He nodded. “After today, we’ll need to set up camp where we can keep horses. Our usual one is too high on the mountain.”
Merewen gave the matter some thought. “There’s a deserted crofter’s hut on the far side of the grasslands, no more than half a day’s ride from the keep. I’ll take you there when next we meet. It will need some repair, but it’s big enough for the five of you.”
“We don’t mind doing a little work if it means sleeping under a roof.”
Instead of under the river. She shivered at the thought. “I need to go.”
“We’ll see you tomorrow, then.”
As she started for the keep, taking care to stay out of sight, she realized she no longer felt so alone. Perhaps she was crazy for thinking that the gyrfalcon could whisk her over the wall and safely to her room, but she believed Gideon. What was more, she no longer feared her uncle’s retribution, knowing that she had Gideon and his men on her side.
Running full out, she finally reached the palisade, breathless and exhausted from her sleepless night. She leaned against a tree for support as she pulled off her belt and studied the sky, watching for Gideon’s falcon. A soft cry above and behind caught her attention. The falcon sat high in the tree, his beak open as if laughing at her. How long had Scim been watching her?
“All right, feathery one, you won the race. Now what?”
Just as she spoke, she heard the sound of shouting coming from inside the keep. At first she feared that she’d been discovered, but then she realized they were reacting to the distraction Gideon had created at the front gate.
Immediately the bird spread his wings and silently swept down out of the tree right at her. Merewen managed to stand her ground and position herself as Gideon had directed. When the bird latched onto the leather with his talons, he pumped hard with his powerful wings. Suddenly Merewen found herself flying over the high wall surrounding the keep, praying she didn’t fall atop the pointed ends of the logs that made up the palisade.
The ride put painful stress on her shoulders, but she’d experienced far worse. Gritting her teeth as they cleared the wall, she held on as the bird headed straight for the small balcony off her room. How had he known which one was hers? This was no time for questions even if the bird had a way to answer them. The building was coming at her too fast. She could but hope the bird’s aim was true.
At the last second, he veered off to the right and let go of the belt, dropping Merewen on the balcony. Her hands scrabbled to get a hold to keep from teetering back over the edge. It took the last bit of strength she had, but finally she caught her balance and tumbled into her room.
The impact had knocked the breath out of her, but at least she was safely home. Now, only time would tell whether she’d managed to fool her uncle. It would all depend on how thoroughly he’d searched for her.
But right now her head was still spinning from the amazing experience. Would anyone believe her if she told them she’d actually flown? She pushed herself to her feet and took one last look out the window. The gyrfalcon was circling high overhead. Feeling a bit foolish, Merewen waved at the bird in case he was watching for a signal that she was safe. As soon as she did, Scim broke away, flying back in the direction they’d come. At least Gideon would know she’d made it this far.
Stepping inside, Merewen looked at her bed longingly, but there was no time for that. She had early-morning responsibilities. After quickly stripping off her filthy clothes, she washed her face and hands before putting on a fresh tunic. Her hair was a tangled mess. It was a wonder that Gideon and his men hadn’t been repulsed by her appearance.
Merewen combed out the worst of the tangles and braided her hair. After pinching some color into her cheeks, she made her way to the kitchen to oversee the preparation of the first meal of the day.
If anyone was surprised to see her, he hid it well. Most were too busy with morning chores and chattering about the mysterious warrior who had appeared at the front gate. Gideon had created quite a stir.
According to one of the men-at-arms, the man had simply stared up to where they stood on the wall, saying and doing nothing until he’d held out his arm to serve as a perch for an enormous falcon. Then his horse, blacker than the night, reared up on its hind feet to paw at the air for several seconds. At the man’s command, the horse then wheeled about and tore off toward the south.
Merewen had to hide a smile. She could picture Gideon doing just that as she joined the cook in slicing fresh bread and arranging it for the servants to carry it out to the tables. It wasn’t until she followed them out to make sure everything was proceeding normally that anyone took notice of her.
One of her uncle’s men was just walking into the hall when he spotted her. Olaf blinked as if to clear his vision before charging across the room. He started bellowing at Merewen before he was halfway to where she stood.
“I hadn’t heard that your uncle had returned.” Olaf never treated her with the respect due her station, but then none of her uncle’s men did.
She kept her voice level when she replied. “I’m sorry. I overslept a little and only just came down from my room a few minutes ago. No one told me he’d been called away. I had better go make sure Cook knows we’ll have fewer for breakfast.”
Before she had gone two steps, Olaf grabbed her arm, squeezing it hard enough to leave bruises. “Oh, he wasn’t called away, Merewen. He rode out with the hounds to drag you back here to the keep. You’re to be punished in front of everyone for your disobedience.”
“How could he drag me back if I’m here? Mayhap you misunderstood his mission.” She ignored the pain in her arm when he released her. She had to get back to the kitchen before she made the mistake of laughing at the man’s obvious confusion.
But he wasn’t done with her, and once again he blocked her way into the kitchen. “Where were you, Merewen? Your uncle will want to know how you managed to sneak back in through the gate without being seen and who helped you. He knows you were not in your room last night.”
