through—Karrik territory.
James sidled his horse up next to Angus. “Not good,” he said under his breath to the laird and Octavia. “Not a good sign at all.”
“I disagree,” Angus said in low tones. “We ken ‘tis coming. Now all we must do is prepare and wait.”
“True.”
“James and I will track it tonight,” Octavia whispered. “I want to get it before it gets one of your own people.”
“The deuce of you will do no such thing without me.” Angus’ expression was set. “I dinna care how much of a warrior you are, wife. You will take no chances.”
“Can we see the body?” James asked. “Or can the doctor?”
“I dinna ken.” Angus turned his steed toward the two riders. “But I will find out.”
As it turned out, three of the Karriks had been hunting near the Donald border when they literally stumbled upon the body. They had been further westward than the caravan had parked last night. One of the hunters had come back to inform the others of what had happened, while the remaining two took the body back to the Donalds.
“It musta been a bear,” the young Karrik who’d been there said. “His body was torn apart. Even his head.”
Octavia wanted to close her eyes at the boy’s words, but she kept her composure. After his description there was no doubt in her mind that the Donald warrior had been killed by the feeder. She looked at James who had been following on their heels. He sighed.
“Why is it changing its habits?” Octavia bit out under her breath. “If it was more westward than us then that means it’s keeping close to water. It hates the water as much as the cold.”
“I don’t know,” James muttered back, “but I don’t feel good about this.”
“There has to be a reason.”
“I know. But fuck me if I get what it is.”
“The deuce of you must put this to the side for now. The entire clan has come out to meet Octavia.” Angus’ expression remained hard. “We will discuss this later.”
She wanted to argue, but realized he was right. The last thing she wanted was to draw even more attention to herself by whispering with James. Lord only knows what the Karriks would have thought of that; she hoped she was wrong, but highly suspected the two genders didn’t freely mingle. Until she understood what she was dealing with she’d be more circumspect.
“Yes of course.” Octavia nodded. She didn’t feel like being the center of anyone’s attention right now much less everyone’s attention, but it was what it was. “Later.”
Thankfully she had washed up and changed dresses today so she looked pretty good for a woman who’d spent a week on a horse. The first gown Lady Iohanna had given her was gold and blue; the one she now wore was a beautiful gold and green that complimented her eyes. Again, she wore the gold chain around her hips and a pair of gold shoes she’d also been given.
The women of the Karrik clan were a lively, friendly bunch. And so many of them! Octavia was starting to feel like a presidential candidate with all the smiling and baby holding she was obliged to do. But they were nice people—very warm and hospitable—so she continued walking from hut to hut and engaged them in conversation.
“A feast!” Niall cried out as four men lifted him to stand on their shoulders. “Let us make to the keep and feast in honor of Laird Angus and Lady Octavia!”
Cheers and celebratory sounds resounded. Bagpipes and lutes began playing. A little girl with a flower in her hair grabbed Octavia’s hand. “May I be the one to escort you, milady?”
Octavia wasn’t altogether certain where she was being escorted to, but she knew what a feast was and damn if she wasn’t hungry. “It would be my pleasure.”
The girl’s mother looked grateful. She blushed when Octavia smiled at her.
“I’ll take milady’s other hand!” a second little girl exclaimed.
Octavia had a genuinely good time letting the girls escort her to the feast. She just wished she knew where exactly they were going. Not the type of woman to deal in unknowns, she preferred understanding where her destination lied. When she mentioned as much, one of the little girls laughed.
“We’re taking you to your new home, milady!”
“Aye! All of us are!”
The new Lady Karrik was about to ask which of the huts belonged to their laird when an imposing, impenetrable castle loomed into view. Her jaw must have dropped a little