She glanced around the trees, trying to identify where the sound had come from. As she did so, she let one hand fall to where her bow lay at her side. The trick would be to slip an arrow out of the quiver without being noticed.
A slow, heavycrunchcame from the trees. A sure sign that somebody was trying to come closer. Megan breathed in, trying to steel herself and breathe away the anxiety.
So far, it wasn’t working.
She could scream, of course. If she could hear Lily’s scream from here, then they could hearher.
But so could whoever was in the bushes,watchingher.
They were moving now, foliage rippling around them, and she couldtellthat they were trying to be quiet. Just as a cloaked figure burst out of the woods, Megan leaped to her feet, whipping out an arrow and sending it flying from the bow.
Thunk.
The shape dodged sideways, narrowly avoiding an arrow through the shoulder. As it was, the point snagged their linen shirt and heavy cloak at the shoulder, pinning them to the tree.
Megan let out a ragged breath, blinking. She could see now that her would-be assailant was a man of about thirty, with long, reddish hair, a reddish beard, and a tartan she did not recognize.
The arrow had gone straight through the material around his shoulder, pinning the shirt, cloak, and him to the tree. He blinked at the arrow, jaw slack.
“Well,” he said at last. “They were right about ye bein’ a good shot, eh, lassie?”
She nocked another arrow and aimed it at him. “I could have a dozen soldiers here with one scream,” she lied, meeting his gaze. “Better tell me who ye are, and quickly.”
The man chuckled. “I ken exactly who is with ye. Yer pregnant sister and her husband are back at the cabin, and they aren’t thinking much ofyeat the moment, I can tell ye. I mean ye nay harm, lassie.”
Megan swallowed. “Are ye here to take me sister?”
“Nay,” he answered, not even looking at her. He lifted a hand to the arrow’s shaft, neatly snapping it in two with one massive hand. “Me master sent me toye.”
“To me? Who is yer master, and what would he want with me?”
The man ignored her. Then, moving faster than she would have thought possible, he tore free from the arrow, leaving a scrap of fabric behind him, pinned to the tree, and a gaping hole at his shoulder. He bounced toward her, hands outstretched.
Megan gave an involuntary yelp of fright, but found her arms coming up of their own accord, the tip of the arrow pointed directly at the man’s chest. He skidded to a halt, and she clenched her jaw.
“One more step, and this arrow goes through yer heart,” she hissed. “I wouldnae try me if I were ye. I have nothin’ to lose, and nobody will ever find yer body in a place like this.”
The man gave a long chuckle, shaking his head. He dropped his hands to his sides, but there was no sign of wariness or concern in his eyes.
He’s nae afraid of me,Megan thought, with no small amount of annoyance. She was pointing anarrowat him for heaven’s sake, and he’d just seen how accurate she was! Heoughtto be afraid.
The man only smiled wider. It was getting unsettling.
“The laird will like yer spirit, I think,” he said, half to himself.
Megan gritted her teeth. “What laird? Ye are makin’ nay sense.”
“Forgive me, lass,” he said after a while, shaking his head. “Ye remind me of me wife. She’s a wee bit older than ye, to be sure, but she has a fiery spirit to match yers.”
The mention of his wife seemed sincere and made Megan relax alittle. She didn’t risk lowering her arrow, however. She glanced around, hoping that somebody would come along. Alasdair, for example. He might come hurtling out of the undergrowth, maybe…
“I was told to bring ye this,” the man continued, reaching into his cloak and withdrawing a small, tightly folded piece of paper, sealed with a blob of wax. He held it out to her, but when she made no move to take it, he tossed it neatly onto a tree stump. “It’s an invitation.”
“I daenae want yer invitation.”
He chuckled again, low in his throat. “I think ye might. That, sweetheart, is an invitation to an archery competition.”
“I’ve won plenty of those in me time. I daenae need to win another.”
