The Highlander's Runaway by Aileen Adams

Author:Aileen Adams
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: AilAd

17

Caelan awakened from a fitful sleep to the sound of a hunting horn blaring outside his window. Throwing open the heavy drapes, he looked out into the courtyard below. Dawn had barely crept over the horizon, and the sun’s first rays of light were slowly illuminating the darkness below. The inner ward was a storm of activity, and Caelan realized there were far more men milling about than the keep normally had on retainer. He scanned the crowd, looking for any sign of their identity. Finally, his eyes rested on one of their pennants—a gray wolf rearing on a field of golden yellow. The Iron Wolves had arrived at last.

Still in the rumpled clothes he’d gone to bed in from the night before, Caelan threw on his cloak and headed out of his room and down the staircase to meet the incoming mercenaries. His mind buzzed with thoughts of Laurel and where she was. Of what could be happening to her in this very moment. He hoped the brigands on the road were more interested in ransom than any other nefarious reasons one might capture a lone woman in a storm. He pushed the macabre possibilities out of his mind and took the steps down to the first floor two at a time, only slowing down as he passed the room Mairi was lying in. The door was shut though, so he continued on his way, unwilling to disturb her if she finally found some rest.

Voices carried from the great hall into the corridor as Caelan approached.

“I truly appreciate the haste to which ye arrived,” Dominik said, his voice hushed.

“Of course, we came as soon as we received your missive.” The second voice was very familiar to Caelan.

“Graeme, ye came.” Caelan rounded the corner and entered the large room, eager to see his old friend and fellow mercenary.

Upon seeing the younger MacFie, Graeme stepped forward and met him halfway, embracing Caelan with a tight bear hug. The man was about a head shorter than the brothers but barrel chested and wide in the shoulders to make up for it. He was an exceptional brawler in any fight, and Caelan could feel the thickly corded muscle of his arms as they wrapped around him. The two parted and Graeme looked Caelan up and down. “I hear we have a little more of a problem than originally expected?” he asked by way of greeting.

Caelan opened his mouth to reply but found he couldn’t trust the emotion from seeping into his voice. “Aye,” he said at last, leaving it at that.

Graeme must have understood, because he reached up and patted the man on the cheek with an understanding smile. “Donnae worry lad, we’ll find yer lassie.” The current leader of the Iron Wolves turned back to Dominik before things could get more maudlin between them. “So, we are expecting those bastards the Sinclairs any moment then?”

“We should be prepared to,” Dominik replied. “They dinnae exactly give us a specific time.”

Graeme nodded, and he and Caelan returned to the center of the room alongside Dominik.

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