“Here. Take it.”
Graham barely heard the hoarse whisper through the muddled fog of his half-conscious state. Something rough scratched the back of his shackled right hand. He forced his eyes open, blinking hard to beat back the bone-aching weariness.
Pinpricks of light floating in a blue-black darkness winked down at him from the cloudless sky. The light of the moon cast eerie shadows across the ground. Where the hell were they now? The land seemed familiar but he couldn’t tell for certain. Did he truly know these hills or was it wishful thinking brought on by the pain?
Stifling a groan, he repositioned his throbbing legs. And how many days had his arse been dragged behind a horse? Graham shifted against the crumbling wall of stone, flinching against the nauseating burn the movement caused. A cold sweat covered his body, stinging his wounds even more. His back was a raw field of torn flesh courtesy of his captor’s whips.
Angus nudged the grimy remnants of a dried oatcake against his hand again. “Eat it, man. They spared ye little food today. If we’re to be rid of these bastards, ye must eat.”
Graham pushed the food aside. “Leave off.” He didn’t need Angus fretting over him like some mother hen. The man had done quite enough by getting them captured. If anything happened to Lilia, he would skin Angus alive and make him wish his father had never met his mother.
“Eat it,” Angus whispered again. “For her.”
At least the bloody fool had stopped apologizing. Graham snatched the oatcake out of Angus’s fingers and shoved it into his mouth. He chewed the tasteless chunk of baked oats as best he could, nearly choking when he forcibly swallowed. Lore a’mighty.He didn’t have enough spittle to wash the mess down. He’d do just as well eating the dried mud from the sides of the road.
“Here.” Angus held out a deflated waterskin. “There’s not much but ye are welcome to it.” Grimacing as he scooted closer, Angus held his grimy left arm tucked to his chest. The Buchanans had broken it between the wrist and elbow. “I have news for ye. I heard that arse of a leader send some of his men away.”
“Send them away?” That was promising news indeed. They had started this journey with six captors. Fewer Buchanans improved the odds for escaping. “Where did he send them? How many?”
Angus stole a surreptitious glance around the camp before answering. “On ahead to Buchanan Keep to tell their chief we would arrive in less than a day’s time.”
Less than a day’s time. Graham drained the remnants from the water bag, holding the stale warm water in his mouth for a long while, savoring it for the wetness if not for the taste. Beatings paired with little food and water were wearing him down. Thank the gods he had his stubbornness and rage to fuel his strength. He’d be damned straight to hell and back before he’d give in without a good fight. “If we be less than a day away, that means we are well across MacKenna borders. This is MacKenna land.”
“Aye.” Angus dipped his chin in agreement. “And on our land and this close to the keep, we’ve a better chance of escaping and making our way to safety.”
“And how many did ye say remain?” Graham leaned forward, hissing out a strained breath as the wind brushed across his tormented back.
“No more than four. Maybe less. I havena seen the one called Scrunge since just before nightfall.” Angus leaned back against the wall next to Graham. “We’ll ken our odds better come morning when they go to tie us back to the horses.”
Graham rolled his hands, grabbing up the length of chain between his shackled wrists. For what seemed like the hundredth time, he jerked the chain taut, searching for weakness. “If there is naught but three of them . . . ”
“Aye,” Angus hurried to agree. “Ye can strangle one of them with the chains whilst I take out the other two.” He held up his good arm, shaking his fist in the air.
Graham lowered both hands to his lap, taking care to rattle the chains as little as possible. Clinking metal stirred his captors to mete out more beatings. “Ye are a fool, Angus. Ye’ve but one arm. How the hell do ye mean to take down two men?”
“There’s not a damn thing wrong with me sword arm. All I need is a weapon.” Angus pounded his fist atop his thigh. “I ken that ye think little of me and I dinna blame ye for that. What with all the grief I’ve caused ye. But ye canna say I’m not good with a sword.”
Graham eased himself back, gingerly searching for the least painful spot to lean against the wall. Angus spoke the truth. The man was damn good with a blade. Graham pulled in a deep breath and closed his eyes. “To the morning then and the promise a new day holds. At first opportunity, I will draw the Buchanans away whilst ye get to a sword. Aye?”
“Aye,” Angus whispered. “To the morning and the spilling of Buchanan blood. Here’s hoping the gods be with us.”
Aye. But may they watch over his dearest love first and keep her safe above all else.Graham opened his eyes and stared up into the night. Where was Lilia? Was she well? He’d told her to return to the future but doubted very much that his stubborn lady love had done as she’d been instructed. Graham swallowed hard. The gnawing ache in his chest, the burning worry in his heart, pained him worse than any of his wounds. He had to get free. He had to find Lilia and make certain she was safe.
“Angus,” he whispered with a nudge of his boot against Angus’s leg.
“Aye?”
“Ye feel certain ye can wield a sword? Ye are wounded and weak, man—no insult to yer talents intended.”
“None taken,” Angus replied with a weary sigh. “And aye, I can swing a sword long enough to slit a few throats. Damn and for certain I will make it so.”
“Aye, Angus.” Graham closed his eyes again. “Together we will make it so.”
CHAPTER26
“Kismet is more lethal than she looks and she’s been hankering for a good fight. Things have been entirely too quiet around here lately.” Granny sat the disgruntled-looking black cat on the custom-made padded board attached to the front of Lilia’s saddle.
“If you ask me, she looks pissed about having her nap disturbed.” Lilia smoothed a hand down Kismet’s back and was rewarded with a soft growl. “See?”
