“Hey,” she hissed, leaning his direction. “Hey, you!”
She couldn’t tell in the dark whether his eyes were open or shut, though how anyone could sleep like this was beyond her ability to imagine.
“Hey!” Louder this time.
“Lower your voice before you bring the guards down on us.”
Good. He was awake at least.
“What’s that on your arm? Is it something we could use to get loose?”
“Is she daft or just stupid?” The question floated from the other side of her neighbor.
This was not the response she’d hoped for.
“Do you honestly believe that if I had the means to cut these bindings, I’d still be hanging here next to you?”
His tone sounded just a tad snotty to her. “I was only trying to help. I want out of here as much as anyone. More, even.”
His response sounded very much like a snort.
“Think what you want. Those bastards left my husband on the road to die. I don’t know if he’s . . . I have to get back to him.” This time she willed herself to hold back the tears. She needed to fight this, not give in like some quitter. Even with her new determination, her voice still broke when she continued. “If you had something we could use, I only . . . I only wanted to point it out.”
When he answered her this time, his tone had changed completely. “It’s naught but a cross, my lady. A trinket given me by my sister meant for nothing more than protection.”
“That would be spiritual protection,” the man on his other side added. “No actual protection.”
A cross given him by his sister worn on his wrist?
According to her visions, there was only one of those out there. If this was Colin’s kinsman, she’d have an ally to assist her in trying to get back to her husband.
And Ellie had told her there were no coincidences when it came to Faerie Magic. Could it be that this was the Faerie way of trying to make up for having failed her back there on the road?
“Are you Dair Maxwell?”
Her neighbor stilled at the question. “I am. But I dinna recall having met you before, my lady. Might I ask how you come to know my name?”
“You’re my husband’s kinsman. We were searching for you when we were attacked. They smashed Colin in the head and left him bleeding, lying there in the road. I have to get back to him.”
“Colin? MacAlister? Yer claiming to be wife to Colin MacAlister?” The other voice again.
“I’m not claiming anything. I am his wife. We married at Dun Ard a few days ago and then set out to find the two of you. Assuming you’re Simeon, that is?”
Silence again.
“Aye. Simeon MacDowell, at yer service, my lady. How badly was he wounded?”
“How badly do you think?” Dair interjected before she could answer, his disembodied voice sounding bitter. “How badly would he have to be wounded to allow this lot to carry his woman away? It’s Col we’re speaking of.”
“Too bad they took the wee weapon you carried at yer waist.” Simeon spoke wistfully, as if he thought aloud.
“Too bad,” she agreed. They’d done exactly whatEllie had predicted, overpowered her and taken the knife she had worn. All the more reason for the second. . . “Shit!”
She was an idiot. A total freaking idiot.
“I have another one. Hold on a minute.”
She scooted off the bucket, teetering dangerously when she landed on her feet. Her leg muscles screamed out in agony, shooting pains pulsing in every direction. A moment to make sure she wouldn’t tip over, and then she attempted to retrieve the little knife stuffed discreetly in her bodice.
