Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

C ree saw it creeping toward them, ready to devour every last one of them… a heavy cloud of mist. The forest was slowly growing thick with it, and mist was not to be ignored or dismissed when encountered in the Highlands. Even a light mist could prove dangerous, but a heavy mist could prove deadly. They would be forced to stop and shelter until visibility improved or he would chance losing his troop to it. Then it would take time to find them, delaying their return home.

He should have paid heed when the invitation had arrived and sent his regrets, but it had not been an option. It had been a summons disguised as an invite. An influential noble was hosting a week-long event for a consultant to the King, a Lord Coulston, to meet the most powerful Highlanders in the Highlands, and Cree was considered one of them. He was left no choice but to attend and he was given no choice but to bring Dawn along since wives were expected to attend as well, and no excuse would be accepted.

He worried how his wife might fare since she could not speak, having been born without a voice. There was no rhythm or reason to her affliction, she simply could not speak. She made herself heard easily enough, to those familiar with her, mostly through gestures. Strangers, however, were a different matter and many people could be brutal to those different from themselves. She had done surprisingly well, having gained favor with many of the wives and some of the husbands as well. Though he had made it known upon arrival that he kept a firm eye on his wife in case a husband thought to have a dalliance while there, and who better than with a woman who could not voice her objection. He had wanted to bring Beast, their sizeable hound with them, but Dawn worried his attendance might not be appreciated and that he might not be safe.

After giving it thought, Cree had agreed, and Beast had been left home. He had been leery of the event from the start, and after only one day, he had wondered if the event was nothing more than a ruse for the King’s consultant, Lord Clouston, to gather information on the Highland clans. The other Highland chieftains thought the same themselves but only voiced it among themselves.

Cree kept a steady eye on the mist that continued a slow crawl towards them, almost as if it stalked them, waiting for the right moment to pounce on them. He had seen a rise not far off before the mist swallowed it from his view and he knew that at any time the mist could do the same to them… swallow them whole.

“We stop before the mist completely engulfs us and shelter in place until it dissipates,” Cree called out to his troop of two dozen warriors. “Tether yourselves together in case the mist rushes over us, so we do not get separated. Hand the end of the rope to me when done and listen for my command.”

The warriors hurried to obey, their eyes remaining watchful and concerned about the thickening mist.

Cree kissed his wife’s brow when she tightened her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder. “You are safe, wife, worry not.”

Dawn nodded, letting him know she did not doubt that. She never doubted his ability to keep her safe. He would do anything to see that no harm came to her. But the heavy mist could prove the worst kind of foe since it was unpredictable.

“I will let nothing happen to you,” Cree said, offering her more reassurance.

He had immediately gone to her when he spotted the mist and lifted her off her horse to settle her in front of him on his stallion. He would take no chance of her disappearing into the mist with no voice to call out to him. While she could make some sort of sound to alert him to her location, sound in the mist could be deceiving and she could be lost to him, alone and vulnerable.

“Once you are off this horse, you will not take a step away from me. You will keep your hand locked in mine. I will not lose you to this blasted mist,” he ordered, the thought of such a possibility irritating him.

Dawn tapped his arm once. Once meant aye and two taps meant nay, a gesture they had decided upon shortly after they met. She pressed herself against him and gripped his waist tight, keeping a firm hold on him.

Her gesture alerted Cree to her concern. She realized just as he had the danger of her being separated from him in the mist. If necessary, she had enough sense to clap hard and continuously if they were separated, but would it be enough for him to locate her, and what if she couldn’t clap? What dangers would she face until he reached her?

“You hold on to me, Dawn, no matter what, you hold on to me. But if by chance this mist somehow separates us, then you are to clap and keep clapping as loud as you can until I reach you,” he ordered, even though he knew his wife was wise enough to know what to do in such a dangerous situation.

She nodded vigorously, having no intention of letting go of her husband.

The mist crawled ever closer like a foe stalking its prey, ready to devour it.

“Lord Cree,” Dylan said as he came up alongside him and held out the end of the rope.

“Is everyone secured firmly to one another and holding tightly to the rope?” Cree asked, taking the rope from him.

“Aye, my lord.”

“Those boulders just up ahead,” Cree said, with a nod to a rock formation not far away. “We should reach it before the mist does. We will stop there and shelter.”

