“Well, we should get out of this place now, because I have a feeling that it won’t be safe here for long. I’ll get the horses ready.”
She reached for the door handle but halted as she heard a soft tread outside. Then the door creaked open. She grabbed her knife and held it out, readying herself to lunge at the intruder.
“It’s just me,” said Cailean, his hands raised before him. “Elspet and I have been watching. You haven’t got long. I can sense the approach of three horsemen. Feels like one minute away, two at most.”
“What do you mean, you sense their approach?” asked Donnan.
“No time,” said Kaetha who understood that Cailean’s Earth magic must have developed over recent weeks. “They’ll hear us leaving if we’re on horseback. Our best chance is on foot.” She turned to see Donnan grabbing more blankets and a purse of coins.
“Let’s go,” urged Kaetha. “I’ll make for the western side of the woods. You’d do better going with Cailean.”
“I’m going with you, Kaetha,” said Mairi. “I’ll put up with no argument.”
“Me too,” said Donnan.
“I’ll bring you more supplies if you like,” said Cailean. “Can you meet me by Ravens’ Knowe at first light?”
“Aye. Thank you.” Kaetha turned to see Mairi put a hand on the head of her sleeping dog.
“I’ll look after him, Mairi. I promise,” said Cailean.
Mairi nodded, sniffed, then followed them outside.
They’d just turned out of Curing Street when Kaetha heard the pounding rhythm of horses. She turned back. Two horsemen had stopped at their house and were dismounting.
“Quick,” she whispered as they swept through the streets and across the bridge, swift and silent as ghosts. A watchman had been posted at the south-east gate, though she’d never seen the gates guarded before, but fortunately he was slumped against the wall with a leather bottle in his hand, snoring.
“I bet the other gate’s guarded too,” whispered Donnan. “At least this guard’s bladdered.”
“You’re right,” said Kaetha and they crept up to the drunk watchman, eased open the gate and slipped through. “We should wait out the night as close to Ravens’ Knowe as we can get,” said Kaetha. “We won’t get much further in the dark anyway.”
“This way,” whispered Donnan. “To the Calamor road.”
The road was more of a narrow track between fields and they followed it until they reached the woods. Then, leaving the black road behind, they headed into the deeper darkness of the trees. Kaetha held her arms out before her as she crept blindly through tangles of undergrowth, over treacherous roots in the uneven ground, trying to avoid the branches which broke into their path like pikes in a battlefield.
There was a splash.
“Perfect,” said Donnan.
“What’s the matter?” asked Kaetha.
“Nothing. I fully intended to walk into the stream.
“Doesn’t the stream run past Ravens’ Knowe?” Kaetha asked.
“I can’t remember how close the stream is to the Knowe,” said Mairi. “I should though. My sister and I used to play in these woods often enough, climbing trees. We were forbidden to come here alone but we did anyway. I’d forgotten . . .”
Kaetha heard Donnan trudging by her side and grasped his arm. “I didn’t know Mairi has a sister.” She found it hard to imagine Mairi climbing trees.
“Had,” whispered Donnan.
“What? What happened?” Kaetha lowered her voice to match his.
“I don’t know exactly. Nannie told me once that she died when they were children.”
“I think we may have gone too far,” called Mairi after a while.
“In that case, I think we should find somewhere to stop – get some rest if we can,” said Kaetha. She broke away from the others a little, twigs scratching at her lifted palms. “These trees seem more densely packed here and I can feel the leaves of bushes.” She walked further around, feeling more vegetation, then she squeezed between a tree and a prickly bush. “It’ll be a bit of a squash, but there should be just enough ground space in the middle of this thicket for us to lie down. We may need its cover to hide us in the morning light.” She held back a branch to make it easier for them to join her.
“You’re shivering, Mairi,” said Donnan. “Here, take this blanket. And you should go in the middle, you’ll warm up quicker.”
“Oh but I—”
“You should,” agreed Kaetha, positioning herself to one side of her and lying down on the cold, soft earth, twisting her body awkwardly so as to avoid the juttings of tree roots. They were quiet for a while, as they settled down for the night. Kaetha’s eyelids were heavy but she didn’t feel like she would be able to sleep.
