“Nor a Sith?”
“Nary a one.” The more he kept Kyle talking, the more he might recall something that would help his friends.
The lad looked disappointed. “We havena, either.”
“But the Sith are clever at hiding. Ye may yet find one.”
“Dinna encourage this,” Iain admonished. “So ye think they might have gone that way. South, rather than along the coast.”
“Aye, probably.”
Calum had what he wanted, and the lad didn’t seem sure of anything more. “I was nearly ready to ride out to search when I found Kyle here in the stable. I’ll take some others with me. We’ll find the lads and bring them home safe.” Calum stood, so Kyle did, too.
“Ye are the best we have,” Iain said. “Be safe. But find them. And thank ye, Kyle.”
In the great hall, he found Ella, Muireall, and two of their best female archers, ones Calum knew had also been trained by Iain to protect themselves and others with blades. They were dressed for riding. “We ken ye’ll be going out. We’re going with ye,” Muireall said. “My brother is out there. And Euan isna here to watch yer back, so we will.”
“It takes four lasses to do what yer husband does? He’ll be pleased to hear of that.”
“And a few of yer warriors, too,” Ella added. “They’re waiting in the bailey.”
“So ye were planning to go even before ye found I would join ye.”
Muireall averted her gaze, but only for a moment, then met his, and gave him a curt nod.
“I should come, too,” Kyle said.
Calum gripped his shoulder. “Nay, lad. Ye have done yer part. Ye may have saved yer friends a great deal of trouble. Now that we ken where to look, we’ll find them. Ye have much to do here to prepare for when we return the horses to the stable.”
Annie joined them. “I just talked Iain out of coming with ye. His place is here. As is mine,” she added with a glance down at her rounding belly. “I ken Calum will find the lads. The rest of ye, keep him safe, aye?”
Calum appreciated their confidence in him, but not that they all thought he needed a phalanx of lasses to guard him. And the few men outside, as well, he supposed.
“We’ll keep the lads safe, too,” Ella answered for them all.
Calum had heard enough. “Let’s go.”
Ella didn’t knowwhether to be excited or nervous. They were going on a mission usually reserved for men, but with Muireall’s brother among the missing and her friend’s expertise with a bow, it made sense for her to accompany them. Muireall had included the other women, and thankfully, with Annie’s implicit approval, Calum could not object. Nor, it seemed, had Iain.
She hoped they didn’t run into any raiders. Calum would not be impressed by her own skill with a bow. But seeing her armedand ready for the kind of trouble he understood should make him think differently about her.
They left the keep and walked out into the bailey, past the four waiting men. In the stables, the lads had readied their mounts and tied their bows and arrows to their tack. She noted dirks in scabbards alongside the saddles and suddenly wished she’d gotten the training with Iain that Muireall recommended. If they made it back safely from this, she vowed she would. Or perhaps she would even gather her courage and ask Calum.
Calum turned to Muireall when he saw the preparations already made. “Ye lot were going out, no matter who else went?”
“My brother is out there. Of course we were going with them,” she said, indicating the men who’d waited for them. “We are going. Now with ye, as well.” Her stern expression left no room for argument.
Calum shook his head. “Daft lasses. I ken I’m wasting my breath, but do ye have any idea what might happen to ye if ye are caught by raiders?”
“We’ll fight. And we have ye big, strong men to help protect those of us not as skilled as some in protecting ourselves.” Muireall’s gaze shifted to Ella.
Ella narrowed her eyes at her friend. Muireall was reminding her about her failure to ask Calum to train her.
“Ye should stay here,” Calum said, turning to Ella.
“I’m going.” She gave him her strongest, most determined stare. Inside, she wasn’t so sure, but her knees were not quaking, and she would not let him make her feel weak. She had her bow, and if necessary, she’d use the blade. “If any of the lads are hurt, maybe I can help them.”
Calum frowned.
