was old enough to take a rider. They’d raced across Ross land, her guards charging along with her. But her best rides were with Monty and Donnan. They encouraged her daredevil nature, but they drew the line at some of her more reckless stunts. But it hadn’t stopped Laurel from trying them. She’d fallen from Teine more than once, but she blamed only herself. She kicked her left foot free of the stirrup as David came closer. When he swung in a wide arch, she leaned away, bringing her left leg onto the seat of her saddle while holding tight to the reins. Her body pressed along her horse’s flank. Teine whinnied when the tip of David’s sword slashed his ear. But Laurel trusted her mount. Teine didn’t slow. Laurel was certain he moved faster. Glancing over the top of Teine’s neck, she saw David watch her in shock. Pushing with all the strength she could muster in her right leg, she righted herself.
Laurel saw Brodie and Monty drawing closer, but they still weren’t near enough to protect her. Donnan was free of his attacker and racing after David and her. Teine wasn’t a trained warhorse, but he had a foul temper to match Laurel’s when he felt others encroached. Laurel whipped her steed around, and Teine barred his teeth at David’s horse. Despite clearly being an experienced warhorse, the Lamont’s horse was unprepared to come face-to-face with Teine. Laurel loosened the reins, pulling back as she leaned back. Teine followed the command. He reared, his front hooves striking out at David’s horse. She’d practiced the move with Teine countless times, but he’d always pawed the air, making him look like he danced on his hind legs. Now he fought with the valiance of a trained destrier.
Teine’s right hoof struck David’s horse in the face. The Lamont struggled to maintain control, unprepared for the attack. It was obvious to Laurel that David and his mount were used to David controlling the beast with only one hand, but she’d caught them both unaware. She slackened the reins, and Teine chomped toward David’s horse. His teeth clamped the end of the other animal’s nose. Laurel saw the blood before Teine pulled away. She steered him right as David swung his sword again. Laurel pushed herself forward, out of the saddle and over Teine’s neck. David’s sword struck her saddle where she’d sat a moment ago. She slid back into her seat as Teine kicked out his back legs. They struck David’s mount in the face. Still angry, Teine bucked again, striking the other horse in the neck and pushing it sideways. Laurel swung Teine around once more, intending to ride past David and out of his reach, but Teine disagreed. The Lamont’s horse had nipped his arse. Laurel squeezed her legs and clung to the reins, unprepared for Teine to rear again. But she swore she would give her steed every carrot and apple she could find, and all the hay the horse could manage when he unseated David. Teine barreled forward, and to avoid another ferocious attack, the other horse sidestepped. He knocked David to the ground and shied away.
“Clì.” Laurel commanded Teine to the left then to go. “Ir.” Teine lurched forward until he stood over David. She commanded him to step. “Ceum.”
Teine stomped down each time Laurel gave the command. By the fifth time, David’s face was mangled, and Laurel was certain he was dead. She reined Teine in, waiting to see if David moved or made a sound. She noticed Donnan fought another man, and she couldn’t see the last Ross guard. Sound coming from her right made her look up. Brodie’s hair flew behind him, his sword in one hand, the reins in the other. He looked like an avenging angel. He also looked enraged. She wondered if her husband would send her to heaven or hell.
Brodie entered the meadow to the horror of the Lamonts’ attack on Laurel and her guards. He watched as his wife charged toward him as she sought to flee her pursuers. His mind absorbed the scene, taking in the sounds of the Lamonts’ battle cry, the swish of arrows flying toward him, and the clatter of horses’ hooves as he and his men, along with the Rosses, charged toward Laurel. He scanned the battlefield, noticing the Lamonts were far greater in number than Graham saw from Ben More. He watched in horror as they drew closer to Laurel from three sides.
Fear