tinged Gwen’s tone. “But what is your plan should this happen? You can’t stay here.”
Gwen stopped and she nearly ran into her. “And neither can you.”
“What do you mean?”
A rustle of leaves sounded as Gwen pulled back an ivy vine that hid the opening to the outside. The moon was bright, casting light across the land and the sound of the battle seemed to be coming from behind them. There was a severe drop that led down toward a small inlet, and the tinkling sound of water was at odds to the sound of the battle that echoed in the night.
“This isn’t the easiest climb down, but it’ll be unlikely we’ll be seen leaving from here. Step where I step.”
It took some minutes to climb their way down, some of the rocks and moss made their feet slip. Once they made flat ground they bolted across the grass. Abby looked back at the castle and realized the direction they’d come from was beneath Aedan’s anteroom. Lights blazed from the room, and she wondered what would be left of his home after the O’Cains were gone.
The terrain was uneven, and more than once Abby stumbled. Fear assailed her. The thought that at any moment an arrow could pierce her back, or a lone horseman could knife them, his only goal to kill anyone in his path, threatened a panic attack. She was a twenty-first century woman. She wasn’t used to this type of horror.
They stopped near a tree and hid behind its large trunk, taking a moment to look around to see where the majority of the fighting was taking place. Near the castle gates, men fought vigorously, the twang of metal as sword hit sword, the sudden cry of someone when they fell.
Abby’s stomach turned at the thought of what was happening before her eyes. Shadows shifted not far from them and she tried to meld, become one almost with the tree. Adrenalin coursed through her blood, and as much as she loved this time, being with Aedan, she’d do anything to be back in her own time, safe in her apartment where no medieval clan war could kill her.
Abby thought she saw Aedan in the thick of the battle, but she couldn’t be sure. She did, however, see Gwen’s husband Braxton who seemed to be holding his own, thank God.
“Do you think it’s safe to continue,” Abby asked, hating that her voice sounded as petrified as she felt.
“Aye.” Gwen must have said a silent prayer and, grabbing her hand, pulled her in the direction of the cottage. “’Tis not far now. We’ll be safe there, for a time.”
They came to the road that led in and out of Castle Druiminn and they paused to see if anyone was about. Seeing no one, they crossed it as the sound of thumping horse’s hooves sounded from the direction of the castle.
“Quickly,” Gwen urged.
Abby made the mistake of looking to see whom it was and froze when she noted the large, blood covered Scotsman with death and revenge masking his visage. “We’re in really big trouble, Gwen.”
Gwen swore, pulling her into a run. “’Tis Laird O’Cain.”
They made the cottage as the man and a large portion of his men surrounded the small building. Their laughter and filthy jibes about what they were going to do to them, and how often, made her skin crawl. They bolted the door and slid Gwen’s working table in front of it, before sliding a large cabinet to cover the only window in the room.
“Gwen, lass. Come out and introduce me to yer visitor. We’ll not harm ye, we’ll be right pleasant. Won’t we, lads?”
Laughter rang out and Abby looked to Gwen whose visage paled to a person who’d never seen sunshine before in their life. “They’re going to kill us, aren’t they? And they’re going to enjoy doing it.” Abby swallowed the bile that rose in her throat at Gwen’s nod. They both stood in the middle of the room, frozen with fear and unsure what to do next. Through the haze of what was happening, the smell of smoke flittered across her senses. “Do you smell that?”
Gwen swore, her gaze snapping to the ceiling. “They’ve set the thatch alight.”
“What!” For the first time in her life, Abby didn’t know what to do. She’d never had to prepare herself for situations like these. Her life, boring as it was in the future, had never been so threatening or scary. Who set buildings on fire with people