She missed the wide open expanses of herHighlands something fierce, where the only thing that shielded herview were steep mountains so tall they touched the stars. Theheather and wild flowers in spring that turned an austere landscapeinto a thing of beauty. The enduring glory of the terrain that hadexisted for thousands of years and would continue doing so forthousands more.
After a day of constant riding, her legs andback welcomed the movement, though they began protesting beforelong. Noting an interesting formation of boulders in the distancethat would give her an excellent vantage point over the valley andsurrounding area, she pushed on with a goal in mind.
Finally she stood at the top of a rocky ledgejutting out from the side of the ridge, allowing her to walk outand sit on its edge, her feet dangling over the side. The sun was agiant orange ball as it set over the valley. In an hour, maybe two,it would be hidden from sight behind the mountains and the entirevalley would be cast into shadow until true night fell.
Shea would have to head for lower groundbefore then or be stuck up here for the night. The path she hadtaken to her perch was too uncertain to attempt in the dark. Fornow though, she enjoyed the last of the day’s light and breatheddeep as she basked in the calm of the world around her.
Shea shut her eyes to listen harder.Something didn’t belong. A sound, so faint and discordant from thenormal sounds of animals, wind or trees, that she would havediscounted it if she’d had less experience. Shea couldn’t quiteplace her finger on what it was about the sound that seemed off.All the dips in the hills made sound travel and rebound.
Shea tilted her head.
There.
Voices coming from not too far away.
Crap. Had Fallon sent men after her?
No. The voices were coming from the wrongdirection. Furthermore, she thought she heard horses as well. Noway could his men have gotten the horses up the path she’dtaken.
Shea moved away from the ledge, keeping low.Since she didn’t know who these people were, it was best toapproach the situation with caution. They might just be traderstraveling from one town to the next. They could be Lowlanders outhunting. Or they could be decidedly less friendly. Staying hiddenafforded her better protection than the sharpest blade and bestweapons training ever could. You couldn’t harm what you didn’t knowwas there. She could always reveal herself later. Or not.
The noise sounded like it was headingdirectly towards her. Shea moved further away from the ledge,finding a little hollow between two of the rocks and tuckingherself inside it.
Then she waited.
“Do you really think her plan will work?” aman asked plaintively.
“Of course, it will. The lady hasn’t beenwrong once.”
Their voices were slightly muffled butperfectly understandable. Shea resisted the urge to stick her headout for a glimpse of the speakers. Hearing their conversation wasmore than enough. There was no need to risk discovery. Especiallysince they were making no attempt to be furtive.
“She did say she was forming a union withFallon,” the first man pointed out. “That never happened, and shenever made good on her promise to elevate our clan’s status.”
Fallon? What did these two have to do withhim?
“You know he led her on, making promisesuntil she allied with him and then breaking every single one. Theman’s an oath breaker.”
“It doesn’t feel right, though? What we’redoing. This is dirty business. If she wanted him out of power, sheshould challenge him, face to face, as is our way.”
“And be killed? Where would our clan be then?You know he’s never lost a challenge.”
There was a pause. Then the first mandeclared, “I don’t like it.”
“You don’t have to like it,” the second manscoffed. “Just do what you’re told.”
Another silence followed, broken only by thesounds of the two moving around. It sounded like they were on theoutcropping Shea had rested on earlier.
“Where is he anyway?” the first man burstout. “We’ve been looking for him and his men for hours.”
“Oh for the love of all that is holy, willyou quit whining?”
“He may not even be out here. How do we evenknow the intel is good?”
“He’s out here.” Shea could hear the strugglefor patience in the second man’s voice. “The lady herself came thistime. The information’s from a very reliable source.”
The two lapsed back into silence.
After what felt like an eternity of waiting,but was no doubt minutes, the second man said, “Let’s go. I don’tthink we’ll be able to take the horses any further, and we can’tsee anything here. Too many trees in the way. We’ll head back andsee if any of the others have pinpointed their location.”
