“I remember. ’Twas quiet when I found you. We’ll hope for the same.”
Alick made his way over and enveloped her in his arms, and she leaned against him, taking in his scent of horse and leather and Alick. Letting his warmth seep into her skin. “You and Dyna have a plan?”
Dyna nodded. “We’re fine.”
The look on his face was a testament to how badly he wanted to go with them, but he merely squeezed Branwen, offering his support.
An hour later, they made their way toward Thane Castle. They hadn’t traveled far when two riders caught them. It was Cailean and Sorcha, and they headed straight to Alex Grant.
Branwen whispered, “I thought they were going with your uncle.”
“They were, but perhaps they were sent as messengers. Let’s listen to see what they say.”
Cailean said to Alex, “Jamie sent us. He intercepted a messenger. They wish to make a trade.”
“Where?” Alex asked.
“Two hours from here near Lorn, first light on the morrow.” He gave Alex more specific instructions, but the great man held his hand up.
“If all goes well, we’ll have Kyla by then. Will you stay? We’re making our way to the castle. ’Tis nearly dark, and we could use another archer. And if she’s not there, we’ll need to follow you to that spot.”
Cailean nodded. “’Twould be my pleasure, Laird Grant.”
Alex gestured for the rest of the group gathered around. Alex said, “’Tis time for us to separate. Dyna and Branwen will meet with the stablemaster and sneak into the keep. Alick, Finlay, Cailean, and Sorcha, you are to bring two guards with you and travel with them to the outskirts of the castle. Your job is to await their return, help with Kyla, and observe everything that happens within the keep.”
Branwen squeezed Alick’s hand. “I’m glad you are coming part way,” she whispered.
Alex said, “Alick and Finlay, if they do not return within an hour, you are to let us know or send Cailean and Sorcha back to me. Els and Joya, I’ll ask you to wait with me. Everyone understand their job?”
All nodded to Alex, who said, “Go and Godspeed.”
They left, and as they got closer to the castle, Branwen felt her throat thicken. She wished to cry or run away. Anything but go back to her uncle’s castle. Although Alick had insisted it wasn’t possible, she still feared her sire would take her away from him. They rode in silence, seeing the castle torches in the distance within half the hour.
“Is this the main path?” Finlay asked Branwen.
“Nay, there’s another one much more traveled straight off the gates.” She pointed in the direction she meant. “Verra few go this way.”
Finlay pointed to a thick bunch of trees a ways from the path, a small clearing next to it. They rode over to it and dismounted, and Dyna said, “Leave the horses here.” She looped the reins of her horse over a branch.
They all followed suit, and Branwen turned to Alick, fighting tears. “I hope we return with your mama soon.”
Alick gave her a quick kiss, then turned to his sire. “I want to go with them.”
“Nay, as much as it pains me to say so, I agree with your grandsire. We are too involved to make wise decisions. Besides, the lasses are less likely to get caught. Men are unlikely to consider them a threat until they’ve moved on.”
Dyna tipped her head and smirked. “’Tis true. Let’s go, Branwen.”
“Godspeed,” Finlay said. “Remember, there are six of us here who can help you. All you must do is scream.”
They set off, Branwen leading the way. They both wore leggings and a tunic in dark colors, Dyna in all black and Branwen in dark green, and they blended into the forest around them. It was late summer and the sounds of the night would be most welcome if not for the task that lay ahead.
They found a group of trees to hide in next to the stables. Neither of them spoke as they slipped into the trees and stood stalk still, listening. There was no one around, but there was a large group of warriors on the far side of the keep.
“Go,” Dyna whispered. “We’ll see if we can find Jep while ’tis quiet. I don’t know why they’re gathering, but I don’t like it. We need to get ahead of them while they’re busy.”
Branwen couldn’t fault her logic, so they crept over to the stable and listened. She only heard the sound of one person’s footsteps, then she heard Jep talking to one of his horses, something he often did. He had a practice of soothing them before they went out for a skirmish.
