They rode hard across the open field outside the gate, but had to slow when they entered the woods. At the first clearing, Mariota stopped and loosed Valkyrie. “Hunt,” she told her. The raptor eyed her, then took to her wings and was soon lost to sight above the trees.
“She’ll call if she spots something,” Mariota reminded Seamus. “Until she does, let’s ride.”
They continued into the woods. In moments, Valkyrie’s piercing call sounded above them. “That way,” Seamus said, pointing.
In the next clearing, they found Valkyrie perched on her kill, a young fox kit. “Fox is not good to eat, but the fur will be welcome,” Mariota commented as she dismounted.
Seamus pulled his dirk, skinned the carcass, and left the meat for Valkyrie. The fur he rolled and tied behind his saddle. “She didn’t take long. Will she keep hunting?”
“Aye.” Mari took the water skin from Epona’s back as she watched Valkyrie tear strips of meat from the fox’s haunch. She looked away long enough to rinse Seamus’s hands and knife of blood. “She won’t take much from that.”
In moments, the bird launched skyward and they remounted.
Seamus picked up his reins. “Which way?”
“Toward the burn, I think,” Mariota said. “We can wash up, refill this, and water the horses there, even if Valkyrie doesn’t spot any prey.”
At the burn, Seamus checked his horse’s hooves. “Damn, I thought so. He’s thrown a shoe.”
“He’s lamed?”
“Nay, but I canna ride him back to the keep without risking him. I’ll have to walk him back.”
At that moment, Valkyrie called. “She’s spotted something. I’ll go check,” Mariota said.
“Dinna go far,” Seamus warned. “Ye need to come with me. I canna leave ye here or yer da will have my cods, and I canna get to ye with any speed if trouble finds ye.”
“I’ll come back as quickly as I can.” Mariota rode away, leaving Seamus to deal with his mount. Relishing her freedom to be alone, she forgot her promise to stay close by. She kept going, following Valkyrie’s cries until she realized how long she’d been wandering away from Seamus, and called the bird down.
Mariota knew she would be in trouble going so far from the keep. Seamus was well behind her, stuck waiting for her with a lame horse. If he got worried and didn’t wait, he’d be hours walking trying to find her. Though she relished the time to herself, away from everyone, out of the keep, and away from her father’s odious commands, it wasn’t worth the punishment her father would mete out to Seamus if he found out.
This solitude, and feeling almost as free as Valkyrie on the wing was an illusion, and there would be consequences if she didn’t get back to Seamus soon. She dismounted and walked across the clearing toward where Valkyrie had landed with her kill, another bird. Mariota would let her feast on it before they headed home. She had earned the treat. But they needed to head back, or Seamus would indeed start searching for her, and he’d never go with her out of the keep again.
An arrow came out of nowhere and buried itself in the ground next to Valkyrie. The hawk dropped her kill and launched herself into the air.
Mariota spun, searching for cover and for where the shot had come from. Before she could pick a direction and move out of danger, Alber showed himself.
“Ye are a long way from home, lass,” he taunted her. “And alone. Ye dare to claim I canna fight? I can best any man, but soon, I willna need to.”
He laughed, making Mariota’s blood turn to ice in her veins. What was he doing out here? He’d followed her. Her taunt had hit closer to the mark than she realized.
“Yer lap dog, Seamus, is far away,” he said.
She didn’t need the reminder. If she wasn’t so focused on Alber, she’d curse herself for ignoring Seamus’ warning and wandering so far. What price was she about to pay for her taste of freedom?
“He can do naught to help ye, now can he? And I can do with ye what I will. For as long as I want.” He stepped closer, lips pulled back in a malicious grin. “Ye’ll have to marry me by the time I’m done with ye. Go on, scream if ye wish. Ye willna be heard.”
What? All this was so he could take over the clan? “I dinna need to scream,” she ventured, anger welling, though she fought the urge to run. Alber would be on her before she could take three steps. All she could do was hold her ground and keep his attention on her. Fear made her knees weak and her heart pound, but he wouldn’t expect her to have the strength to defy him, and she had a secret weapon.
She whistled, calling Valkyrie down to attack, and swept her arm toward Alber.
He laughed and grabbed her hand.
Mariota tugged, fighting to get free, knowing she was too close for what was to come.
Valkyrie’s attack was as swift as it was unexpected— at least for him. Before he could pull Mariota against him, the hawk’s steep dive ended in a rush of air that blew Mariota’s hair back. As Valkyrie’s wings flared out around Alber’s head, he dropped Mariota’s hand. She stumbled back as he tried to protect histhroat by grabbing at Valkyrie’s claws, but he was too slow. Valkyrie raked his neck and pecked his face, tearing a chunk out of his cheek. Mariota whistled her away before his frantic grabs could harm her.
Valkyrie launched herself skyward.
