Una made a huffing noise in response, and Cormac just grinned.
He carried her in silence, retracing his route through the trees.He was acutely aware of how far they had come – further than he had realized in the chase, further than was comfortable.The road felt a long way behind them.The woods around them had gone very still.
Too still.
He stopped walking.
She stopped fussing.
For a moment neither of them moved.Then, with great care, Cormac lowered her from his shoulder and set her feet on the ground.His hands gripped her arms just long enough to be certain she was steady.He felt her go rigid as she understood what he had already known.
They were not alone.
Cormac turned slowly and placed Una behind him.
Eight men he did not recognize stepped out of the woods.Rough-looking and hard-eyed, blades drawn.They formed a loose semicircle.
At their head was a broad, weathered man who studied Cormac with an expression that was almost bored.
Cormac realized he had finally come face to face with the gang he had been searching for, and this was their leader.He was relieved his mask remained tucked in his plaid.Without it, there was nothing to mark him as the Shadow.He was simply a stranger in the forest with a woman and that was something he could work with.
"Ye've something that belongs to us," the man said.
Una had gone very still against Cormac's back.He felt her fingers grip the edge of his belt as she moved closer.
"I found her wandering," Cormac replied."Lost, ye might say."
The man's eyes moved to Una and sharpened with interest."Lady Fenella Lockhart.Ye've led us on quite a chase."He looked back to Cormac."Hand her over."
A beat of silence.
Behind him, Cormac felt the lass tense at the sound of her name.
"No," Cormac replied."She stays with me."
Something shifted in the semicircle of men.
"Ye're either very brave or very stupid," their leader said.
"I've been told I'm both," Cormac replied.
The leader made a small gesture with two fingers.Three men stepped forward.
Cormac kept his eyes on them but spoke low to Una."Lass, stay behind me, but remain alert.Dinnae let any man close enough to grab ye."
"What...what about ye?"Una asked.
"Dinnae worry about me.Just do as I say."
"Aye, but ye better not die on me, Highlander," she whispered.
Cormac snorted quietly, then turned his full attention to the men.
***
THE FIRST ATTACKERcame at him high, going for his throat with both hands.
Cormac stepped into it rather than back, catching the man's leading wrist and using his own momentum to send him spinning hard into the nearest tree.The crack of impact was loud enough that several of the watching men flinched.
