Legacy of the Mist Clans Box Set (70 page)

“I’ve learned quite a bit since we last encountered them,” Kenna said sternly as she pushed Mairi out of the small door in the back of the barn. Still, her heart lurched in her chest and battered against her ribs. They had managed to slay Raven, but Kenna vowed they would pay for what they had done.

“Into the forest!” Kenna said, pushing Mairi forward and falling in step behind her. “Run!”

HHH

Aidan heard the ring of steel echo through the black woods. He stalked the shadows and pulled the cowl of his cloak lower, protecting his face from the falling rain. Hell, it was dark, but he progressed silently, nothing more than the shadows that cloaked him, appearing as insubstantial as the haze the rain created. The sounds of the battle grew louder and clearer.

Lightning flashed overhead and thunder rumbled in the distance. Aidan stalked steadily toward the sound of steel, his hand resting casually on the hilt of his sword. He stopped next to a tree as the lightning again illuminated the world around him. He blinked.

At the edge of the clearing there was a small amount of light, a fallen torch guttering its last gasps in the wet dirt. Three large shadows surrounded a smaller one, but the smaller one flitted between them, daggers flashing in the weak light. He instantly recognized the small form was a female, dressed exactly as he had seen Raven attire herself. She engaged with one, resulting in a ring of steel, then sprang away with amazing speed, not allowing the first to counter.

His throat tightened. Kenna! His heart pounded and he swallowed hard but uttered not a sound.

Kenna blocked a blow from another man and again sprang away. Aidan drew his sword and stepped into the clearing.

“What be this? Three full grown men against a wee lassie? That not be fair.”

Surprised, all three spun to face him and Kenna bounded away, disappearing into the trees.

Aidan breathed a sigh of relief, but that was short lived as the three rounded on him. He suddenly wished he had heeded Connell’s warning about separating. But Aidan brought his sword on guard and grinned viciously. “Hell shall embrace ye this night.”

One man charged, taking the lead before the other two. Aidan easily blocked his sword blow and shifted to his right, keeping the single man between himself and the other two trying to attack. As long as he could keep moving, he would face only one man at a time, and the others would not be able to bury their blades in his back.

The first man lifted his weapon in an overhand strike. Aidan blocked and their weapons locked. Aidan gritted his teeth, summoned his strength, and shoved the man back into his comrades with all of his might. All three went down in a tangle of limbs.

The first man regained his feet and charged, again lifting his sword overhead. Aidan blocked a second time. Suddenly, a shadow darted from the trees on his left, straight for them. Before Aidan could truly react, he saw the flash of two wickedly sharp biodags. Kenna exploded into the clearing and drove her daggers into Aidan’s attacker, in the gap of his armor just under his raised arm, and straight down into the man’s lung.

Before the man fell dead, the shadow sprang away and vanished into the trees.

Aidan’s surprise quickly faded and his smile grew. “Well done,” he murmured and stepped forward.

The second man had just regained his feet, his eyes wide and locked on his fallen comrade. Aidan took advantage of his distraction, and in three blows, slew the bastard.

Aidan thought for a moment that the third might run, but instead he charged. Aidan slapped his blade out of the way and leapt to the side. The man, sliding in the thickening mud, nearly lost his balance. The shadow again emerged from the trees, her daggers only a blur. They sliced into the man’s neck and she sprang away.

But while bloody and messy, Aidan realized Kenna had not struck the vein of life as she had intended. Aidan stepped forward and remedied the situation immediately, relieving the blackguard of his head.

He stood over the bodies, trying to suck air into his lungs. His gaze examined the trees, but the shadow did not reemerge. His heart lurched again, but this time it was in fear. Nay! Where did she go? Surely Kenna had recognized him. He steadied his breath and whistled his bird song.

Nothing. Not a goddamned thing.

“Nay, lassie,” he whispered. “Dinna run from me.” The falling rain increased. He returned his sword and strode into the trees, headed in the direction he had last seen her, praying he could find her.

HHH

Tears of fury and pain streamed down Kenna’s face, mixing with the pouring rain. She ran with all of her strength away from the clearing and after Mairi.

Damnation, she had to find her. She had to learn the answers. Why were the knights-errant hunting her with such dogged determination?