“I think that tomorrow, we should make for the path which takes us south-west, following the course of the road,” said Mairi. “I have a cousin in Calamor. Her husband has a smallholding. They’d take us in. We’d be safe there.”
“That sounds like a good idea,” said Kaetha. “You two should go there.”
“I meant all of us.”
“I can’t,” said Kaetha. “I’ve already told you.”
“So, what do you plan to do exactly?” asked Donnan.
“I don’t know.”
“You said Murdo’s taking him to the king,” said Donnan. “We’re behind and on foot. We can’t intercept them.”
“I want him back as much as you do,” said Mairi. “He’s my husband. But – what? – storming the citadel dungeon on the remote chance that you’ll find him there? It would be signing your own death warrant, Kaetha. Maybe there’s nothing we can do.”
“Perhaps not. But I’m still heading south to Ciadrath.”
For what seemed like hours, Kaetha lay there, listening to the wind in the trees. The snatches of sleep that she did get were invaded by the sight of her father, blood dripping down the side of his face, reaching out to her. This time, she tried to call for help. But no one could hear her because she was underwater and couldn’t move. Her throat tightened and she woke, gasping for breath. It took her a moment to remember where she was. The sky was a tangle of dark grey strips through the branches above her. It would be dawn soon; she should try to stay awake. But her eyelids were heavy. As she strained to keep them open, she saw someone with dark eyes and a tangle of dark hair, watching her through the branches. But when she blinked, he was gone. Perhaps he was just a dream too.
Donnan shook her awake and she sat up. “How did I end up in the middle?” she said.
“You were shivering a lot in the night,” said Mairi. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to the privy.”
“Shh—” Donnan held Mairi back.
Kaetha heard it now too. The crunch of dry leaves. She peered through the gaps in the branches in front of her. It was not Cailean. Whoever it was, wore a dress, so at least it wouldn’t be Murdo or one of his men. Then she saw her face, pale and somehow older looking than normal. “Elspet!” she exclaimed in a hushed tone and she emerged, twigs scratching her face as she rushed over to embrace her friend.
“We must be near Ravens’ Knowe then,” said Mairi. “Thank you for coming, lass.”
“Where’s Cailean?” asked Donnan.
“He thought he was being followed so I made him go back.”
“Look out for him, Elspet,” said Kaetha. “He has to be careful.”
Elspet nodded. “As do you. Do you know where you’re going to go?”
Kaetha, Mairi and Donnan looked at one another.
“I think it’s better that you don’t know,” Kaetha replied. “But don’t worry, we know of somewhere safe.”
“Good. Here.” She held out two bags. “There’s oats and other food, skins for water and some other things that we thought you might find useful.”
“Thank you.” Kaetha took the supplies, the smell of bread making her mouth water. “Look out for Kintail, will you? Though, come to think of it, I’ve not seen him since the st
orm. But he may come back. He can hunt for himself but, if you see him—”
“We’ll make sure he’s not going hungry.”
“And Bairn?” said Mairi. “Cailean said that he’d look after him.”
“Aye, we’ve brought him to our house. He’s already very protective of the baby. We’re calling her Kittie, by the way. My grandmother was Katherine and we know that Donnan calls you Kit. So we thought that ‘Kittie’ would be like naming her for both of you.”
Kaetha was taken aback and couldn’t reply except with a nod.
“There’s Lossie and Arrow to think of, too,” said Mairi.
“We’ll care for them,” said Elspet. “We’ll need them if we’re to carry on the business anyway. If you don’t mind, that is.”
“No, carry on as before,” said Kaetha. “Look after yourselves.”
“You too,” said Elspet, hugging Kaetha again.
“Thank you.” She wished suddenly that Rorie had come with her so that she could say goodbye to him. She considered sending a message for him by Elspet but, she reasoned, there was really nothing to say. She might not see any of them again.
