He hated all the violence. Skye was so… so… savage. He never thought he’d long for the strict rules of Regelence. But if he left, he’d miss Ciaran, and if he stayed….
Ram and Angus spread out and began driving the cattle slowly away from the tower. They worked silently and as one as though they’d done this many a time.
Bannon shifted his attention between the MacKays and the tower, but his heart did not stop pounding, and that sick feeling in his stomach remained. He’d just saved a man’s life by shooting him. Somehow the thought did not ease his mind. He could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. That this was way more dangerous than Ciaran had led him to believe. He kept looking through the scope of his rifle, scanning the grounds. He found the man on the ground, but that wasn’t the reason for the eerie feeling. Perhaps he was still startled by the realization Ciaran had intended to kill the man?
The MacKays drew closer, and Bannon started to join them, but something drew his attention. He wasn’t sure what it was; nothing moved. The cattle were now far enough away they were not in the line of his scope. He shook his head and started to lower his rifle. Then he saw it. A lump formed in his throat, and fear clutched at his chest.
To the far left sat a man on horseback. Bannon could make out that he had long light-colored hair and a beard. There was something shiny on his wrist. Was it a knife? He put his finger on the trigger, wondering if he should change it off stun. Ciaran was in danger. The thought overwhelmed him, and a sense of loss nearly paralyzed him, making his throat constrict. His hands started to shake. Galaxy, he was losing his mind. The man was too far away to harm Ciaran. He couldn’t possibly get to Ciaran before Bannon shot him….
Making himself take a deep breath, Bannon relaxed and removed his finger from the trigger and made himself really look at the man.
He still had not moved. Nothing in his posture looked aggressive. He tilted his head slightly, as though he were listening to something, and a strange sense of déjà vu struck Bannon. The man seemed familiar, but… not. Was he a MacLean?
Ian hissed out a breath beside him.
“You see him too?”
Ian didn’t answer; he slapped Bannon’s arm.
Bannon looked at him.
Ian was pointing.
He followed Ian’s finger all the way to the top of the tower.
Something moved.
Using his scope, he found a man on the tower. The man was nearly as still as the man on horseback. He pointed an arrow right at Ciaran.
Bannon didn’t think, he just pulled the trigger. Another pfft sounded, and the man on the tower jerked backward, then disappeared from sight, but not before he released the string. Fortunately he’d already started falling, and the arrow went up and back down close to the tower, sticking in the ground.
Bannon swiveled his gaze to the man on horseback. For several moments, they just stared at each other. Or at least he thought the man was looking toward him. Even the crickets seemed to quiet, though Bannon was vaguely aware of the breeze ruffling his hair. His heart beat so hard, he fancied he could feel it pulsing in his temples.
Ian whispered, “Who is that, and why isna he moving?”
“I don’t know,” Bannon answered. They watched the man for several more moments. Still no movement. “Do you think it’s really a person?”
“I dinna ken. He hasnae moved. Maybe it’s a trick of the shadows?”
“Maybe.”
Bannon lowered the rifle and raised a hand.
“What are ye doing?”
“I have no idea.”
The man raised his hand back. The moonlight glinted off the metallic band around his right wrist.
Ian sucked in a breath.
Bannon would have too, but he wasn’t sure he’d be able to breathe out again.
The man dipped his head, then turned back toward the left and disappeared into the tree line.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“Failing eyesight must be a godsend in the trials and tribulations of love. Stray hairs coming out of nostrils, ears, eyebrows, and… yuck! Why are older men so hairy?”
—Timothy on geriatric relationships.
Red had disappeared as soon as they got the cattle into the corral, but Ciaran had a pretty good idea where he’d gone. Climbing the west tower stairs, he pondered tonight’s raid. He had the distinct impression Red was upset about something, but he didn’t know what. Tonight had gone very smoothly.