She pointed to the stables. “’Tis Jep,” she said in a soft voice. “I’ll call him over.” Tiptoeing over to the stables, she peeked in through the door at the end and waved to get Jep’s attention. He startled a little upon seeing her, but he quickly recovered and held his hand up, indicating for her to wait.
Dyna was directly behind her. When she closed the door, Dyna turned her around. A man stood a distance behind them, approaching slowly. “Just a minute. I think ’tis Alick. Have Jep come out, and I’ll be right back.”
Dyna turned around and made haste toward the man she thought was Alick, so Branwen opened the door and peeked in to check on Jep.
A hand darted toward her from the side, the owner out of sight, and tugged her into the stables.
“Gotcha.”
Her father’s beady eyes stared into hers, the look he was giving her nothing short of evil.
A quick glance at the end of the passageway revealed Jep was now being restrained by three guards.
They were doomed.
Chapter Twenty
“What shall we do with them?” one of the guards asked.
“Lock them up. We have a major operation taking place soon, and I can’t be bothered with her tedious issues any longer.”
How she prayed Alick and Dyna wouldn’t be caught. She knew they would come for her. Her sire took her out the entrance and handed her over to three guards who stood nearby. Three more held Jep while another ten came out behind the first group.
“Do you need more guards, Denton?” one asked.
“Nay. But you can take these two into the dungeons with the other prisoner,” her father said. “We’ll be moving them all soon. The rest of us will ready the horses.” He let out a whistle and another group of guards joined them.
Two men grabbed Branwen, pulling her along while Jep’s captors did the same with him.
“Save your strength, lassie,” Jep said to her.
“Close your mouth,” one guard said. “No talking.”
They pushed and shoved them along, taking them inside the back door of the curtain wall and then a back door of the castle. Branwen glanced over at Jep, who winked at her.
The guards brought them to the cellars and dragged them down the passageway that was all too familiar from her recent confinement. Branwen did her best to look inside any open doors to see if she could see anyone with long dark hair who might be Alick’s mother.
But she didn’t need to.
The men brought them to the last cell at the end of the passageway and threw them inside, the darkness overwhelming her senses so much that she fell against a cold stone wall on the side and just stayed there.
The guards left, laughing their way back down the passageway and up the stairs, acting as if they were at a festival instead of committing acts of cruelty.
She waited, allowing her eyes to adjust to the small amount of light from the torches a distance away from them. Her body had threatened to tremble at the sound of the key in the lock, but she dug down deep and willed it away. She would survive and find Alick’s mother.
When she could finally see, her eyes sought out Jep and found him, leaning against the far wall. And then a clear, voice addressed them, coming from the farthest spot from the door. It was a lovely woman’s voice.
“Greetings. I’m Kyla Grant. Why are you two here?”
***
Alick grabbed Dyna and pulled her into the bushes. His heart was hammering in his chest at the sight of Branwen being led away
from him, but he needed to save her—and the best way to do that was to think rationally. He had to remember what Grandsire had told him.
“We can’t get them,” he said in a strangled voice. “Da and I ventured closer to see if we could overhear anything useful, and men were talking about moving the prisoner. That has to be my mother. And they’re putting Branwen and Jep in the dungeon. Now we have three to get.” He had gripped her arm to keep her from chasing after them. Although he wished to do the same—his heart was aching from it—he knew it could not happen.
“I’ll not go after her,” she said. “We’re better off tracking their movement before we act. If they’re moving your mother, we may have to split up. Some go after her, some stay here to retrieve Branwen.”
Alick released Dyna, feeling all the torment of being pulled in two different directions. “What the hell? How am I supposed to choose?”
“You won’t. You’ll go where you’re told,” Dyna said, in a tone that told him she would brook no arguments. “We could try now, but ’twould be too dangerous. What happened is proof of it.”