“Good luck,” said Elspet, “and a fair wind to your sails, as Pa would say. I’ll get Nannie to keep an eye on you.”
As they headed south through the woods, Kaetha turned back to see Elspet disappearing amongst the ferns and branches. Ahead was the small clearing they’d been heading towards last night, a grassy mound with ravens cawing, staring down from branches around it, like mourners at a burial. Kaetha bowed her head when a raven stared directly at her, willing it to send her good luck rather than bad.
They skirted Ravens’ Knowe in silence, picking their way through the woodland floor which bristled with coiled brambles and beds of stinging nettles. A deer trail took them through easier ground but wound about considerably until it reached a path.
“More chance of being seen on the path,” said Donnan.
“But at least we’d know we were heading the right way,” said Kaetha.
As they followed the path, Mairi’s gaze darted nervously from a pine marten scratching in the dirt – to a squirrel scampering up a tree trunk – to a magpie lifting off from a branch.
“It’s all quiet,” Donnan reassured her. “We’re safe.”
Kaetha caught Mairi’s eye and she thought she saw the same uncertainty in her that she felt herself. As the woods began to thin, a great holly tree spread before them, the path splitting before it.
“The left will lead us toward Hawkwing and then on to Gledrae Forest,” said Kaetha.
“And the right takes us to Calamor. To safety,” said Mairi.
They paused by the holly tree beneath the rustling branches.
“So,” said Donnan. “I suppose we must decide now then.”
“I would have you both be safe,” said Kaetha.
“But you go to Ciadrath,” said Mairi. “You won’t change your mind.”
Kaetha shook her head.
“Then I go to Ciadrath too.”
“Great!” said Donnan. “I’ll see you both in a year or two maybe. I’m off to live with Mairi’s cousin.” He set off down the path to the right. “And I’m taking all the oats,” he called, raising his hand in a nonchalant wave without turning to face them.
Kaetha flew after him, her mouth twisting to suppress a smile. Grabbing handfuls of his cloak, she dragged him towards a bed of stinging nettles, spiky leaves reaching as high as she was tall and sticking out into the path.
“Are you sure about that choice?” said Kaetha. “Parting is always such a sting.”
Donnan laughed. “Alright, alright! I’ll go with you, seeing as you’re clearly so desperate for my company.”
Kaetha let go of him. “Well, we may need someone to cook.”
“Shh— you two.” Mairi came running up to them. “I heard a horse. Someone’s coming. We should hide.”
“Where?” asked Donnan.
“They don’t look so bad now do they?” said Kaetha, indicating the mass of nettles.
“You’re joking.” Donnan stared at her incredulously.
“We don’t have time to joke.” She took Donnan’s arm, plunging into the nettles with Mairi following after them.
She crouched, peering through her fingers as she held up her hands to protect her face, unable to see the path beyond the leaves. At least that meant it was unlikely that they could be seen. She just hoped that the nettles didn’t look too trampled. She could bear the itching of her hands and wrists but when she felt the prickling on the soft skin beneath her jaw, she had to clench her teeth and keep telling herself not to scratch, not to move. She could hear the hoofsteps approaching and kept still, taking slow, shallow breaths. Looking down, she saw a mouse, poised as if ready to scurry away, as motionless as she was except for the twitching of its nose as it sniffed the air.
“Because he’s already left, that’s why,” came a man’s voice.
“But the gold is still on offer, isn’t it?” said another man. “If we find her—”
“And manage to catch up with Macomrag’s son.”
A hand gripped Kaetha’s and, only moving her eyes, she looked up at Mairi.
“Well, go back to your feasting and your women, I don’t care. My purse is hungry for gold. And I’d go a long way to fill it.”
NINETEEN
Watcher in the Shadows
A cold shiver crept over Kaetha’s skin, despite the hot prickling of the nettles. Her hand found the hilt of her knife. One of the horsemen had stopped just in front of them; a hoof smacked into the ground only a few feet away.
“She’ll want to get as far away as possible. I’ll bet she’ll try to buy passage on a ship in Calamor. If that’s her plan, I’ll make sure she never sets sail.”
