Thirteen
Ada raced up the hill, her side cramping and breath coming in short gasps. She didn’t know who was waiting for her just beyond the crest. Her gut feeling had not told her that, but she did know someone was waiting for her, someone who was not good, someone who wanted to use her. But if she had not come, she had known for certain that Thomas would die, and that he was the key to stopping the Steward. What she didn’t know, though she had lied and said she did, was what would happen to her. She had no feelings or instincts about herself. She could be racing to a horrible fate, for all she knew. Maybe she’d already played her part. Those bumbling fairies clearly had not considered that just because Ada was wed and suddenly had instincts about how to aid the king and those who served him, didn’t mean that her instincts would protect her from evil men who sought to use her.
Freya barked coming up on Ada’s right. Ada glanced down at her loyal hound as she ran, intent on putting distance between herself and William so that he, Thomas, and the others could escape. Just as she reached the top of the hill and the edge of the woods, five men poured onto the path from the left and the right, all holding weapons. In the dawning light, she easily recognized Connor.
“Ye’ve made things easy for me, Ada,” he said. “I was coming for ye. Who are ye running from?”
Freya barked beside her as Ada answered, her heart pounding so hard that her chest ached. “Brothwell,” she automatically said.
Connor nodded. “Ye always have hated him… Now…where is yer new husband? He must die.”
Ada sucked in a fearful breath. “He’s already dead,” she choked out. “Brothwell killed William the moment the vows were said. I’ll nae serve Brothwell,” she finished, knowing Connor would believe that.
“Then wed me, Ada. Serve my cause.Our cause.”
Ada nodded, fearing at any moment that William would come bellowing over the hill and get himself, Thomas, Esther, and Maximilian killed. “We should ride now. Brothwell is on my heels.”
“Father Lockeby!” Connor called.
Ada’s gut clenched and her pulse quickened as a tall, lithe man she recognized stepped forward. “I thought he was one of yer warriors,” Ada said.
Connor smiled. “He is a warrior, but he’s also my priest from my castle. I brought him with me, just in case I had need if things did nae go my way. I’m always prepared, Ada.”
Dear God above! Was he planning on wedding her now?
“How fast can ye wed us?” Connor asked, as if he reached into her head and snatched her thought from it.
“If there are men coming for the lass,” Lockeby said, “we best ride and do the deed once we’re away.”
“Aye,” Ada agreed, dizzy with fear. “Ye have me. Ye’re nae going to lose me.”
Connor gave a swift nod, then raised his hand and swirled it around, an obvious signal for his men to retreat. They faded quickly into the woods as if they had never been there. Connor turned to Ada and held out his hand. “Come, lass, ye’ll ride with me. My horse is just through the trees.”
“Where are we going?” Ada asked, fear rising in her. She had no sense of what would happen to her, but the intuition she had about Connor was not at all good.
“We’ll ride to my home, wed along the way, and gather the rest of my troops. Then, with yer help, I’ll kill the king.”
Freya nuzzled her hand, and Ada glanced down, knowing the hound would not be able to keep up once they rode, though Freya was an excellent tracker and could likely follow her scent if she did not fall too far behind. Still, Freya would also likely be in danger when she tried to protect Ada, which she did not doubt her loyal hound would do. “I’ll just say goodbye to my dog,” Ada said, bending down before Connor could protest. She hugged Freya to her and whispered in her ear, “Go to William.”
“Come!” Connor demanded from above her, impatience in his voice.
Ada stood, nudging Freya with her foot, and the dog reluctantly and slowly started away from Ada. Connor made a grab for Ada when she did not immediately take his offered hand. As his fingers closed around her wrist, a wave of gut feelings hit her: Thomas would lay siege to the Steward’s castle, four of the Steward’s sons would be locked in a dungeon, and finally, William would fall from a great height. The feelings stopped, and she began to shake. If William reached Connor, William would die.
Her instincts urged her to run with Connor, to put as much distance as she could between him and William, but dizziness suddenly overcame her, nausea striking and bright specks of light appearing in her vision just before everything went black.
“I should kill ye!” William said, shoving Thomas roughly off him and bounding to his feet.
“Kill him later if ye must,” Esther snapped. “We need to go after Ada!”
Beside Esther, Maximilian sniffled and looked as if he was fighting tears.
William glanced in the direction in which Ada had disappeared. “If she is hurt—” He stopped, having to swallow back a tide of emotions and clench his hands into fists. There was no time to waste. He locked his gaze on Thomas. “Go to the cave. Take Esther and the boy with ye. Leave them with Lannrick to take to his home to be kept safe. Send Grant after me.” Grant was an exceptional tracker and fighter, and if anyone could aid William, it would be Grant. “Then make yer way to the MacLeod holding and get aid in laying siege to the Steward’s castle.”
“I’m sorry, William,” Thomas said.
“Ye should be,” William growled. “Ye may have just sacrificed Ada for the king.”
William’s eyes widened at his own words, as did Thomas’s. Hella started barking, and Esther grinned as did Maximilian.