“Aye, there are too many guards involved with this for us to go alone,” Alick said through gritted teeth. “Sixteen here and six score on the other side of the keep. We must go for reinforcements.”
He and Dyna watched as the number of guards blossomed in front of them. “Listen,” he whispered, honing in on the voices not far away.
He heard Branwen’s sire say they had a major operation underway, something that would have been obvious anyway from the sheer amount of men.
“’Tis what we’ve waited for,” he whispered. “Branwen is strong. She’ll help my mother if Mama needs it.”
“Aye, she will,” Dyna said. She gave him a wry look. “I cannot believe you didn’t chase after her alone, even with all those guards about. Marriage has made you a more patient man.”
He chuckled, leading her back to where his sire stood. “Aye, mayhap ’tis true. My father said this would happen. He convinced me it wouldn’t be a bad thing if you two were put in the cellars with Mama, that you and Branwen could get her out.”
Dyna snorted. “Only one problem with that. I’m here instead of in there.”
Da startled when he saw them. “What happened? Hell, Dyna. You’re supposed to be with them.”
“I saw Alick and moved back to talk to him. It was as if Branwen’s father knew she was coming. He grabbed her inside, then they took her and Jep to the dungeon.”
“It could be worse,” Da said. “I actually sent Alick to tell you we’ve been advised they’re moving soon.”
“They are,” Dyna said. “He called it a big operation, so we have to get help. We can move in while they’re moving out. Go back to Grandsire, and we’ll get help.”
Alick couldn’t get his horse to go fast enough, passing his father quickly. Fortunately, they didn’t have far to go. When they approached Grandsire’s group, Els called out, “This doesn’t look good to me!”
Alick leaped off his horse, Dyna dismounting directly behind him. “Branwen’s father caught her with Jep, and they were both taken to the dungeon. Hopefully they’ll see Mama, Grandsire. There’s a group gathering, around six score horses. Don’t know for certain where they’re going.”
“I know where they’re going,” Alex said. “Thane has promised to support Edward’s son. They’re going after the Bruce. My guess is Thane has no idea my daughter is being held. Whoever kidnapped her is trying to keep it hidden.”
“That could mean Branwen’s sire arranged it,” Alick surmised. “He surely knew there was another prisoner.”
“You could be right, but we don’t know that for certain. Based on this new development, I’m going to change my plans.”
Grandsire paced a bit, thinking. No one interrupted him. Alick finally grabbed the skin of ale and drank heartily, handing it off to his father.
“Grandsire, based on what we heard, we suspect there will be two groups moving. The first appears to be preparing to move against the Bruce, and the second will have the prisoners. The men who took Mama have agreed to exchange you for her, but what if they expect you to lead the Grant warriors against Bruce first?”
“Aye. ’Tis possible,” said Dyna. “I agree with Alick. They’ll not just hand Aunt Kyla over. You’ll be instructed to call our warriors forth for battle.”
Grandsire lifted his gaze to Alick’s, and the sadness in his hero’s eyes did something to him. True, he was going to end this and get his mother back, gain his wife back—there was no other option—but it struck him there was more at stake.
His grandsire’s and his father’s peace of mind.
“Grandpapa, they saw how you fought to get John back. They still see you as a powerful adversary and they want you leading. For them, not against them.”
The old man’s gaze told Alick he accepted the logic behind his suggestion, and he clearly didn’t like it one bit.
Finally, the great leader spoke. “Dyna, Alick, Cailean, and Sorcha. You will go after the prisoners. Els, I need someone to protect me. Joya, I’m sorry, but I think your lack of fighting skills could be a hindrance to them. I ask that you travel with me, Els, and Finlay back to Jamie’s location. MacLintock land is closer to Lorn, so we’ll go there first to gather more warriors. I’d like to hope we’ll be successful in rescuing both Branwen and Kyla before the arranged meeting, but if we don’t, we must plan to go to Lorn. We cannot lose. We must get both of them out before we go to the exchange. I fear attending the meeting they propose because it could cost us many lives. They’ll bring many more men because they lost so many at our previous encounter.”
