“A chippy?” he asked. “What’s a chippy?”
She laughed lightly. “Oh my! You people don’t know what you’re missing! You don’t have chips? Or fries, as most people call them? Do you even have potatoes yet? Actually, don’t answer that, I don’t want to know. Tell you what, if you ever come to my time, I’ll treat you to the greasiest, loveliest bag of chips that money can buy. You won’t know what hit you.”
Kai laughed too, his eyes sparkling with mirth. “Is that an invitation, lass?”
She snapped her mouth shut. She really had to stop saying such stupid things.
Kai’s smile faded as he scanned the horizon. “Dun Cator is just beyond those cliffs.” He urged the horse forward.
The rocks they rode toward were jagged and rough, and the waves crashed violently against them. When they reached the cliff edge they dismounted and Kai led them down a hidden path until they emerged in a small cove that was sheltered from the wind.
A group of men were gathered around a small fire at the back of the cove. They wore rough clothing and had weapons at their sides. One of them spotted Kai and stood up, gesturing for the others to do the same.
Kai approached the group, his hand resting on his sword.
They were big, burly men, with rough unkempt beards and hard, watchful eyes. They surrounded Kai, their hands twitching at their weapons.
Caitlin tensed as Kai spoke to the men in a language she didn’t understand. They seemed to be arguing, their voices growing louder and more aggressive. Caitlin could feel the tension in the air, like a storm brewing. She glanced around nervously, looking for a way out if things turned violent.
But then, unexpectedly, the men nodded and stepped back. The leader made a strange gesture with one hand, hooking his middle two fingers and leaving the rest splayed, and Kai made a similar gesture in response, as though it was some sort of prearranged signal.
Caitlin breathed out slowly as the tension dissipated. She didn’t understand what had just happened, but at least they weren’t going to come to blows. Kai returned and gathered the horse’s reins. They walked past the group of men, who watched them warily, and headed towards the cliff face. As they got closer, Caitlin could see that there was a narrow path cut between the rocks.
“Stay close,” Kai warned her. “The path is treacherous.”
Caitlin glanced back at the men. “What was that all about?” she asked, her voice low and tense.
Kai didn’t answer right away. “Lord Alasdair Douglas rules Dun Cator and the surrounding lands,” he said finally. “He is very...particular...about who he lets approach his keep. Those men were guards. If I hadnae given the right passwords, we wouldnae have been allowed any further.”
Caitlin didn’t comment as they walked in single file with Kai leading the horse through the narrow, rocky path between the cliffs. It was slow going, and more than once Caitlin slipped and nearly fell, but Kai caught her elbow before she could hurt herself. For his part, he moved with an easy grace that suggested he’d been this way many times before and he picked out a route that was wide enough for the horse to pass unhindered.
The path wound and twisted, hugging the cliffs as it followed the shoreline. To Caitlin’s left she could see the sea stretching out into a hazy horizon, while on her right the cliffs rose up like a wall. It seemed like they had been walking for hours when suddenly, around a bend in the path, the view suddenly opened out.
Caitlin gasped as she laid eyes upon Dun Cator. The keep was built directly into the side of the cliff, with tiers of stone walls and towers that soared high above them. Nestled below it was a small fishing village, with tightly packed cottages and boats bobbing on the waves.
Kai smiled at her stunned expression. “Quite the sight isnae it?”
Caitlin nodded and they walked down the winding path into the village. The streets were narrow and bustling, the air thick with the smell of fish and salt. People were going about their daily business: bartering for goods, getting in the day’s catch, gossiping with neighbors, and children were playing in the streets. It looked like a homely little place but Caitlin knew better than to let her guard down. After what had happened at the fair...
She kept her eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary.
The locals paid them no mind as they wove through the streets and Caitlin did her best to blend in and not to stare like some wide-eyed tourist. They made their way around another bend in the cliff and for the second time in less than an hour, Caitlin stopped and stared in wonder.
A huge harbor lay below them. It was crescent-shaped with wooden jetties poking out into the sea like countless fingers. Pulled up at those jetties were ships of all kinds: from tiny fishing vessels to broad-bottomed cargo vessels to sleek galleons with tall sails. Crates of cargo were being unloaded from many of them with some kind of wood-and-rope crane before being transported up to the castle or to large structures like warehouses along the seafront.
“Impressive isnae it?” Kai said, seeing the line of Caitlin’s gaze. “Ye can see why Leif Snarlsson wants it. Not only is this the only deep-water harbor on the northern coast, but Dun Cator is unapproachable by land should the cliff path be blocked. He could hole up here with his fleet and slowly tighten his grip on the northern Highlands and there wouldnae be a damned thing anyone could do about it.”
Caitlin peered out over Dun Cator and its harbor. Memories of the fair played through her head. Smoke. Screaming. Moans of pain. Leif Snarlsson and his people had already shown they were ruthless and would do terrible things to get what they wanted. How far would they be willing to go to capture this strategically important spot? If she and Kai didn’t stop him, would it soon be those gossiping women lying in the street moaning in pain? Would it be those children staring lifeless at the sky?
The thought twisted her stomach with dread. No. She and Kai had gotten here ahead of Snarlsson. They would not let him destroy this place.
“Ah ha! Finally!” shouted a voice behind them. “Ye took yer bloody time getting here!”
Caitlin and Kai turned to see two familiar figures approaching along the street: the enormous form of Magnus and the lithe figure of Conall.
Kai broke into a beaming smile. “Well, I’ll be damned!” He bounded over to them. “Ye are alive after all! I thought I’d finally gotten rid of ye!”
He placed his hands on Conall’s shoulders just as Magnus swept Caitlin into a hug that nearly cracked her ribs. She was a little breathless when the big man put her down again.
