Then she slapped the hind of the horse, causing the creature to let out a loud neigh and race away deeper into the forest without her. Maeve gasped, her chest still tight, and ran to the nearest tree, hiding herself behind it just as the first of the pursuers broke through the tree line.
"Her horse is ahead!" someone shouted. "Follow!"
Holding her breath, Maeve could scarcely believe it as she watched her plan work; more than half of the men continued their race into the woods where her horse had fled, but six stayed behind, roaming the immediate area. They all got off their horses and someone shouted, "Check behind the trees!"
Panicked, Maeve looked around, trying to find some way out. Could she make it to the next tree? Even if she could, then what? She couldn't just stand here.
Gulping down air, she broke out into a run, flitting through the darkness and running as quickly as she could to the next tree. She made it, gripping the bark, her breath catching and her teeth worrying her lip so much that she could taste blood. How long should she keep this up? It didn't matter. All that Maeve knew was that she needed to keep going. She couldn't, wouldn't give up.
She darted between the trees as the six men who stayed behind searched for her, getting closer and closer. Taunts and jeers echoed through the woods as they all called out to her.
"May as well come out, Maeve," Rod's awful voice called out from just behind the tree that Maeve had just left. "Come on, come on. If ye're kind tae us and let us play a little, we may nae even hand ye over."
Crude laughter followed those words, and Maeve felt nausea clawing its way up her throat. She felt like she might actually be sick, but she swallowed it down, trying to still her shaking hands, knowing that all she could do was keep going. If she stopped, if she got caught, then it was all over. She didn't know what Kyle Darach would do to her, but she knew it would be even more cruel than anything that Malcolm had ever imagined. He'd need to make an example of her to truly display his own so-called innocence.
Terror weighed upon her shoulders so much that it felt like it was crushing her, but she looked around for the next tree and set out on a run, hoping against hope that she'd be able to make it.
But it was dark, and she was tired and scared, and she didn't see the rock until it had already tripped her and sent her sprawling to the ground.
"There ye are, sweet one," Brian's mocking voice sounded all too close. A moment later, a rough hand grasped her arm and yanked hard, pulling Maeve to her feet. "Ye still want her, Rod? Are ye willin' tae share?"
"Let go of me," Maeve demanded, pulling her arm away — or trying to, at least. His grip was like iron, and the other five men were approaching. It was dark, but she could still see the disgusting smirks on their faces. "Let me go!"
"She's learned some fire since we last saw her," one of the other men commented. Maeve couldn't remember his name from her time in the castle, only that he'd been extremely loyal to the Darach cause. "That's good. Kyle will enjoy snuffin' it out."
Rod walked closer to them, his eyes burning into her. "We've been commanded nae tae touch ye again, ye ken," he said, "But all sorts of things happen in the woods."
Maeve spat in his direction, causing several of the other men to laugh. Brian, still holding her arm, pulled back his hand and slapped her hard. Maeve stumbled, and Rod shouted to one of the other men to fetch the rope.
Then a lot of things happened at once.
The sudden thunder of hoofbeats sounded again and a dark figure rode into the clearing, the moonlight filtering through the trees showing only the fury in a pair of deep gray eyes. The six men turned, and Brian threw Maeve to the ground, jumping forward to attack.
Cailean made a swift movement with his hand and Brian went to the ground in an instant, only the silent glint of silver a hint to what had ended his life. Rod let out a furious cry, and Cailean dismounted his horse, his sword in hand, facing the attacker.
Maeve, temporarily ignored as the five remaining men circled Cailean, crawled across the ground to Brian's body. His weapons were attached to his belt. His sword was too short, thick, and heavy for her to wield properly, but he had a shiny dagger which she picked up in an instant. She had no time to think, knowing only that she had to protect herself.
Rod attacked and Cailean dodged, then in one swift move, Rod was cut down too. Maeve hurried to Cailean's side as the other four men reacted with angry cries.
"Ye think cuttin' us down is gonnae stop us?" one of the men demanded furiously. "Ye think ye can kill all of us? We outnumber ye, stranger, and there are more of us in the woods. Run while ye still can."
Cailean grabbed Maeve's arm and pulled her closer. "Stay beside me," he warned her in an undertone. His voice was rough and he didn't even look at her as he spoke.
"I dinnae ken who ye think the girl is, but she's a murderer and a traitor," another man spat. "She's comin' with us, or she's dyin' here."
"Two of ye are already dead. Ye're the ones who should be afraid!" Maeve declared, turning the dagger over in her hands. She knew she only had a few moments before this temporary standstill ended and these four men attacked, and God only knew what would happen when the others caught wind that something had happened.
Silence fell for a moment. Many of the horses had fled, spooked by the smell of blood, but Cailean's horse stood behind them patiently, obviously ready to await his master. Maeve glanced between each of the Darach men, knowing that they were going to mob them at any moment.
"Ye think this man will save ye?" one of the men taunted. "How will he save yer sister?"
Maeve froze. "What?" she couldn't help but answer. "Me sister?"
"Yer father gave her tae us, ye ken, as penance for yer crime," one of them replied, seeming to cruelly enjoy every word that fell from his mouth. "A pretty thing, if nae quite so bonny as ye. Naive and precious. Kyle will break her in and teach her, though, dinnae ye worry."
A ringing sounded in Maeve's ear. Her sister? The one upside to her awful marriage, the only silver lining in being sold like livestock to Malcolm Darach, was that at least her sisters were safe. Was it young Nessa? Maeve doubted it; her father would most likely have kept his favorite by his side if he had the choice. Fear of a different kind thrilled through her, not terror for herself but agony at the thought of what might be happening to her sweet, sensitive, innocent Breana. Surely not. Surely this monster was lying.
"Aye, I'd say he's gonnae have his fun with her—" a man started.
