My Lady Mage: A Warriors of the Mist Novel (3 page)

Gideon turned his attention to the other men again. “Expect us shortly after dawn. Duncan, set up camp in the usual place. Kane and I will retrieve our shields from the cave on the way down the mountain.”

“Don’t worry, Captain. I’ll see to it that young Averel
here gets right on that.” Duncan smiled as he cuffed the younger warrior. “What about the saddles and tack? Should we leave it all in the cave until we have time to purchase horses?”

“For now.” Gideon nodded. “Finding mounts for all of us will be the first priority or we’ll be fighting afoot.”

For the first time, Merewen knew she had something to offer to the warriors. “My lord, you can leave that to me. I will provide horses for the five of you before we reach the keep.”

Gideon looked skeptical. “We don’t have time to haggle prices if we’re to get you home ere dawn, Lady Merewen. Besides, farmers aren’t likely to have war steeds readily at hand.”

Under the circumstances, she couldn’t blame them for their doubtful looks. Perhaps she should have kept quiet until they reached the valley below. Proving the quality of the horses she had to offer would be more easily shown than explained.

She reluctantly followed Gideon down the rough mountain trail. Very much aware of Kane’s silent menace right behind her, she crowded too close to Gideon in the darkness. When she stumbled into him a second time, he came to an abrupt halt.

What could she do but apologize? “I am sorry, Captain, but I lost sight of you in the shadows.”

His voice made his irritation more than clear. “If you were any closer, Lady Merewen, I’d be carrying you on my back. Is that what you want?” He sounded much put upon.

“Of course not!” At least the night hid her embarrassment.

Kane’s voice came from right over her shoulder, making her jump. “I believe the lady is more afraid of me getting too close than she is of crowding you, Gideon. Mayhap she’s cleverer than she first appears.”

She would not stand for his insults. “I’m not afraid, Lord Kane, but it’s difficult to see in such darkness. Can we please move on?”

Gideon reached for her hand. “Hold the back of my belt. That will allow you to keep better track of me.”

The offer was made grudgingly, but she accepted it anyway. It felt strange to be towed down the mountainside by a man she barely knew, but once they fell into a rhythm, they made far better time. About halfway down the trail, Gideon suddenly veered off into the trees.

“Lady Merewen, wait here while I retrieve our shields. I won’t be gone long. Kane, stand guard.”

Before she could protest, Gideon faded into the trees, leaving her alone with the silent warrior. Kane moved farther down the trail, giving her some much-needed space. She was glad for the opportunity to rest for a few minutes, even if it allowed her far too much time to worry about the fate awaiting her at home.

She had no doubt that if her uncle could figure out a way to manage the herds without her talent, he would have seen her banished or dead long before now. He already used every possible excuse to make her life miserable. Tonight she had openly defied his orders, providing him with the perfect opportunity to punish her. She’d survive. For the sake of her people, she had to. That didn’t mean she didn’t quake at the thought of what she had yet to endure this night.

Gideon made enough noise to alert her to his return. She suspected he did so deliberately to avoid frightening her, but perhaps not. The man had shown little regard for her feelings since he’d first walked out of the river. He held a pair of shields, passing one off to Kane when he rejoined them.

It was a sign of how tired she was that she hadn’t thought beyond reaching the bottom of the trail. “I should have told you to bring bridles with you.”

“I’ve already said…” Gideon stopped speaking midsentence, tilting his head in the direction of the trail below.

The three of them froze as the sound of dogs baying echoed in the night air. Merewen’s heart raced as she recognized the distinctive call of hunting dogs hot on the trail of their prey. They were drawing close.

“My uncle has unleashed the hounds.” She turned to her two companions. “It’s me they want. Go back up the mountain to your men. Once they run me to ground, it should be safe for you and your men. I will return to you as soon as I am able.”

Before she’d gone two steps, Gideon grabbed her arm. “You have a low opinion of us to think that we would abandon a woman to be hunted like a rabbit.”

She fought to free herself from his iron grip. “Captain Gideon, I don’t want them to kill either of you just to get their hands on me. Please let me go.”

