Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

D arren stared at the arrow, embedded in the ground where they’d been standing. If he hadn’t heard the faint whistle, and seen the flicker of movement as it arched toward them, it would have hit Alayne in the back. He couldn’t see the arrow head at the moment, buried as it was in the ground, but that didn’t matter.

If it had hit her, she might have died. Or been paralyzed, if it had hit her spine. He’d seen warriors crippled by spine wounds. Few of them had enough will to continue living, if they even survived the wounding itself and the complications that came with it.

The idea of Alayne suffering a gut shot was no less horrifying. Gut shots were tricky, and if you weren’t lucky, they promised a slow, painful death.

He knew she was angry for the way he’d manhandled her, and he was sorry for it, but there hadn’t been any time to warn her.

He saw her face pale as she spotted the arrow, all anger disappearing in horror and fear. “Did someone…?”

“Someone shot at us, aye. I didnae see who could have done it though.” There was no sign of the archer, but then, he hadn’t expected to see them. There were plenty of places to hide in the rocks and trees around the waterfall and the glen at the base of it. Besides, the size and shape of the arrow shaft indicated a longbow, or a heavily powered crossbow. A weapon with that range could be shot from a fair distance.

“Why would anyone shoot at us?”

“I dinnae ken. I’ve enemies enough, but nae any I’m aware o’ who’d be this brazen.”

Alayne was shivering again, her hands clutched tight in his shirt. Darren wished he could have told her it was a careless hunter, but he didn’t believe that, and he wouldn’t lie.

It made him wonder if the snare in the woods had been an accident, or a clever trap. Or even practice for some other scheme. It would explain why someone would use such a snare in a place that most of his clansmen knew was frequented by villagers, maids and even children in the summer months.

“We need tae get back tae the keep.” He looked at the horse, the lead line draped casually over the ground. “Can ye get tae the horse and intae the saddle? I’ll watch over ye.”

Alayne nodded, her expression firming with resolve. Had the situation not been so dire, Darren would have smiled. She was a brave lass, and no mistake about that. It was also a pleasant surprise to see that she evidently trusted him enough to leave her safety in his hands.

He shifted his weight onto the balls of his feet, eyeing the ground, the horse, and the most likely directions for an arrow to come from. If it was one assailant, it would come from the same way, but if it was a group, there might be other bowmen.

“Ready?” Alayne nodded. Darren tensed. “Go!”

The pair of them dove from cover, Darren on the side of the horse that was exposed to potential attacks, and Alayne on the side closer to the trail and the wooded area of the escarpment. True to her word, she wasted no time heaving herself into the saddle.

Darren was turning the horse so he could mount as well when a tell-tale flicker of movement caught his eye. Another arrow, this one aimed for where Alayne sat on the horse. He dared not startle the animal into moving, not when it was already restive from the tension in the air. Instead, he took two running steps forward, angled toward a rock, and launched himself into the arrow’s path, his off hand moving to slap it out of the air.

His aim was good, for the most part, but he struck a little too far forward, and the back edge of the bladed arrow head sliced into his palm. Darren hissed at the sting, but the arrow clattered to the ground, landing at the same time as his boots hit the stone.

He didn’t bother to examine the cut. He knew from experience that it was shallow, and it would keep until they were safely away from the danger of being shot. He whipped around and flung himself onto the horse, wrapped an arm around Alayne’s waist to hold her steady, and kicked the horse into a canter, then a run.

It was risky to run the trail going down, but he knew it well and he was a strong enough horseman to manage. He’d no idea what Alayne thought of his actions, but if she was afraid or angered by his near reckless behavior, she made no mention of it. She simply clung to his arm as they rode through the trees.

Once they were at the base of the trail and deep into the wooded area, Darren slowed the horse to a walk. There was no good way for a bowman, however talented, to attack them here. And even if someone tried, there was enough foliage to make sure he’d hear the threat coming.

But who had attacked them? And why? Why now? For that matter, how had anyone known where they were? It wasn’t as if he’d told many people what he had planned for the day.

