Ruadri (Immortal Highlander, Clan Skaraven Book 3): A Scottish Time Travel Romance by Hazel Hunter

Author:Hazel Hunter [Hunter, Hazel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-08-21T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

MAKING THE QUICK jaunt to the McAra stronghold for Althea meant rising at dawn and going for a short, fast swim on horseback. Although immortality had given her the ability to water-travel like the Skaraven, it did nothing to keep her warm when she led her mare into the river and transformed. Now accustomed to being whisked through the icy currents by the bubbling light magic that surrounded her mistress’s water-bonding form, the horse only snorted and waggled her head as they emerged from the loch.

Having the ability to freeze anything she touched didn’t provide Althea with any particular immunity to cold either. If anything, she felt it more keenly. She smiled her gratitude to the McAra clansmen waiting with fur-lined cloaks on the banks, mainly because if she opened her mouth they’d only hear her teeth chattering.

Because apparently they both had ice for blood, Brennus and Kanyth disdained the cloaks and simply shook off like wet tigers.

“This is just so unfair,” Althea said once she had wrapped up. “How can you guys be completely immune to freezing weather?”

The men exchanged an amused look before Kanyth said, “We werenae coddled against it.”

They thought it was funny, but Althea’s mood darkened. Bred as indentured warriors, the Skaraven had been conditioned to endure physical hardships from birth. Brennus rarely talked about it, but she’d picked up enough to know what they’d suffered. During the years of brutal training they’d had as boys the druids had probably marched them through blizzards and made them sleep on frozen lakes to build up their resistance to cold.

“When we see Bhaltair, can you shake some spells out of him?” she asked her husband. “He might know a drying charm or something else useful. It’ll keep me from kicking him in that bad knee of his, too.”

“I’ll keep you warm, Wife.” Brennus lifted her from her mare to his big stallion and settled her on his lap. “And cease your worrying on Emeline.”

How the love of her life always knew what she was really thinking still mystified Althea. “I still think we should have gone down to check on her before we left. She was really in bad shape. Plus it’s not called the ‘fear pit’ because you feel warm and fuzzy when you’re in it.”

“Ru shall keep close watch over her until our return,” Brennus said before he looked over at the clan’s weapons master. “Ka, ride aside us. I want no surprises.”

“You and your suspicions,” his half-brother chided as he collected the reins and trotted up with Althea’s mount. “Old Flen willnae dare ambush us.” He saw the chieftain’s expression and sighed. “Very well, be an old wench who twice counts her every kernel at the miller’s. As for me, I’ve grown very fond of certain druidesses.” He winked at Althea.

“Stop trifling with mine.” Brennus wrapped his arms around her before he touched his boot heels to the stallion’s sides. As soon as the clansman rode ahead out of earshot he said in a lower voice, “During this, Flen shall vie for control of the clan.

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