“And why would he think that?” Although she could guess.
The brute was enjoying this. “Because I told him. He sent me to check on you. Your bed was empty.”
“Did you check in the garderobes? Last night’s stew didn’t settle well with me, and I was up several times.”
The man blanched, answering her question without words. No, he hadn’t checked and now believed he was responsible for sending her uncle and his men on a wild chase through the mountains for no reason.
Perhaps she should feel some guilt that Olaf might bear the brunt of her uncle’s temper, but she couldn’t bring herself to feel much regret. The man was cruel and picked on anyone he saw as his inferior in either strength or station.
“You weren’t to be found, Lady Merewen. Admit that you were outside of the keep for the night, and I will try to convince your uncle to show mercy when he punishes you.”
That was an obvious lie. Olaf would never have the courage to interfere with her uncle’s plans. “But if you were on duty, Olaf, you know I didn’t come through the gate, and it would be impossible for me to climb the walls.”
All of which was true. She gave him a sympathetic look. “I’m sure my uncle will overlook your mistake, Olaf. We both know what a forgiving man he is. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I believe I just heard the gate swing open. If he and his men have been out riding all night, they will be hungry.”
She left Olaf standing there, his face pale beneath his shaggy red beard. Once she was safely out of his sight, she stopped to take some calming breaths. This wasn’t over yet. Her uncle was not the fool his man Olaf was. It wouldn’t be easy to convince him that she hadn’t disobeyed his orders if he was of a mind to torment her. That he’d spent the night in his saddle rather than his bed wouldn’t help his already unpredictable temper.
It wouldn’t take Fagan long to send for her once he learned she was there. It would be better to confront him directly than to be dragged into his presence, if fo
r no other reason than her pride. She stopped in the kitchen long enough to pick up a ewer of fresh water and a basket of apples before returning to the great hall.
The first of the riders had just arrived. Merewen joined the rest of the household in watching them file into the hall. They looked exhausted, and a couple wore rough bandages on their arms or heads. Had her uncle been one of the casualties? Had Kane disobeyed Gideon’s orders and gone on the attack?
With a sick feeling, she waited and watched. Two more men limped in to sit down at the first table they reached. The tension in the hall thrummed in the air as everyone waited for their leader to make an appearance.
Finally, the dogs poured through the door, heading straight for the warmth of the fireplace. A few were favoring a leg or had cuts to show for their efforts; the night had been rough for both man and beast. Right behind them came her uncle. He paused inside the doorway and scanned the room, enjoying his power to bring all work to a halt with a single glance.
From a distance, Fagan was a comely man, his appearance reflecting all the wealth and power her inheritance could purchase. It was a shame he didn’t see the need to invest some of that same money back into the lands that provided it. It was only up close that one could see the cruelty in his eyes and in the angry slant of his mouth.
At first, his eyes passed Merewen by and then whipped right back to stare at her. Everyone who stood between them wisely scrambled to get out of the way.
“You!” he snapped. “Attend to me now.”
She didn’t play coy by pretending to misunderstand. “Yes, Uncle.”
As soon as she was in reach, he snagged a fistful of her hair, bringing tears to her eyes. “How did you slip past us?”
“I don’t understand, sir. I’ve been in the kitchen helping prepare the meal, but I came out as soon as I heard you’d returned.”
“My dogs tracked you to the mountain, but you somehow managed to return to the keep before us.” He looked around for Olaf. “I left you on guard. What time did she return?”
“I don’t know,” Olaf said, although he clearly hated to admit it. “For certain, she didn’t come through the gate, sir. I was stationed there myself until just after the sun came up. I left orders she was to be brought to me whenever she appeared. I questioned all the men myself, but no one actually saw her leave or return. Cook says Lady Merewen arrived at the usual time to help her with the meal.”
Her uncle might rule the keep, but he was still reluctant to alienate everyone. Her people had been known to take revenge in small and irritating ways. Certainly, he was too fond of well-prepared meals to risk angering Ellie, the cook, by calling her a liar without proof.
Merewen stood still as he struggled to figure out if she’d fooled him and if so, how. Finally, he dragged her a few inches closer to inflict just that much more pain and humiliation.
“If I find out that you disobeyed me, Niece, you will be damned sorry you did.”
He gave her a hard shove, almost sending her to the floor. “Now, fetch my breakfast.”
As she walked away to do his bidding, she heard him snarling to the guards that he’d heard enough about strange warriors and monsters for one night. She hid her smile as she slipped through the throng to the kitchen.
As she walked, she sent a silent prayer skyward, thanking the gods for sending Captain Gideon and his men to her aid. For the first time since the onset of her father’s long illness, she remembered the sweet taste of hope.
Chapter 4
Gideon dismounted at the foot of the mountainside, his very bones aching from fatigue. He would’ve liked to ride Kestrel to their camp to show the others the quality of horse that Lady Merewen had provided. However, the path was little better than a game trail, and he wouldn’t risk the stallion for so selfish a reason.
Odd as it was to find himself talking to a horse, he felt obligated to express his gratitude. He patted the stallion’s thick neck and traced the hawk-shaped mark with his fingertips. “Thank you for your aid today. I pray our efforts saved Lady Merewen from the wrath of her guardian.”
