Body shaking and tears still streaming, Laura nodded. Taryn knew that had her fingers not been covered in gloves, Laura’s knuckles would have been pure white.
“What are ye doing?” Laura asked, voice quivering.
“Taking care of a wee problem.”
Unhooking her boots from the stirrups, Taryn spun on the saddle, pressing her back into Laura’s. The other two scouts were closer than she had realized, the sight of their gnarled faces and gleaming swords sending a pang of panic through her stomach. Her hands raced to find an arrow from her back and slip it into place in the bow. Shaking too badly, she dropped the first arrow she had grabbed. Swearing, Taryn reached back again, already anticipating the fact that she would never be able to shoot both men fast enough to get to safety.
“I do not think so, wench,” the closest man taunted. “I will have you for?—”
The threat died on his lips, an arrow piercing his eye. From the force of the blow, the man fell off his horse backwards, surprising the last of the men riding after the two girls. With herown arrow still notched in her bow, Taryn didn’t have to look to know it was Aila who had protected her.
Before the last man could regain his focus, Taryn sent her arrow flying, killing him just as quickly as the other three had died. Relief bubbled inside her, but Taryn tamped it down as she took note of Dudley’s armies lining up across the field. Somewhere behind the first lines of defense, Taryn knew the Baron was waiting, taking stock of the fight that lay ahead. But for now, all that mattered was that Laura was safe.
Sorcha’s arms reached up,easing Taryn off Knight’s back. The horse stomped his feet, clearly put out that his adventure had been put on pause, but no one paid him any mind. James, having raced to the edges of the courtyard with Sorcha and Oliver, had his sister cradled in his arms.
“Ye got her,” Sorcha said to Taryn. “Ye saved her.”
Throwing her arms around his neck, Oliver swooped Taryn into his arms, following James into the castle. The two women were rattled, but Laura looked as though she was ready to keel over from delirium.
James set his sister down on the closest chair in the Great Hall. He pulled a flask off his belt and held it up to his sister’s mouth, urging her to drink. After three long swigs, Laura wiped her mouth and sagged into the chair.
“Are ye all right?” James asked gingerly, passing the flask to Taryn.
Sorcha blinked back tears, so wonderfully surprised to know that her new friend was alive and safe. Leaving Laura in the Baron’s home had been Sorcha’s biggest regret. From themoment Oliver had escorted Sorcha away from Dudley’s estate, guilt had wracked Sorcha’s bones.
“I think so,” Laura whispered.
“Ye have been through a shock,” James mollified. “It will take time for ye to regain yer head. Everything will be all right.”
Unable to stop himself, James gathered Laura into a tight hug once more.
“Mother and father are here, in the safe rooms. They will be over the moon to see ye. I can nae tell ye the anguish we have suffered in yer absence. I swear to ye, I will kill that bastard myself,” James promised.
“Nae if I get my hands on him first,” Sorcha quipped.
“I do not mean to break up the reunion,” Oliver interrupted coolly, “but there is an army waiting for us outside those doors. If ye are all right and have nothing else, then?—”
“Wait,” Laura suddenly said, her eyes clearing for the first time. “The letters. Ye must see the letters.”
“What letters?” Sorcha asked.
“Brandon gave me these letters,” she answered, fishing the wax sealed papers from within her corset. “He said it was all ye would need to defeat the Baron. He sent me to deliver them to ye.”
Oliver took them, studying the writing.
“There is nay time for reading,” James argued. “Ye must get to safety. I will nae allow the Baron to get his hands on ye again.”
“I will show her to the safe room,” Taryn offered, “and then I will join ye.”
They paused for only a moment. But that split second was enough to hear the sounds of the battle already beginning outside the castle walls. Oliver nodded, reaching for Sorcha. James hesitated for only a moment longer before letting go of his sister.
“I will make sure she is safe,” Taryn promised James, leaving the unspoken thoughts to hang in the air between them.
Sorcha pulled out her sword and then reached to squeeze Laura’s arm.
“I am so verra glad ye are here.”
With that, she turned to face the battle.
