Robbie grinned. “ ’Tis a sound plan that. All right, Gretchen. ’Tis agreed. You go first.”
Gretchen stared suspiciously at both boys but gladly took position on the shield that Gannon positioned in the snow.
“Now hold your skirts tight and don’t let go of the sides,” Christina said anxiously.
“All set?” Cormac asked.
“Aye, send me off,” Gretchen said, her eyes wide with excitement.
Gannon gave her a gentle push, but the polished iron of the shield was slick on the surface and she quickly picked up speed. Soon she was flying along the ground, barely skimming the surface.
At one point she turned sideways, gave a delighted squeal, and then was able to set herself to rights by using the weight of her body.
“ ’Tis a clever lass,” Gannon said in resignation. “I’ve no doubt that one day she’ll lead her own army.”
Christina and Keeley exchanged smug glances.
Gretchen landed at the bottom, coming to a skidding halt barely inches from one of the large trees that guarded the entrance to the forest. She waved her hand excitedly to let them know that all was well, not that they couldn’t tell that from the broad grin covering her face.
Dragging the shield behind her, she struggled up the hillside until Gannon went down to help her.
Crispen was next to go and he shouted all the way down, his laughter ringing over the snow. He spun in several dizzying circles at the bottom before coming to a halt in a particularly deep drift.
Robbie was next and he howled his displeasure at tipping over halfway down and rolling like a runaway snowball for the rest of the way.
Thinking it looked like good fun, Crispen and Gretchen threw themselves in the snow and began rolling down the hill after Robbie.
“Would you like to try it, Keeley?” Gannon offered politely as he pointed at the empty shield.
Her first instinct was a vehement refusal, but she swore she saw challenge in the warrior’s eyes. Her gaze narrowed and she fixed him with a glare. “You think me too cowardly to try.”
Gannon shrugged. “It does seem rather fearsome for a slight lass as yourself.”
Christina choked and covered the sound with rapid coughing.
“That sounds remarkably like a challenge, warrior, but I have one of my own to make. If I go down the hill without tumbling from the shield, you and Cormac must also attempt it.”
Cormac scowled. “ ’Tis unseemly for warriors to indulge in child’s play.”
“Well, if you’re afraid,” she said innocently.
“Did you question our courage?” Gannon asked incredulously.
“Aye, I did. What think you to do about it?”
Gannon threw down the shield and pointed. “Get yourself on it and prepare to be soundly trumped.”
Keeley rolled her eyes and settled herself onto the cold metal. “ ’Tis so like a man to allow his pride to go before a fall.”
Before she could say yay or nay, or anything else for that matter, Gannon gave her a mighty shove down the hill. She lurched back and grasped desperately at the edge of the shield and hung on for dear life as the slick metal flew over the ice-covered landscape.
Oh dear, this was indeed a lot more difficult than it appeared, and she would need all her wits about her to complete the run without taking a huge spill.
Down the hill the children chanted her name and cheered wildly as she drew near. The problem was she raced right by them and into the trees beyond.
She squeezed her eyes shut and curled her arms atop her head just as she went flying through the air. She landed with a bounce in a snowdrift and ate a mouthful of snow.
Thank goodness she hadn’t wrapped herself around a tree.
“Keeley! Keeley!”
It was hard to discern who shouted her name. It was a mix of the children and the roars of Gannon and Cormac. She glanced up in time to see the children fast converging while Gannon and Cormac—after instructing Christina to remain where she was—charged down the hill.
An uneasy prickle raced down Keeley’s nape. Her nostrils flared and she sensed … Her head whipped up just as several warriors charged through the trees, bearing right down on her and the children.
“Attack!” she yelled. “We’re under attack!”
Intrigued by the fact that Gannon had fetched an old shield from the pile of armor that needed repairing, Alaric followed after the other man as he trudged up the hill to where the children usually played. Only, no one was there. He knew that Keeley had taken the children to play as Ewan had given Crispen permission for her to do so.
He quickened his step to follow Gannon and when he reached the rise that Gannon had disappeared over, he saw Keeley, Christina, Cormac, and the children at the next peak. He quickly saw the purpose of the shield when Gretchen plopped down onto it and then went flying down the opposite side.
With a grin he started the long hike up the opposing side. He hadn’t slid down a hill on a shield in many a year. It still sounded like a hell of a lot of fun though.
When he staggered to the top, he was shocked to see Keeley settle onto the shield and then Gannon give her a mighty push. One way too big for a lass her size. She went spinning down the hill, out of control and obviously headed for trouble.
She disappeared into the trees just as Gannon and Cormac turned and saw Alaric standing there.
The two men started down the hillside at a near run, slipping and sliding along the way. The children had already disappeared into the trees after her, when Alaric started after Gannon and Cormac.
The men froze when they heard Keeley cry, “Attack! We’re under attack!”