Lightning arced through the sky, the thunder echoing even louder. Kenna’s tears and the rain blurred her vision so terribly she couldn’t see and tripped over something in the blackness. Stars exploded in her vision, and the fall knocked the wind from her lungs. She lay stunned for a moment, trying to remember how to breathe.

But that allowed her to pull her wits back together. She thought it had been Aidan who had stepped into the fight. No doubt he had learned of Raven’s death and had returned; he had not abandoned her. But she could not be absolutely certain the man pursuing her was Aidan and not a brigand.

“Please keep him safe,” she whispered as she tried to rise, her feet sliding in the muck.

She heard his bird call sound repeatedly and sagged back into the mud. It was Aidan! He had defeated the man standing against him.

Kenna couldn’t even catch her breath enough to make the answering call. Sobs coiled through her; pain wrenched at the core of her being. She writhed in the thick mud, fighting to deny the agony in her heart. Aidan’s presence only made Raven’s death more real, more unbearable.

She heard the trill again, closer this time, but still could not find the breath to answer the call. Somehow she sucked in some air. “Aidan!”

He was by her side in an instant. “Sweet Jesu,” he murmured and dropped to his knees. She looked up at him, and he pushed the cowl of her cloak away from her face. “Kenna,” he gasped, pulling her tight to his chest, uncaring of the mud. “My beautiful sparrow, I found ye. Blessed saints, I finally found ye.” He pressed his lips to the top of her head.

She clung to him, trying to control her sobs but failing. “They . . . murdered . . . Raven,” she gasped.

His arms tightened around her. “Peace, it’s all right.”

“I . . . I was at the inn. I came home and found her . . . oh God, Aidan, I tried! I tried so hard tae save her.”

He pulled away, but Kenna did not wish to give him up. He cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs gently brushing away her tears that mixed with the falling rain. “It’s all right, little sparrow. Are ye hurt?”

“Nay.”

Aidan sighed in relief and removed his cloak, wrapping it around her. Kenna closed her eyes; once again warmth and security surrounded her. As he lifted her into his arms, she buried her face against his massive chest. Aidan was here. Everything was going to be all right now.

HHH

Aidan’s heart nearly shattered as Kenna brokenly told him of Raven’s death as he carried her out of the forest. He unexpectedly struggled to control his own grief as the terrible loss renewed within him. Raven had not only been one of his birds, she had been a friend. Aidan had cherished her vibrant spark and her quick smile. The world was now a much darker place without her. Raven would be mourned, she would be sorely missed . . . and she would be avenged.

“Mairi,” Kenna choked. “I’ve got tae find her.”

“What?” Aidan asked in confusion, tearing his thoughts away from his memories.

“Mairi’s out there somewhere,” she said, struggling to regain her feet. “I bade her tae run then fought the bastards so she could escape.”

“Hurstal wasn’t among those we slew.”

“They split up searching for us. Aidan, it is she who Hurstal hunts. We’ve got tae find her.”

“Kenna,” he whispered softly, understanding her pain and rage. “Ye’ve been through enough this night.” His sweet little bird trembled so hard in his arms, but she was safe now. Aidan discovered himself grateful he had not lost both of them. “I will find Connell, and then we can locate Mairi.”

As they approached the small inn, Connell emerged from the darkness. He looked at Kenna and shook his head. “At least ye had more luck than I did.”

“We slew three of the bastards,” Aidan said grimly. “But Kenna tells me Mairi and her bairn are out there somewhere.”

“Mairi?” Connell asked in shock, then he looked up at the black sky. “She would seek shelter first. Dinna worry, young MacGrigor, I will find her.” Without another word, he strode back into the darkness.

Aidan carried Kenna into the small inn and up to the room he had rented. He deposited her into a chair. She was soaked to the bone and would only get her bedding drenched. “Do ye have dry clothes?”

“Aye,” she said softly, removing a small oilskin pack she wore over her shoulder, under her cloak.

He crouched before her. For a moment, all Aidan could do was drink in the sight of her. How was it possible that she had grown even more lovely since he had last seen her? Again relief assailed him, startling him with its intensity. He mourned Raven’s death, but if he had lost Kenna, his heart would have bled.

He reached up and caressed her cheek. The last he had seen her, bruises had marred her face, but of course they had healed long ago. That’s why he thought her more bonny than before.

