Chapter Seven
An hour later, they were jittery, ready for anything. Only that anything wasn’t happening. Stephano felt sure they were missing something. But each time he reined in to stand in his stirrups and stare back down the canyon, he saw nothing to indicate pursuit.
They’d ridden far, using a hidden path, shielded by the high walls of rocks. He still felt a tingling in his shoulder blades he’d learned never to ignore. Ajax was as tense, scowling so fiercely he’d have a permanent mark between his brows.
Garret hadn’t returned but Darren and Alrick seemed assured he would when he found something. Stephano wasn’t as certain. He shifted his shoulders, not used to riding with companions he didn’t know well. Ajax caught his eye and jerked his head to indicate the trail behind them.
Stephano spotted a path leading up through the rocks. “Where does that lead?” He reined in. Everyone else did as well.
Brennan wiped sweat from his brow with his sleeve and squinted up at the pass. “It’s a look-out. From there you can see the valley we left behind, along with the pass we’re heading toward.”
“I’ll ride up and see if I can’t spot Garret.”
“See if you can’t pinpoint where they’re coming from,” Ajax added as he swung his mount around closer to Maeve’s. “Garret can take care of himself. We need to know if there is someone following us or not.”
Stephano ignored Ajax’s temper and headed up, giving his horse his head so he could lunge up the steep path. The stallion slipped on the shale, but made it to the top. There was no sign of movement. Even the birds were missing. He sensed something building, coming closer, but nothing more.
Waiting, he watched the wilderness for sign of someone following them, or at least Garret. Frustrated and feeling as if they were missing something, he headed back down. Alrick was off his horse, discussing something with Darren, while Ajax was deep in conversation with Brennan. At first he didn’t spot Maeve and his heart gave a hard squeeze. Her hood slipped and revealed her pretty face. Relief made him shudder out a breath and loosen his grip on the reins. Damn, she’s sunk her hooks in deep. He dismissed the thought, knowing that up here, with someone after them, his senses would be heightened over everything. Not because of her.
He urged his tired horse back down going over in his head all that needed done. The horses would need to be fed. The men, too. Maeve’s eyes were red. She would need to rest soon, but he sensed now was not the time. They needed Garret back. And they needed to plan for the night because evening was going to come down quicker up here in the foothills.
“No sign of pursuit.” He dropped his reins and his mount dropped his head. “Or of Garret.”
Alrick nodded tightly. “We keep on.”
“The horses will need tended to soon.”
“Aye, after we make it clear from this canyon,” Brennan called over his shoulder, already moving up the trail.
Darren glanced at them, then took his place, a step behind Alrick. Ajax waited but Stephano motioned him forward so he could draw up next to Maeve. He halted her with a hand on hers. She startled and the brown cloth fell to reveal more of her face.
“I want you to keep that on. It hides you.”
She looked fearful, but drew it back up over her hair.
“If there is an attack, dismount and hide in the trees. That cloak hides you well with the rocks in the canyon. If we’re near a cave, or under an overhang, you’ll blend right in. See those?” He pointed to a small darker spot near the canyon floor. It looked as if she would fit beneath the rocky outcrop. “Hide in something like that. They might not see you.”
She frowned, but at his firm shake of her hands, nodded. Relieved she wasn’t going to resist his lead, or try to show him how tough she was, he released her. “Good. Now back in position.”
It wasn’t until they stopped, hours later, and the trail dipped down that he lost his patience with Garret’s absence. Darren seemed to feel the same way. Alrick was arguing with him in a low voice, but Darren’s intentions to go after his brother were clear.
“I’ll hang back and wait for Garret.” Stephano dismounted and loosened his horse’s cinch, patting his sweaty neck after. “See if you can’t get us through this. If there’s a wider bit of this dry creek bed, there’ll be a place to turn and fight,” he said loudly when Alrick, then Brennan tried to argue. “I’ll gather up Garret from where he got lost, and find you.”
“It’s the best plan,” Ajax said firmly. “These clouds are going to drop a storm on us any time now. We’ll wait for you. Clear the trail and make sure no one is left behind.”
“It’s best to kill them, Narc.” Brennan sounded worried.
“I hadn’t planned on sharing a meal with them.”
Brennan moved his mount closer. “Even one survives, he will go and alert others.” Eyes on the trail, he frowned. “If they’ve trailed us…” He glanced uneasily at his sister who appeared even more frightened. “Then we’re in for a fight.”
