“You know enough.” He rose to his feet, sorted himself out, then frowned and shot a quick look all around.
The need to freshen up left her, replaced by a prickly uneasiness. “What is it?”
With a slow shake of his head, he scrubbed at the back of his neck. “A feeling. As if we are not alone.”
She tightened her laces with a hurried tug, all the while stealing glances at their surroundings. “Was anyone helping you look for me?”
“Dugan and Rosstan.” His eyes narrowed with a continuous scanning of the landscape as he stepped toward her. “But Rosstan went to Muiry, and Dugan rode westward.”
“What about…” The name evaded her, but she could see Quinn’s war chief as if he stood right in front of her. “Your war chief. I can’t think of his name. What about him?”
“Nay.” Quinn shifted the slightest bit, then turned, increasing her uneasiness tenfold. “Kendric is ensuring we are ready for the English if they make it this far north.” Pressing finger and thumb to his lips, he split the air with a whistle so sharp, she jumped.
A low rumbling, like distant thunder, answered. The thudding grew louder. Closer. The forest joined in, adding snapping branches, crunching leaves, and splashing water to the song. As Fenn galloped into view, he greeted his master with a snort and a toss of his head.
Evie knew nothing about horse behavior. Was such a feat normal? “I thought you said we would have to fetch him?”
As Quinn greeted the horse and untangled the reins, he tossed a glance back at her. “A whistle is fetching with Fenn.” He patted the saddle and motioned for her to join him. “Come. This place no longer feels safe.”
As much as she hated leaving their sanctuary, she agreed. She grabbed her backpack and held it out to Quinn to lash behind the saddle. A distinct hissing whooshed so close to her right ear, she instinctively dodged to the left and flung the pack up into the air. The arrow meant for Quinn hit the bag with a solid thunk.
She whirled around, searching for the bowman. A flicker of movement caught her eye. Enough to spot the man and make out his garb. She had seen that style of cloak before. His face hidden within the shadows of his hood, the sniper nocked another arrow and pulled back.
“Evie! Now!” Quinn hoisted her into the saddle, tossed her backpack into her hands, and launched himself up behind her. He bellowed some sort of battle cry she couldn’t make out. But Fenn understood. The horse charged forward, weaving through the trees like a demon of the woods.
Hunched over her bag, she held tight to the saddle, praying the assassin couldn’t get off another shot. Quinn’s exposed back would be a tempting target. Her single hope was their mount’s amazing ability to swerve through the trees.
They cleared the forest and flew across the glen. Heart pounding. Stomach churning. Throat closing off in fear. Evie tucked her face to her pack and concentrated on not throwing up. Everything would be all right. They would make it to the skirting wall, get inside, and be safe. Eyes closed, she relived the terrifying moment, bringing the archer back to the forefront of her mind. The hood of his cloak had shielded his face. But that green cloak. And leather armor. Black leather armor. Then startling realization rushed across her. The men from Clan Munro, the warriors given as part of Annag’s dowry. They wore the same clothing as the shooter.
She opened her eyes and discovered them almost to the keep. “Slow down. We must talk before we go inside.”
“We can speak once I have ye safe within those walls. I willna risk ye further.”
Still unsure how to drive a horse but determined to slow them down, she yanked back on the reins. “Halt, Fenn!”
The beast slowed but didn’t stop. Just seemed somewhat uncertain.
She jerked the arrow free of her bag and twisted in the saddle to show it to Quinn. “We are not safe inside the keep because two of his friends are in there. It was one of the Clan Munro men who shot at you. I saw him.”
The horse halted as if Evie had discovered the magic word to make him listen.
“Are ye certain?” Quinn took the arrow from her and examined it.
“Absolutely.” She knew about being fired upon from her work abroad in field hospitals. Not with arrows, but the concept played out the same. They trained her to commit everything about such adverse events to memory. Her life and the lives of her team had depended on it whenever the troops providing them protection needed answers. “I saw him. Clearly. Not his face, but the armor and his cloak.”
“Then we must see which of the three is not within the walls.” His eyes flexed to thoughtful slits, then relaxed. “The cowardly attacks on me always happened someplace other than the keep or nearby protected grounds.” He gave a slow nod, and the horse moved forward with a purposeful trot instead of the wild gallop of before. “We shall narrow it down and have our foe by sunset.”
As selfish as it sounded, Evie hoped the incident would take the spotlight off her escape from the locked bedchamber. Of course, she would still have to face Lorna, Agnes, and Mrs. Dingwall. They would have to be told something. But those three weren’t nearly as intimidating as the entire keep.
As they entered the courtyard and came to a halt in front of the steps, she patted his hand. “Shall I just say we had a fight, and now we’re all sorted?” She kept her voice low, certain that the gossips had her in their sights.
Quinn dismounted, then held up his hands to help her down. “Aye, m’love, and now we are once again a happily married husband and wife.” He tucked a finger under her chin and lifted her face for a kiss. “I told no one but Fern the details,” he whispered across her mouth.
Thank goodness for that. So far, she got on well with Fern and her maids. Mrs. Dingwall? She still wasn’t sure.
“Lady Evaline and I were attacked in the woods,” Quinn announced to the pair of guards emerging from the gatehouse. “I want a runner sent for Dugan, Rosstan, and Kendric. Dugan rode to the west. Rosstan should be in Muiry, and I dinna have a feckin’ clue where Kendric’s got to, but I want him found. ’Tis urgent they return immediately, ye ken?”
“Aye, my chieftain,” said the man on the right.