Kenna studied him a long moment, her emerald eyes shimmering with unshed tears. She took his hand and pressed his fingers against her cheek, closing her eyes. “I missed ye so.”

Aidan’s heart warmed. He cupped her cheek in his hand. “Sparrow,” he began but then scowled.

She opened her eyes. “Aye?”

“Methinks I should have called ye my sparrowhawk instead. Ye were amazing with yer biodags, lassie.”

Her lips twitched, and Aidan was happy to see her anguished expression ease just a bit. “I like being yer little sparrow.”

He smiled, smoothing her hair back from her face, but then swallowed hard. “What happened?”

“I hadna seen Mairi since the brigands attacked my wedding train. Then she appeared at our hut seemingly hale.” She ducked her head, her tears falling anew. “Raven told me tae hie myself tae the inn before Baodan grew impatient.” She paused, squeezing her eyes closed. “God, Aidan, I should have never left.”

“Nay,” Aidan said, cupping her face in his hands. “Kenna, ye canna fault yerself.”

Kenna rubbed her eyes with a shaking hand. “I found Mairi this eve. I ken Hurstal hunts her, but I dinna ken why. She was going tae tell me, but the bloody bastards found us again. I vow they emerge from the dirt like worms.”

“And she escaped while ye were fighting. Ye tried tae catch her, which is why ye ran from me.”

“Aye. Aidan, this makes no sense. Why would knights-errant pursue her with such dogged determination? She is worthless tae them.”

He shook his head. “Kenna, ye have been through hell and are soaked to the bone. I want ye to get some hot food and rest. We will discuss this in the morning, and perhaps something, somehow will make some bloody sort of sense.”

To his worry, her face lost even more color. “Aidan—” Her voice cracked and she swallowed hard.

“What is it, my little sparrow?”

“Ye were right.”

“About what?”

“The nightmares. They faded, as ye said they would. But since Raven’s murder, they’ve returned . . . and they’re worse...”

Aidan saw a glimmer of terror return to her green eyes and his jaw tightened. She had suffered through so much, and what he had witnessed this eve had been absolutely amazing.

“I dinna want tae be alone . . . please . . . dinna leave me alone,” she whispered.

Aidan pulled her close, holding her tightly as she rested her head against his shoulder. The only thing that mattered to him was that his beautiful sparrow could rest this night and not be afraid. “Dinna worry over it,” he murmured. “I will watch over ye this night.”

Aidan left only long enough for Kenna to change while he went below stairs to fetch both of them some hot food. It didn’t take long, and soon he carried the food up to Kenna, rapping lightly on the door.

“Enter.”

He opened it, surprised to see her already in bed, buried under a mound of blankets. “Did I wake ye?” he asked as he closed the door behind him.

“Nay. Forgive me, but I canna seem tae get warm.”

“There’s nothing tae forgive, lassie.”

She sat up in bed, and he noted she wore only a chemise. He swallowed hard and forced his attention away before his thoughts could lead him down that path. Now was not the time nor the place.

He gave her the bowl and stepped to the table, removing his plaid and the heavy belt around his waist. His tunic was still damp from the rain and he removed it too. He thought he heard Kenna make a soft sound and glanced over his shoulder at her.

The fire he saw in her brilliant green eyes startled him, but as she continued to stare, he felt his lips tug upward. “See something that interests ye?” he asked softly.

The blush ignited brilliantly on her cheeks, and she tore her gaze away, staring at the bowl she held.

Aidan waited, but she didn’t look at him again. He wanted to kick himself. He should have known she wasn’t prepared for jesting . . . but he thought about the intensity he had seen in her gaze and his heart warmed. She wasn’t ready yet . . . but perhaps soon.

She stole a glance at him through lowered lashes, and her blush burned even brighter. “Forgive me,” she whispered.

“Forgive what?” he asked gently and approached. He grabbed a chair and moved it closer. Swinging his leg across it, he leaned his arms against the back. He waited for her to reply, but when she said nothing, he sighed softly and let the matter drop.

“Did Raven teach ye tae fight with yer biodags?”

Kenna swallowed hard and nodded. “At least the basics, a lot of it I picked up on my own as we practiced.”