Page 63 of Bound to a Warrior
Thick dead branches lay strewn around and sizable rocks, partially hidden by earth and time, jutted out unexpectedly, catching a foot or scraping a leg. More than once Duncan’s quick response prevented her from falling. And each time there was no annoyance or judgment in his dark eyes, simply concern.
She could feel exhaustion begin to claim her limbs and, as before, she ignored it and plodded on. There would be time enough to rest once they reached safe ground.
She was grateful, however, when a short time later Duncan signaled for them to stop and take a brief rest.
She leaned against a thick tree trunk allowing her weary limbs to rest while Duncan busily looked about. She knew she had only a few moments and a nap wasn’t possible or wise, but she closed her eyes hoping to pretend when she opened them that she had napped for a couple of hours.
Her eyes sprung open and she tensed when she heard the crack of a branch and immediately looked to Duncan to see if he had heard it too. He had. His eyes were wide and his finger pressed to his lips, reminding her to remain silent.
“Watch where you’re stepping, you fool.”
The low and angry whisper seemed to surround them and all they could do was remain still and wait.
“We’ve seen no sign of them,” the man said angrily. “I tell you, the Picts got them.”
“They better not have,” the other man retorted sharply. “The king now wants her alive.”
The man grumbled. “What if she’s already dead?”
“I wouldn’t want to be the one to tell the king that.”
Their voices faded along with their footsteps.
Mercy decided that it would be best if she appeared perplexed as to why the king would want her kept alive. So she was surprised when Duncan stepped close to her and leaned down to whisper in her ear.
“I’m sorry.”
“No need,” she murmured and with light steps they set off again.
The overheard conversation seemed to have upset them both, their thoughts being elsewhere, when suddenly they both stopped and realized they heard the snort of a horse, or were there more than one?
It drew closer, louder and Mercy felt for sure there were several horses and they were about to surround them. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest. They couldn’t have traveled this far, have gotten so close to safety only to be caught.
And why in God’s name did her father suddenly want her kept alive.
Duncan stepped behind her and pressed his mouth near her ear. “No choice. We must run.”
She nodded knowing he was right. It would be harder for the soldiers on horseback to keep up with them through the dense forest. Their only recourse was to run as fast as possible, keep ahead and pray they reached safety and help before the soldiers reached them.
“Ready?” Duncan asked and locked his hand with hers.
She nodded and gave her chin a tenacious tilt.
He grinned, kissed her quickly and nodded.
She took off with him. Her short legs were no match for his long ones and so she had to pump doubly hard to keep up with him. She jumped fallen branches right along with him and while he could easily vault boulders, she couldn’t. So he swung her up so that her foot grazed the boulder and then he would see that she landed safely on her feet.
The pounding of the horses’ hooves rumbled the ground beneath her feet and she was certain that any second they would be pounced upon and captured. And so she kept up the grueling pace.
They whipped through a grove of trees that surely would slow the horses down and hopefully put more distance between them. The happy thought had her smiling, though it was wiped from her face fast enough when her foot caught the edge of a rock and she went tumbling forward.
She felt her arm jerked back but not before the side of her head bounced off a rock. She didn’t know what pained her more, her arm or her head? She had no choice but to ignore both, though it was difficult with the blood that ran from her head wound down her face and over her eye.
She couldn’t let Duncan know and was glad it was on her right side, where he couldn’t see it. If he saw the blood he would certainly want to stop and tend to it and they couldn’t. The distance they were gaining would be lost, and by no means did she intend to be the cause of their capture.
They made it to a small clearing and Duncan halted abruptly and took a quick look around. The sudden stop sent dizziness spinning through her and she thought she would faint.
Don’t you dare faint, she warned while trying to keep Duncan from seeing the blood.