The big horse shook his head and snorted as he stomped his heavy hoof, his opinion of Merewen’s uncle clear. Even without ever meeting the man, Gideon shared the horse’s opinion. Using his link with Scim’s vision, Gideon had traced Merewen’s movements until she was safely inside her room. He’d have to wait until they were reunited to learn how she’d fared beyond that point.
“I will do everything within my power to see that man face a day of reckoning. Only the worst kind of monster mistreats those who are in his care.”
He patted the horse one last time. “Now, I must return to my friends.”
After shouldering his shield, considerably lighter with Scim flying free, Gideon started up the path but turned back, feeling a bit foolish for doing so. “We will rest today. Will you meet us here tomorrow after sunrise? If I am to serve Lady Merewen, we will need to relearn the lay of the land.”
Kestrel stared back at Gideon, his ears forward and listening. Finally, the stallion nickered softly before spinning away and cantering back down the trail toward the grasslands below. Gideon watched until the horse disappeared from sight, taking pleasure in the animal’s sleek beauty in motion.
Fighting the burn of exhaustion, he climbed toward the cavern where he and the others always set up their initial camp. All things considered, this had definitely been an eventful start to their campaign. In the past, they’d most often walked out of the river and right into an impending battle because Gideon and his men were most valued for their strong sword arms.
This was the first time that they’d been greeted by a beautiful woman with a measure of her own magic. Until he better understood the source of that magic, it would bear watching.
Right now he knew too little about the situation to know what would be required of them. The gods wouldn’t have granted Lady Merewen’s demand for assistance lightly. Was there more trouble afflicting this land than one selfish uncle who resented his niece’s gift for working with horses?
For now, all Gideon could do was rejoin his men and tell them what little he had learned. Knowing Murdoch and Duncan, they would have set the camp up first and then gone hunting. The thought of fresh-roasted game gave him a new burst of energy.
What had Kane learned about Merewen’s uncle and his men?
On the way back from the keep, Gideon had watched as Fagan’s men and hounds straggled by on their way home. More than one wore a bloody bandage as a reward for their night’s work. No doubt the injuries were the result of panic and fear. Did they realize they were actually lucky? Men who faced Kane and his companion in battle rarely lived to tell the tale.
A shadow passed overhead as Scim soared through the trees to land on a branch just over Gideon’s head. The bird held a small squirrel in his beak.
“Eat hearty, my friend. You’ve earned it.”
Scim didn’t hesitate, immediately ripping into the animal as Gideon continued on. As he walked, he caught the slightest hint of smoke in the breeze, giving him hope that a hot meal would be waiting up ahead.
He was in need of food to restore his body’s balance. Over the centuries, they had all learned not to rush calling on the magic that brought forth their avatars until they’d had time to adjust to life on dry land again.
Using too much magic too quickly meant it would take that much longer for Gideon to regain his full strength. The same would be true for Kane as well since the warrior had played chase with Merewen’s uncle and his men.
As the path turned, Gideon sensed he was no longer alone. He paused briefly but then continued on. If danger was afoot, Scim would have screamed out a warning. The man waiting up ahead offered no threat.
“Murdoch, a smarter man would be taking his rest near the fire.”
His friend stepped away from the thick trunk of the oak tree he’d been leaning against. He held up a brace of rabbits. “I was headed there but stopped when I heard you stomping up the mount
ain.”
His teasing grin was short-lived. “We waited until Kane returned before going out to hunt to make sure we weren’t needed.”
“How much did he tell you?”
Murdoch frowned. “Only that Lady Merewen was being hunted with dogs. What kind of scum would do such a vile thing?”
“Her uncle. I’ll tell you and the others everything that I’ve learned after we reach the camp rather than tell the tale twice. I’ll be very interested to hear what Kane has to say.”
Murdoch looked disgusted. “He brought that miserable creature back to camp with him. I was hoping for one day of peace before he brought Hob out to play.”
None of the other warriors had ever felt comfortable around Kane’s companion. Gideon understood their feelings, but the two were inseparable and had been for far longer than even Gideon had known Kane. Perhaps it was because each was the last of his lineage.
The scent of roasted meat now hung heavily in the air. Good. Someone else must have had a successful hunt. Based on past experience, they would all crave extra food as if making up for the years without eating a single meal.
Today they would sleep in shifts and then begin training at sunrise even though the time spent in the river did little to dull their fighting skills. In fact, the five of them remained unchanged from one awakening until the next. As far as Gideon could discern, none of them had aged a day since they first were banished to sleep beneath the river.
Instead, it was the world itself that moved on, ever changing as they slept. In order to cope, they’d learned to find strength and comfort in the familiar, which helped them to accept the things that were new and different.
The trees grew sparser, letting through more of the sunshine from above. Gideon paused to hold his face up to the light, taking pleasure in its warmth. When a man spent decades upon decades sleeping in the damp chill of the river’s darkness, he learned to appreciate the light. As always, Murdoch stood at Gideon’s shoulder, his patience infinite.
My Lady Mage: A Warriors of the Mist Novel Page 4
