“At first, and they left disappointed. Lord Brogan and Lord Rannick returned but again they left disappointed. Then Lord Rannick came alone.” Iver turned his head away and Una shivered from the memory. “It was after he returned home from his journey across the sea. I could not believe the change in him. A scar marred his fine features and his once fair skin had bronzed from the strong sun of foreign soil. His eyes, though,” —he shook his head— “they were soulless. Whatever humanity that was left in him was gone.”
A sharp stab of fear struck Annis’s stomach, twisting at it. If she hadn’t been gripping the tankard, her hands would have rushed to rub at the pain, little good that it would do. It did, however, strengthen her resolve to see this task done and save her sister.
“Where did this old woman live?” Annis asked.
“At the bottom of the largest hill, which is why she’s called the witch in the hills,” Iver said. “The tale is that she resides inside the hill to keep safe, but if she is a powerful witch, she has no reason to hide or fear others.”
“You waste your time like all the others,” Una said. “And like all the others, you make our lot worse.”
Iver stood and laid a comforting hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “Lay no blame on her, Una. Annis wants only to help her sister.”
Annis had to ask. “How does my presence make your lot worse?”
Iver spoke, tears brimming in Una’s eyes as she turned her face away. “Our village was once part of the Clan MacRae.”
“Lord Brogan’s clan?” Annis asked, surprised.
“Aye,” Iver said. “We were one of the outlying villages. We hunted for Lord Balloch, supplying him with meat for the winter and were allowed to keep a portion for ourselves. Then one day a few people took ill at the MacRae keep and they blamed it on the meat, claiming the witch had tainted it. Lord Balloch ordered us to hunt no more and we were scorned and banned from the clan. Lord Balloch ordered us to remain here and chase anyone away who came in search of the witch. Some here attempted to sneak off and find a better life. But they were caught and returned. There are only a handful of us left and I fear my daughter will be the last and destined to live her days out alone.”
Annis sprang off the bench. “I won’t let that happen.”
Una laughed. “And how will you stop it?”
Annis squared her shoulders. “I will find the witch and see an end brought to this troublesome curse.”
“What makes you think you can do what no one else has done?” Una asked, a hint of hope on her tongue.
Annis thought of the message the witch had given Nolan. “I know something no one else does. Now point me in the direction you pointed Nolan and I’ll be on my way.”
Iver pointed toward the mist. “At the foot of the hill you’ll find a place where two paths cross. You’ll see one is less traveled. That’s the one I told Nolan not to take. It’s not far, though the hills look a distance away. You’ll reach it soon enough. You need to be careful. Lord Balloch sends his warriors now and again to make sure the path shows no signs it’s been traveled. Anyone they find there goes to the keep’s dungeon.”
“I am grateful for the warning,” Annis said and took a drink before handing the tankard to Una. “I will break this curse.”
Tears returned to shine in Una’s soft blue eyes. “I pray you do.”
Annis forged ahead with determination and more than a dash of fear, the forest feeling as if it spread its arms to welcome her. Or did it mean to take her captive?
The mist lifted as she got closer, leaving a clear view of the hills. There was a grouping of three hills, ranging in size from tall to small. Heather covered a good portion of the smaller hill. Trees consumed the lower part of the middle hill, while a mixture of large stones and trees covered the largest hill.
She didn’t have far to go to reach the bottom of the hills where she was sure she’d find where the two paths crossed. She was so intent on her task that she hadn’t paid attention to the sounds around her. She heard the horses too late to hide.
“STOP WHERE YOU ARE!”
Annis turned to see two warriors approach and was reminded of what happened to those who Lord Balloch’s warriors caught—the dungeon. She didn’t think about it, she hoisted her cloak and ran for the dense growth of trees. The warriors would have a difficult time getting around them with their horses, giving her time to make her escape.
“YOU WON’T ESCAPE US!”