The signs pointed to a spy or a traitor among his clansmen, and that thought made him feel cold with rage. He knew he wasn’t well liked by some of his people, especially those who had been closer to his father, or Adrian’s. He could accept that. But the fact that someone had dared attack him and endanger Alayne - that he could not condone.

“Ye’re bleeding.” Alayne’s quiet voice startled him out of his dark thoughts.

His hand. It must have bled around his grip on the reins. “’Tis nae more than a scratch. The healer will see it mended as soon as we get back.”

“I saw the arrow. Could easily have been far worse.”

“But it wasnae. I kent what I was doing lass.”

“I dinnae doubt it. ‘Tis only that I kent ye could have been wounded far worse, and saving me life at that. I’m nae warrior, but I ken what an arrow like that can daeo tae a man.” She paused. “Or a woman.”

“They’ll nae be able tae shoot us like that while we’re in the woods. And when we get in sight o’ MacLean Keep’s walls, I’ll signal an alarm. The guards will keep watch over us crossing tae the gates.” He tightened his grip just a bit. “Dinnae fret lass. I’ll keep ye safe.”

“I ken, and I believe ye.” There was a moment of hesitation, and her voice was soft when she spoke again. “Thank ye, Darren, fer protecting me.”

Warmth filled him, banishing the cold chill of his rage momentarily. “Ye’re welcome, Alayne.”

Alayne was still trembling slightly when they rode through the gates of MacLean Keep. She felt almost ashamed as Darren helped her off the horse and gave her over to the maids with instructions for them to get her a calming tea and something sweet to eat.

He’d even promised her he’d see the healer as soon as the horse was in the stable, and now that she knew of his preference for honesty, she believed him.

It was hardly the first time she’d been attacked, or at risk of being killed. Her own husband had put a knife to her throat at one point! He hadn’t been her husband then, not even her betrothed, but the point still remained.

Perhaps it was the fact that she could put no face to the attacker, and no motivation for why they would have tried to harm her or Darren. Darren, she knew, had enemies. Any laird did. But why attack in such a manner that she was likely to be hurt as well?

She settled into the chair by the fire in the bedroom, with the promised tea and cakes, and an offer of mulled wine and a hot bath if she wished it, as well as a noon meal to replace the one they’d never had a chance to unpack. Her nerves were slowly calming, enough that she could start to think about what had happened without feeling the blood drain from her face.

The first person that came to mind was Donall. He had grievances enough against the MacLean laird. Somehow though, she couldn’t quite bring herself to believe it. Yes, Donall had his grievances. Even so, he’d not have endangered her for the sake of them. Nor would he have attacked from afar, like a coward. He wasn’t the sort to shoot arrows from a distance at a man when he could challenge him with a blade.

Even if he had been, Donall knew his freedom was dependent on peace between the MacLean and Ranald clans. Surely he wouldn’t endanger that freedom, and destroy all she’d done for him, with such ill-timed and ill-considered actions.

It had to be someone else. But she’d no idea who it could be, and she wasn’t sure Darren had any more knowledge than she did. The idea of an unknown enemy in the shadows was terrifying.

After several moments, Alayne forced herself to put the thought out of her mind. There was nothing she could do about an enemy attack, not unless it did turn out to be her brother, or someone from Clan Ranald. In the meantime, she had more pressing matters to think about.

Darren. He’d been so kind to her, and she was beginning to feel almost fond of him. Perhaps more than fond. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for any sort of intimacy, but she did want to do something to show her appreciation of his consideration.

“I’d like tae be able tae sleep in me own bed…” The words he’d spoken earlier came back to her, along with the look on his face as he’d tried to loosen what were obviously very sore muscles.

Donall had sometimes complained of stiff shoulders, and she’d learned from the Ranald Clan healer how to ease the stiffness and aching. She didn’t have any of her own supplies, but she was willing to bet that the MacLean healer, Evina, did.

Alayne finished her tea and one of the cakes, leaving the other for Darren to enjoy whenever he made it to the room, then donned her cloak once more and hurried from the room.

She had no idea what the future held in store, but she knew one thing for certain - part of a wife’s duties was to ensure her husband’s comfort, and tonight, she’d make every effort to see that she fulfilled that responsibility as well as she was able.