But even before Randolph and Douglas there were the fabled warriors of the illustrious Highland Guard. Men whom he and Lamberton had handpicked to form a secret army before he made his bid for the crown. That it worked had surprised him. How well it had worked he could never have imagined.

They’d been through so much together. These men better than any others knew how much this moment meant—and how much it had cost him.

There was Tor “Chief” MacLeod, the fearsome leader of the Guard who had rarely left the king’s side during his most perilous hours, and his wife, Christina, who’d once saved Bruce’s life by alerting him to a plot by Comyn.

There was Erik “Hawk” MacSorley, the always-jesting seafarer whose skill at evading the English navy had enabled Bruce to flee Scotland and live to fight another day, and his wife, Ellie—Bruce’s sister-in-law—who kept the half-Viking, half-Gael in line.

There was Arthur “Ranger” Campbell, the scout with an eerie ability to sense things whose information had enabled Bruce to win a great victory against the MacDougalls, and his wife, Anna—the daughter of the MacDougalls—who had been forced to break with her family to save the man she loved.

The next man in line was Lachlan “Viper” MacRuairi, the onetime ruthless mercenary turned loyal supporter, and his wife, Bella, who had spent two years in a cage for her part in putting a crown upon Bruce’s head.

Behind them was Magnus “Saint” MacKay, the do-anything Highlander and the toughest man Bruce knew, and his wife, Helen “Angel” Sutherland, the healer of the Guard, who had proved her own toughness when she had led Bruce through the Highlands after being attacked by a team of assassins.

Next was Helen’s brother, Kenneth “Ice” Sutherland, the onetime spy who’d brought Bruce key information about the English campaign. He’s also brought the young Earl of Atholl back into the Scottish fold when he’d married his mother (and Bruce’s former sister-in-law), Mary of Mar.

Mary’s twin sister, Janet, followed. She was one of Bruce’s best couriers, passing information while pretending to be a nun, when she crossed paths with the greatest tracker in Scotland, Ewen “Hunter” Lamont. Together they’d warned Bruce of an English plot to take him captive at an English parley.

Narrow escapes. He’d had so many of them.

Like Wallace before him, Robbie “Raider” Boyd had every reason to hate the English. He’d served as Bruce’s enforcer, taming the wild Borders. But he’d met his surprising match in the “Fair Rosalin,” the beautiful (and very English) sister of his worst enemy.