s chest. He seemed puzzled initially and stared down at himself, then he spun and fell, landing in a sprawl next to Morna. Tipsania screamed, her knees buckling beneath her. The rest of us stared in horror. Sickness rose in my gullet, threatening to overwhelm me. Aifric Moncrieffe wasn’t just the villain of the piece; he was bloody psychotic.

‘It’s quite a clever set-up, don’t you think?’ Aifric murmured. He jerked his thumb at Ramsay and Smack. ‘The Bull hired them to get his daughter back then, when he refused to pay them, they took their revenge and gunned him down.’ He rubbed his palms together. ‘That was the plan I originally had but that was before I realised you were still breathing, Miss Adair. Now I have an even better idea.’

I couldn’t help myself. Setting aside my unfeigned disgust at what he’d just done to the Bull, I drew myself up. ‘Chieftain,’ I growled.

Aifric put his hand up to his ear. ‘Pardon?’

‘Chieftain Adair, you prick.’

He laughed. ‘Not for much longer. And it’s not much of a Clan that you’re Chieftain of, is it? Although I have to thank you for getting rid of the trolls for me. I’m not sure I’d have managed to broach the MacQuarrie border if it weren’t for you.’ His eyes narrowed. ‘Call it my own petty revenge for you breaching mine. Is Pyrokinesis a Gift of yours or did you simply use a match?’

I breathed out. He definitely didn’t know about Byron ? that was something. Neither was he aware that I could steal Gifts. There was still some wiggle room.

Tipsania was gulping for air by my side. Any second now, she’d probably do something that would get her killed too.

‘Don’t worry, my dear,’ Aifric said to her, apparently thinking the same thing. ‘I need you. You’re going to marry my son, after all.’ Nonchalantly he inspected his fingernails. ‘Your father’s untimely death means you inherit more quickly and the Moncrieffes can get those Scrymgeour riches.’

‘Never,’ she gasped.

Aifric smirked and rolled forward on his toes. ‘But I’ve still got your sweetheart.’ He laughed at her expression. ‘Tut, tut. Didn’t your new best friend tell you? Integrity, I thought more of you than that.’ He grinned. ‘Candy is enjoying the very best dungeons that the Cruaich has to offer. He’ll stay there at my pleasure.’ He paused and licked his lips. ‘Unless you step out of line, dear Tipsy. I’ve always known you and he had a thing going on. The truth is, I know just about everything.’