a saddle on the stallion’s back and tightened the girth, then slipped a bridle on. He was just finishing the tack when a stable boy rushed in.
“Stop there!” the boy yelled.
“Back away. Ye’ll not want to be facing off with me tonight.” Xavier stared at him and allowed fire to fill his eyes.
The boy’s face turned ashen, and he turned on his heel and ran. Smart young man. Xavier hoisted himself into the saddle, then held his hand out to the wee lassie who was still desperately trying to catch her breath. She stared at his fingers, her face pale.
“I dinna mean to be so rough with ye, but Lachlan will have our heads if we dinna move and quick.”
Her blue eyes flicked to his and held, and then her hand was in his own. He lifted her onto the saddle. She hoisted her skirts and tossed her leg over to straddle Tàirn in front of him like she’d been born to ride and had no use for the manners of a lady. He didn’t know who she was, but as she settled in against him, he decided he liked her.
“Very weel. Hold tight, lassie. Tàirn, fly!”
The stallion lurched forward, breaking from the gate at a gallop. Lights ignited in windows to the sound of pounding hooves. Xavier held the woman to him to keep her in the saddle. Even an accomplished rider might struggle at this speed.
Behind him, dogs barked and the howls of angry men rang from the castle.
“I ken Lachlan’s learned I’m missin’.”
He banked left, the woman releasing a pronounced squeak as she pitched sideways in the saddle. At a full run, he headed toward the fairy hills. All he needed was to get far enough away from the castle to make it difficult for the sídh and they’d have a chance to survive.
As the distance flew by, the trees grew closer together, tangles of mist playing in the moonlight around the horse’s legs. He didn’t break until the stallion was showing signs of fatigue. Even then he didn’t stop, just slowed and walked him to a nearby stream. This would have to do. He dismounted, helping the wee lass down as he did.
“We’ll camp here,” he said. “Whit’s yer name, lass?”
The woman stared back at him for a moment, wavered, and then, bending abruptly at the waist, vomited near his feet.
Avery felt like she’d just gotten off the world’s least fun roller coaster. Her ass hurt like she’d been spanked, she was sure she’d bruised her ribs, and her stomach had decided to empty what little was left in it onto the ground in front of Xavier. Hello. Nice to meet you. I came from outside your world to throw up on your bare feet.
“Easy, lass. Come. Drink some water.”
She allowed him to help her to the stream, knelt down, and rinsed her mouth out, then took a long, deep drink from her hands. Fuck, she’d forgotten Nathaniel’s pill to purify the water. She might pay for that later. Pull yourself together. She splashed water on her face and neck and rinsed her mouth again. The cold helped. Slowly, the nausea from the day’s events abated. She sucked in a few deep breaths.
As she blinked away the cold droplets, she recognized a boulder near the shore. Wasn’t that where she’d rested on her way into the village? She wondered if her furry friend lived nearby. Not that he’d be out now. This time of night, anyone with a bed was likely in it.
Rising from the water’s edge, she saw that Xavier had already gathered wood and started a small fire.
“Ye all right, lass?” he asked her.
Avery nodded. “Yes, thank you. I’m not used to riding like that.”
She balked at the odd look on his face.
“Whit happened to yer voice?”
Frantically she felt the length of her neck, searching for Nathaniel’s enchanted mole. It was gone. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”
He held up his hands. “Easy. I thank ye for yer help, lass. I’m just wonderin’ as ye don’t sound as if yer from here.”
“I’m not.” She tossed up her hands. “Nathaniel sent me from the outside.”
His big hands rubbed his face. “Ye don’t sound like yer from there either.”
She sighed. “I’m not. I’m American.”
“Aye.” He looked her over as if he found that confusing, but he didn’t ask her again about her origins. “Sit. Tell me how ye come to be here.” He gestured toward the fire he’d started, then stepped over her vomit to take a seat on