Bride of Ice (The Warrior Daughters of Rivenloch #2) - Glynnis Campbell Page 0,6
purposefully toward the trees. She could feel the Highlander’s eyes on her the entire way.
Not that that was unexpected. Men were ridiculously easy to distract. Even in battle, when it came to throwing off an opponent, sometimes a cool smile and a toss of her pale tresses worked as well as a shield.
Still, she felt sorry for the guard. He seemed like a good man. Honorable. Loyal. Well-intentioned.
It wasn’t his fault that he was too simpleminded to see through her ruse. To notice how she’d evaded his questions. To wonder why she’d never exactly identified herself.
She didn’t expect him to follow her. She didn’t even worry that he’d notice when she was gone for more than a “trice.” Indeed, the poor man looked bone-weary. She half-expected him to drift off to sleep before she reached the forest.
Hopefully, he wouldn’t be punished too severely in the morn when the laird discovered he’d allowed their prisoner to stroll out the palisade gates.
Meanwhile, she’d hasten to Rivenloch. Knowing Rauve, he’d be awake, worried about her. They needed to assemble a contingent of knights and return.
Fortunately, despite the dark of night, some moonlight filtered through the pines to light her way. But the breeze-blown branches made the shadows shift across the trail in eerie patterns. More than once, she was startled by a movement she perceived at the edges of her vision.
Shaking her head at her own foolish fears, she straightened her shoulders and continued along the path.
Still, she couldn’t dispel the nagging sense that something was watching her. And as she progressed deeper into the forest, she kept seeing flickers among the trees. Hearing strange whispers of sound amid the sighs of the pines.
Maybe it was only the wind, making the leaves of the elms quiver and the hair stand up on the back of her neck.
Maybe it was only wee beasts hunting in the night. Wildcats chasing owls. Owls swooping down on mice. Mice scrabbling after beetles.
Disgusted by her trepidation, she frowned, gathering her cloak more tightly about her and training her eyes on the trail.
She was Hallidis Cameliard, after all, the daughter of Deirdre, Warrior Maid of Rivenloch. She’d fought alongside the sons of Vikings and faced down giants in battle. Why was she shivering like a leaf?
Though she hated to admit Rauve was right, she wished she had her trusty sword on her hip.
She continued for another half a mile. The sensation persisted. Highly alert now, she narrowed her eyes and strained her ears. Something or someone was following her. She was sure of it.
Several yards later, she heard a menacing growl from the bushes behind her. She went still.
Strangely, her first response was relief. She’d been right. It hadn’t been her imagination. Something was stalking her.
Her second response was naturally to defend herself.
Careful not to make any sudden moves, she slowly turned to face the threat.
An enormous gray wolf emerged from the bushes. Its hackles were raised. Its head was lowered. And its teeth were bared.
But that wasn’t what alarmed Hallie.
What made her breath catch and her heart pound with fear was the man beyond the wolf. The handsome guard from the palisade gates was charging up the path toward the beast, brandishing a blade.
Colban had never meant to let the lass venture so far. But she was obviously familiar with the woodland path. And she took damned long strides. By the time he’d buckled on his claymore, secured the gate behind him, and set off after her, she’d disappeared from sight.
Now that he’d finally caught up with the fleeing maid, miles later, he was glad he’d decided to pursue her.
Perhaps a dozen yards separated them now. But crouched between the two of them was an enormous wolf. A slinking, growling, snapping beast. A beast that could devour the helpless lass with one clap of its slavering jaws.
Colban had to save her.
“To me!” he bellowed at the beast, advancing with his sword, hoping to distract it.
It worked. The wolf turned toward him. Its lips curled. Its growls intensified.
“Don’t move!” he hissed at Hallie. “And don’t turn around!”
The wolf wasn’t alone. Beyond the lass, he could see the glow of several more pairs of eyes in the trees surrounding her. If she saw them, she’d panic and run. If she ran, the pack would surely chase after her.
“Nay!” she screamed.
He’d forgotten to tell her not to scream. The wolf’s head swung back around in her direction.