He ignored her. “Kane, can you distract them?”

The taller warrior’s smile gleamed bright in the darkness. “My friend and I haven’t hunted together for far too long. We will lead them on a merry chase.”

Gideon gave his man a hard look. “Avoid bloodshed for now.”

Kane met his gaze, his smile chilling. “You would deny us the true joy of the hunt?”

“It is too soon. We need to learn more before we go on a rampage.”

“Fine, but my friend will not be pleased.” Kane set his shield against a tree and stepped back.

Evidently satisfied that his friend would obey, Gideon turned his attention back to her. “Come with me, Lady Merewen.”

Before she could protest, he swung her up in his arms and carried her off the trail. She could barely catch her breath, much less rail at him for his outrageous behavior.
Then she realized he was attempting to break her scent trail in hopes of further confusing the dogs. As Gideon loped through the trees, she caught one last glimpse of Kane’s pale eyes watching them before he turned away.

The deep murmur of his rough voice carried through the night, although she couldn’t make sense of the words. Then, the shadows shimmered as an unholy roar shattered the silence of the woods.

“By the gods, what was that?” she managed to gasp out as Gideon finally set her back down.

He ignored the question as he drew his sword and then wrapped his cloak around the two of them, preventing her from seeing any more. His strength surrounded her, shutting out everything except the warmth of Gideon’s body and the mixed scent of wool and warrior.

Odd how much comfort she drew from the combination of sensations.

He leaned in close, sending a shiver through her as he whispered near her ear. “Quiet now. They draw close. If we remain still, Kane will make sure they take no notice of us. Once they’re gone, we’ll continue down the mountain.”

Merewen nodded, shivering as the eerie howl rang out again. She wasn’t sure which was worse—the awful baying of the strange beast or the bark of Kane’s laughter as he joined in.

The woman had a stubborn streak and an unfortunate tendency to argue, but she knew when to hold her tongue. Gideon sensed the fierce pounding of her heart, but she was no coward. Lady Merewen might fear what would happen to her at the hands of her would-be captors, but her determination to protect him and Kane from the same threat had rung true.

When was the last time another had given thought to his welfare? The passing centuries all tended to run together,
but he would have remembered something like that. Even Kane, who had never cared for anyone outside their close-knit group of five, had looked at her with a fair measure of respect.

The dogs were almost upon the little surprise that Kane had waiting for them. The poor beasties were about to face something they’d never seen before. He had no doubt the pack would break and run in panic after one look at Kane’s companion. Their human masters wouldn’t fare any better, but then they deserved the nightmares they’d gain from their encounter with Kane.

The dogs’ barking intensified as soon as they reached Lady Merewen’s fresh scent on the trail. That didn’t last long. He knew the instant they realized that something other than a lone human woman awaited them. The taint in Kane’s blood might confuse their sensitive noses, but his predatory nature was nothing compared to that of his companion.

Voices could now be heard over the din of the dogs. Kane’s battle cry rang out over the mountainside, his native language harsh and raw to the ear. An eerie howl sang counterpoint to his words. Shouts of success turned to cries of confusion and then terror. Men and dogs alike scattered like a covey of quail in a flurry of noise and fear as the hunt disintegrated into chaos.

Merewen gasped, leaning in to close the small gap of distance that separated them. Gideon didn’t blame her for seeking the comfort of his protection. Kane’s full-throated battle scream was enough to leave the bravest of warriors badly shaken. Gideon knew well the terror the pair caused when they fought side by side with blade and claws. Their human quarry was in for a rough night.

The bastards deserved it.

As he waited for the din to die away, Gideon became aware of the nearly forgotten sensation of holding a woman at his side. Merewen’s hair had a fresh scent; lavender,
if he remembered correctly. Her body was curved and womanly, although she was hardly built along the lush lines he usually preferred. Not that he could remember when he’d last taken pleasure in a woman’s bed. It was doubtful Lady Merewen would appreciate the direction his thoughts had taken. He felt a moment of regret that he was not free to act on those thoughts.