Their conversation faded as they continued westward.
Eventually, Kaetha leapt out of the nettles, followed by Mairi and Donnan.
“Thank the heavens they went the other way,” said Mairi.
“But they might not be the only ones looking for me. We have to be all eyes and ears. Here,” said Kaetha, reaching for a cluster of large, broad leaves. “Dock leaves.” They gathered plenty, using some then and there to ease the painful itching from the nettles and keeping some in their bags for later.
Finding a stream, they drank, refilled their waterskins and cooled their stinging skin. When woodland ascended to open moorland, Kaetha looked up to see an eagle circling above them, waiting for a sight of prey. Under the vast bright sky, upon the swathes of rolling land, Kaetha suddenly felt very small and exposed but at least there was no one else in sight.
Sun, rain and wind took turns in accompanying them as they trudged up rising land, down falling slopes, glad of any deer trails they could find cutting through the woody shrubs. They put a good distance between themselves and their home that day but, as their strength and the daylight waned, they found a rocky outcrop that would provide a degree of shelter for the night.
Mairi rested while Kaetha and Donnan had a thorough look through the bags Elspet had brought. As well as waterskins, oats and bread, there was a small cooking pot and three wooden bowls; some carrots and turnips; a round of cheese; an small earthenware jar with a stopper in it containing salt; a bag containing a pot of salve and bundles of herbs which, Kaetha was sure, Cailean would had selected for their medicinal properties. There were also blankets, rope and string.
While Donnan dabbed salve onto Kaetha’s cheekbone, she looked across the hills. Threads of smoke rose through the air. “That’ll be Hawkwing,” she said. “Pa and I passed that village last year on our way to Braddon. We could go there tomorrow and see if we can buy horses.”
Donnan started pulling up clumps of scratchy heather, its flowers long withered. “We’re going to want a fire out in this cold.”
“Aye,” said Mairi, “if we want to say to everyone looking for us, ‘look – here we are’.” Kaetha was surprised at her tone.
“No fire then,” sa
id Donnan.
Kaetha found it hard to get to sleep. Her legs ached, the scrap of bread and cheese she’d eaten had done little to satisfy her appetite and her mind was full of troubling thoughts. The other two were breathing heavily but she simply stared absently at the cloud covered peaks of the mountains, beyond the forest to the south, until darkness hid all from her view. She didn’t know if it was the dusky light that woke her, her shivering or the itching of the cut on her face. She traced her fingertips over it and felt the hard bumps of a scab. Getting up, she rubbed some warmth into her arms and stretched her legs, walking away from her companions. Turning, she saw a stag facing her, regal and still, its dark shape standing out against the dim light. It approached her, thinly veiled in half darkness, and Kaetha watched, her jaw dropping when, smoothly as the fading of night into day, its form shifted, settling into the figure of a man. She froze, wondering if she ought to feel afraid.
It was only when he drew close enough so that she could have reached out and touched him, that she could see his tousled hair and brown eyes. Those unmistakeable scars.
“Tam Wildshore,” she said. “I saw you in the woods, didn’t I? It wasn’t a dream.” She stole further from Mairi and Donnan. “You’ve been following us. Why?”
“You saved me. Perhaps I’m meant to help you in return. I know what running from something looks like.”
“Not from exactly. To. I mean, aye, people may be after me. But Murdo Macomrag has arrested my father for treason and is taking him to King Svelrik. I have to do something.”
“Preferably without getting caught.”
“Preferably.”
“King Svelrik, you say?” said Tam.
“Aye.”
He paused. “You don’t think it unwise to cross a king?”
“Wise or not, I have to try.”
“Then, if I can help you, I will.” He sighed. “If.” He sat cross legged on a rock. “You should know that I am not like other Baukans. Not anymore. I once had power to shape materials of the earth, to control and protect creatures of the land, to bring life and growth to the forests, like the rest of my kind. But no longer. Even my ability to recognise the movements upon the earth around me and the inherent properties of things, those skills have almost faded to nothing.”
Chosen by Fire Page 15