Dylan looked relieved and the others cheered when Cree called out the orders. Silence followed soon after as a heavier mist began to advance from behind them.

“Not long now!” Cree called out as they plodded along, keeping his eyes on the boulders ahead and the mist that seemed to race toward the formation. “Though the rope is fastened to you, make sure you keep hold of it,” he reminded with a strong shout. “We stay together. Do not allow yourselves to be separated.”

He kept his voice strong and commanding, his men needing his strength and confidence.

“Almost there,” Cree said to comfort his wife as she continued to cling tightly to him, but he could not blame her. If the mist grew any thicker, he would not be able to see her face.

He sighed with relief as they were about to reach the boulders when the mist rushed at them and devoured them so fast that he heard his men gasp.

“Halt!” he cried out, not able to see anything. He waited until he heard no more sounds of horses being brought to a stop. “We proceed slowly. We are but a short distance away from the boulders. Once there, we will remain tethered together and wait until this blasted fog leaves us. Then we make our way home posthaste.”

“Aye,” the men cheered.

Cree proceeded forward slowly. The chilled air was heavily scented with late autumn’s decay and the crunch of fallen leaves beneath the horses’ hooves was the only sound that let the riders know they were not alone… until a piercing howl broke the silence.

“Wolves!” a warrior cried out.

“Keep close, do not let distance linger between you. We are not far!” Cree called out and felt his wife shiver as she did as he ordered, keeping herself pressed tightly against him.

Another lone howl sounded and was soon joined by a chorus of howls.

“A pack of wolves,” a warrior cried out and even the horses protested with snorts and pounding hooves.

Cree’s concern grew. Wolves could prove a serious problem, their keen sense of smell giving them an advantage. The wolves could be on them before they even realized they were there, giving themselves little chance to defend themselves. The boulders would offer at least some protection from where they could fight if necessary.

Cree felt his stallion hesitate, the howls spooking him, but he urged him gently forward and he soon felt the brush of a boulder at his foot.

“I have reached the boulders,” he called out. “Proceed carefully, and once we are all gathered here, we will keep a close formation until the heavy mist passes. Dylan, have the men call out as each one arrives here.”

“Aye, my lord,” Dyland cried out, sounding close.

Cree had never seen anything like this mist, heavy to the point of no visibility and cumbersome as if wadding through thick muck, and it had raced with a strange force toward the boulders, reaching them before Cree did. It was as if the mist had made it clear it was in command. But Cree surrendered to no man, least of all a mist.

He carefully maneuvered his horse forward, leaving room for his men to enter and circle within the boulder formation.

“All is well, Dawn,” Cree said when he felt her tremble. “We will wait out the mist here and when done make our way home, arriving in two days’ time. And we will not be leaving there any time soon no matter who commands it.”

Dawn nodded vigorously against his chest so he could feel that she overwhelmingly agreed with him.

Cree listened for the crunch of the leaves beneath the horses’ hooves as they moved within the rock formation. It was good he had made them tether together and they would remain that way until the blasted mist faded away.

A strong wolf howl tore through the mist and was joined by vicious growls that sounded so close it frightened the horses, and fearful they protested ready to run.

Cree fought to keep command of his stallion as he yelled, “Hold your horses steady!”

His stallion pounded the ground and snorted agitated, and though Cree kept him from breaking into a run, he could not stop him from turning. Once he got him under control, he listened for his men.

Cree scrunched his brow when he heard Dylan order, “Call out!” He sounded at a distance instead of close. He listened as the men called out their names one by one and each shout sounded fainter than the next.

“Dylan!” Cree shouted.

“Lord Cree,” Dylan yelled out, “I can barely hear you.”

Cree realized then that the rope he had fastened around his wrist was gone and that he probably had lost it while fighting to keep control of his horse and in the process had inadvertently drifted away from his men.

Cree dug deep to make his voice as powerful as he could. “Dylan, keep calling out so I can find my way to you.”

He waited for a response and could only catch a few faint words. “Rope. Not attached. Lost.”

With wolves in the area, he could not take a chance and keep moving. Besides, it would not be wise when he was not familiar with the terrain. He would have to hunker down where he was with his wife and wait it out.

He felt her quiver against him and went to reassure her and warn her not to let go of him when a sudden wolf’s growl sounded so close that it spooked the horse, and he reared up on his hind legs with such power that Dawn went flying out of Cree’s arms and into the thick mist.