“Slavers were never my favorite people.” Stephano bit his tongue. Why does he think these men trail us? Why does it make Maeve so frightened? But he knew. Slavers were keen on beauty. Maeve caught his eye, her expression worried. But one woman, guarded by several men? Who goes for those kind of odds? Obviously, there was more going on here than they were being told.
He let it go. The two had secrets, that was clear. Whatever was really going on could wait, at least until he handled this threat.
“Dead is always safer, anyway. Don’t wait. I’ll catch up.” He watched Ajax take the lead, Maeve now enclosed by Alrick and Darren, her brother at the rear. Maeve didn’t turn back. It was just as well. He could feel the danger nearing. His shoulders bunched as the tension built. Whatever closed in, was more than some slavers happening upon their tracks.
An hour back down their trail he reined his horse to a stop, the sense of unease growing. He stepped his horse forward, letting a denser growth of trees block them from view. Silent now, he waited.
Not even a rustle of leaves alerted him that Garret had returned. The man dropped out of the tree to his left, hand on the forest floor in his crouch as he landed perfectly.
Stephano accessed the man for damage and found none. “Well? What did you find?”
Garret rose to his feet and dusted his hands off. “Slavers. A dozen. Marginally well-armed.”
“A dozen.”
“They’re not impressive. It’s almost not worth the effort.”
“Brennan feels they will bring more after us.”
“Well, that might be true. They have someone on a chain, picking up our scent.”
He studied the Lykae’s expression but found nothing other than determination. “Is it a Lykae?”
Garret shook his head and snorted in disgust. “No, it’s some poor sap, possibly a witch. Warlock maybe.”
“It’s a battle they want?”
This got another shrug and distant look back the way they’d come. He couldn’t tell if Garret listened to something only he heard, or studied the trail, or simply wasn’t going to answer. Finally, Garret glanced at him and something, worry Stephano realized, flashed over his stoic expression. “No, not a battle, I think. They spoke of her.” He jerked his head toward where the rest of their group had gone up the trail.
Stephano felt a shiver race down his spine. “They knew Maeve was with us?”
“They knew we had a woman. They spoke like she would bring a large amount of money. Enough to have them on her trail for weeks.”
The wind picked up, sprinkling large dots of rain on them in a sudden fierce flurry, then died out. He hoped for rain, but didn’t count on it. The mini drizzles lasted seconds, drying up as quickly as they struck the earth. The scent of wetness grew heavier. It would work in their favor. “Since before we met up with Brennan and Maeve?” That news wasn’t good. “Are they from the Dark Faye lands?”
“No. Somewhere down south.” Garret spit and wiped his mouth. “They smell of evil, but there’s no one of power with them. My guess? They serve some beings much like the Dark Faye. The men’s speech is odd, guttural like the men from down south.”
He didn’t ask how Garret knew so much about this land and its people. Garret didn’t speak of his capture. Even though they’d left their realm within minutes of each other, he’d been captured. It’d taken them time to break him free. He must have spoken to one or more of the men from down south.
Stephano tugged on his ear as he thought out the plan. “And they’re not after us, eh? More warriors to fight for them?”
A shake of his head. “They’re after Maeve.”
The words sent a chill over his arms. He studied the light. The sun would set all too soon. The evenings were shorter here. The build-up of a storm was also a factor. Still, a dozen was still a dozen. If even one escaped…
“We hit them from up top.” Stephano didn’t like it, but it was their only option. “I’ll take the left side of the ravine, you the right. We bring them all down.” Garret carried a long bow. It would help. “How many can you take out before they can pin your location?”
“I can move.” Garret pulled an arrow and notched it.
“See you get your half, then, wolf.”
“I’ll get mine. You worry about yours.”
“I never worry about mine.” A dozen was a walk in the park. “We want to prevent them from getting to the canyon. And for going back for aid. Don’t miss.”
Garret’s eyes shimmered golden, revealing his bond with his wolf. “I never miss. We’ll tally up after, Spartan.”
He grinned. “There won’t be a need, wolf.” Almost everyone that knew him thought he knew women well. He didn’t. He knew one thing, and one thing well—killing.
Now that he had an objective, all the built-up adrenaline brought on by unfulfilled lust shot through his veins. Battle. Sex. Both were a pleasure, sometimes one as fulfilling as the other.