Page 4

I was frightened.

He remained tense and watchful

I should have been relieved, but if another rider approached what would I do?

The landscape was gray and wet and I was not at all where I wanted to be. Anywhere but here.

I was exhausted, we hadn’t slept in the days before the battle. I was beginning to feel really sorry for myself. And Torin was struggling to survive and keep me safe — it wasn’t fair.

He whispered, “We ought tae remain quiet, I canna hear enough tae ken if someone is comin’.”

“Yeah, I agree.”

I wanted to talk to get our minds off it, but we kind of needed our minds in it.

He shifted in the saddle, looking around. “And I hae changed m’mind, we canna risk the road tae Oban. Too many people and I canna hear well enough tae ken if we will be overtaken.”

I twisted to look at him. Rain streamed down his face, pale beneath the streaks of dirt and blood. “Then where?”

He scanned the gray horizon across the bay.

For a long moment he was silent, eyes narrowed against the rain. Then he pointed, “Ye see it? Tis farther, but we need tae change course.”

“The building there? That’s a long way away⁠—”

“I ken, but tis a priory.”

“A priory, what is a priory?”

“Monks live there.”

I cocked my head. “Monks? They will give us a place to sleep?”

“Aye, they take in travelers.”

“But how do you know all this — oh, the map, right?”

“The map ye dinna study.”

It dawned on me that he had just said, ‘farther’. I didn’t like the sound of that at all.

“What do you mean, farther?”

“Twill be difficult tae get there. We will need tae cross tae the far river bank, but once there the monks will shelter us.”

While he spoke I had a sinking feeling that this was too much travel for someone in his condition.

He finished, “The brothers will ken more about healin’ than an innkeeper.”

I asked, “You’re certain about that?”

“Aye, there will be herbs and good ale.”

“What you really need is antibiotics, not ale, but I suppose we have those in the first aid kit.”

“Twill be a good place tae wait for word from Max or the uncles.”

I peered through the rain but could only make out the faint shape in the distance. It looked like stone walls surrounded by fields hugging the shore of a loch, half-hidden by mist and hills.