Da sighed and cast a glance over the younger group, though Sorcha and Cailean were closer to his age. “I would argue, Alex, but Cailean is a powerful swordsman, much stronger than I am. And he’ll be more objective than I would be. Grandsire is right.”
Alick glanced at the group he’d been assigned to—Dyna, Sorcha, and Cailean—and said, “Mount up. We have to find them before the group meets up with Uncle Jamie’s warriors. I want Mama and Branwen safely away from any fighting. I suggest we head back toward the castle, wait for the large group to leave. We’ll stay off the main path. We should catch them in an hour and a half.”
Alick added, “My guess is we go back toward the castle because I think our small group will leave after the large one.
“Agreed,” said Dyna. “Move.”
They broke away from the other group, calls of good wishes echoing out in the night. A while later, they came to a burn and a small ravine, and Dyna said, “Lone rider coming this way. You take that side of the ravine,” she said, pointing, “and Sorcha and I will take this side because we can shoot better from this angle, if necessary.”
Alick hadn’t heard a thing, but he did as she ordered. Cailean looked at him and said, “I don’t hear anything.”
“Don’t question her,” Alick said with a small smile. “She’s always right.”
They slipped into the trees and hid with their horses.
Dyna had climbed the ravine so she could look down at the horseman. When he neared Dyna’s position, Alick caught a glimpse of his face. Alick nearly yelled to his cousin because he recognized the man.
But it was too late. Dyna jumped from her spot in a tree and landed directly on top of him, sending the two of them off the horse, rolling down the ravine.
When they finally stopped, the man looked up at Dyna as she shoved at his chest to right herself. “What the hell? Why are you out here alone, Corbett?” she asked. But she spun on her heel and walked away before he could answer. Alick knew why. If she didn’t, she’d probably punch him. They had an odd relationship. Derric stared after Dyna with a wide smile on his face, and his words carried up to Alick and Cailean.
“’Tis a mighty fine looking arse you have there, Dyna. Please come back.”
Dyna whirled so fast she already had her bow out and an arrow nocked. “This is what I do to any man that speaks to me that w
ay, Corbett.”
Derric stood up, brushed the leaves and dirt from his dark pants and said, “You’d never shoot me, Dyna. You like me too much.” Then he dared to wink at her.
Dyna spun around and stalked off.
Chapter Twenty-One
“Why are you here, Corbett?” Alick asked in surprise.
Derric sauntered over and said, “I’m still traveling with King Robert. Word reached us that a group had kidnapped one of Grant’s granddaughters.” He got quite serious, the smug look leaving his face. “Dyna’s the only one I know, so I feared it might be her. I came to help you gain her back. Clearly ’tis not her, so who do they have?”
“His daughter, my mother,” Alick replied.
Dyna gave him a look of open disbelief. “You’re here because of me? Try again.” She crossed her arms and glared at him. “The bullshite that comes from your lips is more than I can handle.”
“Believe what you wish. I just passed an entire garrison of nearly four score warriors heading south. I hope you four aren’t going after them.”
“Nay,” Alick replied, “but the men we’re after will be traveling behind them in a smaller group. They have my mother, and now they also have my wife. They are hoping for another exchange for my grandsire, but first they plan to make him summon the Grant warriors and lead them against Robert the Bruce. Our goal is to get both lasses back before any of that happens. We’re hoping to stop the group before they arrive wherever the exchange is supposed to take place, take them by surprise, and kick a few arses along the way.”
“There’s a battle brewing,” Derric said. “Robert aims to bring the rest of the Scots in the Western Highlands to his side. Thane’s not the only one standing against him.”
“How many are you?”
“Not many, but those who are left are strong. Once you get your mother and wife back, we’d be grateful for your assistance.” He paused, then added, “How’s my sister? Els better be treating her well.”
The Scot's Pursuit (Highland Swords Book 3) Page 16
