“I haven’t seen anyone. How could they know we’re traveling through?”
“They have scouts patrolling their border. I saw their etchings on several tree trunks marking the boundary, and I noticed fresh tracks aboot an hour ago. Please, Cairstine.”
Cairstine relented without further argument. She understood clan feuds, and she knew her value as a laird’s daughter. She nodded, and they eased into the woods. It wasn’t long before Cairstine had several traps set, using string Eoin was unaware she had. They waited silently until their prey stepped into the trap, and Cairstine snagged the unsuspecting animal's leg when she pulled the noose taut. In less than a quarter hour, Cairstine had a brace of rabbits and three squirrels, and Eoin was impressed. The sun had set, and the gloaming left little light under the dense canopy. Cairstine followed Eoin’s lead, not realizing how far they’d moved into the woods.
A twig snapped not far behind Cairstine, and she froze. “Eoin,” she whispered, but he didn’t hear her. She hurried to catch up, but she had a hard time seeing his figure as they wound through the trees. Another twig snapped, and Cairstine was certain that was either a very large carnivorous animal or a person. Neither made her feel comfortable. “Eoin,” she called a little louder.
“Carrie?” his voice floated back to her. “Where are you?”
“Not far behind you. I think I see you. Wa—” Cairstine’s voice came out strangled on the last sound as what felt like a band of iron wrapped around her waist. She thrashed and bucked as another hand tangled in her hair and yanked her head back.
“Shut up, Grant bitch,” a steely voice rasped.
“Eoin!” Cairstine screamed as loudly as she could before her head snapped back even harder and she saw stars, but she didn’t quit her attempt to be heard. “Eoin! Help!”
“I told ye to shut up, whore. We ken who ye are, and we saw ye traveling alone with those men. We ken ye arenae married to any of them.”
We.Cairstine fought against the tide of panic that rose from her belly. She forced herself to think, not allowing herself to become overwhelmed and unable to process what was happening. That had happened the last time when a stranger dragged into her woods. Her mind had shut down, and she hadn’t been able to think.They must be the Forbes Eoin warned me about.
“Ye Forbes willna fair well if ye harm me. Ye’ll have the Gordons and the Grants on yer arses. And with us come the Sutherlands, Setons, Burnetts. And Campbells,” She threw in the last clan since she knew they were allied with the Gordons and the most powerful clan in Scotland besides the Douglases. She abandoned her courtly speech, knowing it would only intensify their disdain. She couldn’t see anyone else, but she sensed they lurked nearby. “Let me go, and I willna tell a soul. I’ll say I fell.”
The laughter came from more than just the man who held her immobile. It confirmed her suspicions, and it made her want to retch. She heard men crashing through the trees and knew Eoin and the guards were on their way, but she had no way to know which side outnumbered the other or if they were evenly matched.
“Dinna come any nearer, or I will gut the whore,” the stranger called out. He released her hair and produced a dirk that he held to her throat.
“Ye willna do that as there isnae any ransom for a dead woman,” Eoin called as he crept forward until he saw Cairstine. In the dark, it brought him nearly close enough to reach out to her. His heart pounded and rage unlike any he had experienced in battle simmered below the surface. He fought to keep control, knowing unleashing his temper would be a disadvantage and possibly deadly for Cairstine. “If it’s coin ye want for being on yer land, then ye will have it.”
“What’s to keep us from stealing it from ye?” the leader asked as more men materialized on both sides.
“The knowledge that stealing from the Gordons has already been a death sentence for more than a few men in yer clan. How do ye think ma father will react when he hears aboot this? This isnae the same as stealing a few heads of sheep. Harm the lady, and it’s the same as harming me. Who will you call upon to save yer arses? The Mackays?” Eoin scoffed. “Too far away. The Frasers? Willna care. The Mackintoshes? Too weak. And who do ye think the Campbells will side with on this? Do ye want a clan war, Domnall?”
The man holding Cairstine growled and cursed.
“Och aye, even in the dark I recognize ye, ye sack of shite,” Eoin went on. “Let the lass go, and I willna rain holy terror down on ye and yers. Harm another hair on her head, and yer wife will be a widow and yer bairns will grow up without a father.” An arrow whizzed by Domnall’s head, and Cairstine had never been more grateful for being short. “I didna miss. That is yer only warning.”
Everything seemed to come to a standstill. No animals moved, the breeze ceased, and the heavy breathing of the Gordon and Grant men faded. Cairstine dared not breathe until at last she couldn’t wait any longer.
“Och, too late.” Eoin called.
Arrows whizzed through the air from the ghostly warriors who came to her defense. The moans of the wounded disrupted the previous silence. Cairstine stomped on Domnall’s foot as she dug her nails into the hand that pressed the blade to her throat. Domnall grunted, but it was the distraction Eoin needed to pull Cairstine away and begin his attack. Eoin slashed his sword at each of Domnall’s arms, injuring him but not striking a lethal blow. Domnall had no chance to draw his sword before Eoin kicked him in his kneecap, and he collapsed to the ground. Eoin had no intention of killing Domnall, but he ensured the man wouldn’t fight again for a long while.
“Cairstine?” Eoin called out to her.
“I’m right behind you,” she answered. Eoin spun around and found Cairstine standing within arm's reach. He pulled her into his embrace, and he sighed when she returned it, pressing the full length of her body against his. He expected her to tremble or to cry, but she seemed more collected than he felt. “I’m all right, Eo. He didn’t hurt me. He didn’t have a chance to. He just threatened me. Really, I’m all right.”
Cairstine felt and heard Eoin’s rapid heartbeat, and his hold on her was nearly too tight, but she didn’t want him to let go. She rested her head against his chest, but their embrace didn’t last.
“How vera sweet. Yer whore wants to thank ye. Maybe ye’d let us watch,” Domnall spat as he struggled to his feet.
“Bram!” Eoin bellowed, and the man materialized like a wraith. “Take Cairstine back to camp.”
Cairstine wanted to remain, but she didn’t argue with Eoin. She followed Bram, but she’d passed only one tree before she heard the sound of a fist hitting bone, and the muttered curses spewed from Domnall’s mouth before Eoin landed another punch.
“It’s best if ye dinna listen, lass,” Bram wrapped an arm around her shoulder and guided her back to the camp.
“I’m nae going to kill ye, ye filthy bastard, but I will make ye suffer,” Eoin pledged as he drove his fist into Domnall’s gut yet again. His other fist landed a satisfying punch to his jaw, and from the crunching sounds, Eoin was confident he’d broken the other man’s jaw. If he hadn’t, the uppercut he landed next surely did. “Ye never should have touched her. Nae even dreamed of it. Dinna doubt for a moment that I willna cut off yer cock and bollocks and shove them down yer throat. I’d say until ye gag on them, but they arenae big enough to do the trick.” Eoin’s knee landed in Domnall’s groin. He let Domnall fall to the ground where Cairstine’s attacker curled into a ball, writhing in pain.
“Nay mon reacts like this if he isnae tupping the bitch,” Domnall mumbled in between wheezes.
