She opened her mouth to scream just as a hand clamped over her mouth. She looked up and found herself staring into Kai’s face.
He looked very annoyed. “What in all the Hells?” he growled. “Caitlin! What are ye doing out here?”
He took his hand from her mouth, resting them instead on her shoulders. Before she knew what she was doing, Caitlin cannoned into him, wrapping her arms around him and burying her head in his shoulder.
He grunted at the impact, but then his arms went around her, just as they had back at the inn, strong and solid and reassuring. He stroked her hair with one hand.
“Hush, lass,” he whispered. “It’s all right. I’ve got ye. I’ve got ye.”
Slowly, the terror eased. Within the solid cage of Kai’s arms, her heartbeat began to slow.
She stepped back. “What are you doing here?”
“Isnae that the question I’ve just asked ye? What do yethinkI’m doing here? Looking for ye! What did ye think ye were doing, woman?”
Running away, Caitlin thought.I was running away.
She shook her head. “There’s no time. Kai, listen to me. There are men on the road behind me. Riders. I overheard them talking and they’re coming to Aberfeldy. They’re going to burn it!”
Kai’s eyes flashed dangerously. “Where?”
She waved vaguely at the road behind them. “Not far. They’re camped at the moment but they won’t be for long.”
“Stay here,” Kai commanded, his voice like iron. “Hide in the trees. Dinna come out until I return.” All trace of the charming scoundrel was gone. Instead, a cold, hard warrior stood before her, his face set with determination.
Caitlin caught his arm. “What are you doing? We have to get to the village and warn them!”
He spun back to face her. “Do ye really think we have time for that? If those men are mounted, they would run us down on the road long before we reached the village! I need to stop them now.”
“Then I’m not letting you go alone.”
“Aye, ye are,” he growled. “Do as ye are told, woman.”
“And how are you going to make me?” she challenged. “Tie me up? I’d like to see you try! I know where they are. I’ll show you. It’s better than you going blundering right into them, isn’t it?”
He studied her a moment, his eyes like dark pools in the moonlight. “All right,” he said at last. “But stay close and if I tell ye to run, then run.”
They set off again, not taking the road but instead weaving through the trees alongside, keeping to the shadows. Kai moved without making a sound, stepping dextrously around bushes, ducking beneath branches, a ghost in the night.
Caitlin hurried along in his wake, doing her best to emulate his quiet. Her heart raced with fear and adrenaline, and she tried her best to keep her breathing steady. She kept her eyes fixed on the road as they walked, scanning for any sign of the men.
She halted suddenly and grabbed Kai’s arm. He looked back at her and she pointed to where the road bent around a stand of tall, thin pines.
“Just beyond the bend,” she whispered. “They made camp in the trees to the left.”
Kai nodded and together they darted across the road and into the cover of the pines. The thick coating of needles deadened the sound of their footfalls as they approached the camp.
They slowed their pace, crept up to the edge of the trees, and peered out at the riders. The men were clustered around the fire, eating and laughing,unaware of Caitlin and Kai crouched in the shadows.
Kai glanced at Caitlin and held up a hand, signaling for her to wait. Then he moved off into the trees, disappearing into the shadows as though he was a shadow himself.
Minutes ticked by like hours. Sweat gathered on Caitlin’s forehead. The ever-present panic bubbled in her chest but she refused to let it take her. Finally, she heard the sound of a horse whinnying, followed by shouting and chaos. A second later, the thunder of hooves echoed through the woods and horses came stampeding towards her.
With a cry, Caitlin threw herself behind a tree as the horses—all riderless—came thundering past, eyes rolling and manes tossing. They clattered onto the road and galloped away south, disappearing into the distance.
Caitlin peeked out from behind the tree, trying to make out the riders’ camp through the shadowy trunks. Where was Kai?
The sound of another set of hooves froze her in place. A rider burst out of the trees. Caitlin’s eyes widened, her heart leaping into her mouth as the horse and rider bore down on her.