For the moment, the night air soothed him. Here in the darkness, for a few minutes, he was but a simple man with simple needs. This peace wouldn’t last for long, not with the burden of battles to come never far from his mind. But while he could, he savored the opportunity to feel the night, to breathe pine-scented air, to simply
be
.

Then the woman stirred, shifting her weight away from him now that the hunters were no longer close by. With luck, the stampede Kane had started would continue until well after Gideon returned Lady Merewen safely home. Ignoring how sharply he missed the soft press of her hip and shoulder, he removed his cloak from around the two of them. The cloth held no magic, naught but its darkness concealing them in the fading shadows.

Gideon sheathed his sword. “We must be off. Eventually they’ll begin to doubt the truth of what their eyes told them, and return.”

He allowed himself a small smile. “Of course, Kane will be waiting to remind them. Let’s make use of the time he has bought us.”

Telling himself it was for the sake of speed and not to prolong the chance to touch her, he took Merewen’s hand in his much larger one and set out again. Aware dawn was coming, he set a brutal pace. It would be a close race to return Merewen to her home before the sun crested the horizon.

He liked that she didn’t complain, but then she likely needed all of her breath just to keep moving. If it came to that, he would carry her again, although that would
slow them down considerably. It always took a few days of life out of the river to regain his full strength. Fortunately, the trail before them was already flattening out. Once they reached the valley floor, the path should grow easier.

Merewen tugged on his hand to get his attention.

“What?”

“Can we stop here? There is something I need to do.” She looked him straight in the eye, something even most men were reluctant to do. “I promise it will not take long.”

Something in her demeanor made it clear that she wasn’t simply wanting to take care of private needs behind a handy clump of bushes. It was insanity to stop here or anywhere, but he nodded. “Make haste.”

She immediately scrambled atop a nearby boulder. Once she found her balance, she raised her hands above her head and began to chant. Even without understanding their meaning, Gideon sensed the sharp tang of power in her words. Unsure of his duty, he laid his hand warily on the pommel of his sword. Slowly, the sweet sound of her voice soothed his mind. Whatever she was doing, it lacked the sharp edges and sick feel of words spoken for ill purpose.

Even so, what kind of woman wielded power with such casual ease? The gods he served did not tolerate those who dabbled in the darker magics and commanded the Damned to stand against it. The matter would bear careful watching. For now, with time growing short, he could but wait and watch.

She stopped as abruptly as she’d started, holding her head tilted as if listening to the wind. Finally, she smiled. Climbing down, she immediately took his hand again.

“Hurry, Captain. My friends will be waiting close by.”

Anger burned hot in his veins. “Are you a fool, woman? I can keep you safe from your uncle’s men, but
I am not yet at full strength and cannot guarantee the safety of anyone else. You put your friends at risk needlessly.”

Rather than cower, she giggled—at him. Had she really gone daft? No one dared laugh at him—ever. He closed his eyes and prayed for patience. Why had the gods granted the petition of someone who was clearly not in her right mind?

As if realizing that her merriment wasn’t appreciated, Merewen instantly sobered. “I’m sorry, Captain. I should not have laughed. You have no way of knowing that my friends have four feet, not two. They’ll join us near the shoals below.”

He had no choice but to follow her. Her earlier exhaustion had obviously faded, because he had to hurry his pace to keep up with her. They were nearing the river again, its song a cheerful one as it tumbled over the last drop-off to the valley floor. The water had been his home for so long that he thought he’d known its every mood. But here, far from where he slept in the black depths of its beginnings, the river babbled and chortled happily as it flowed over the rocks.

The trail took a sharp turn to the right and then back again before leading them beyond the edge of the forest. The moon still held sway here, showering the rippling grasslands of the valley floor in its dim glow. He was grateful for even that much light; else he might not have believed the amazing scene before him.

Merewen left him behind to greet her friends. Horses! She had called horses with her song of enchantment, and such horses they were! However she had commanded them to attend her, it was obvious from the way they took turns nuzzling her hand and woofing their greetings that they had been happy to come.