Hana nodded and was about to turn in another direction when Riley stopped her.
“Just so you dinnae think of trying it again,” Riley said and turned to Dawn a smug smile on his face as he went to raise his hand.
She did not wait. She spit a mouthful of blood in his face and hurried out of his reach, taking Hana with her.
That’s when a vicious roar ripped through the trees and Dawn smiled—her husband had arrived.
CHAPTER 25
Beast burst through the surrounding trees first and headed straight for Dawn. He planted himself in front of her and Hana, baring his sharp and deadly teeth in a vicious snarl to warn all away.
The three mercenaries didn’t hesitate to retreat. They scattered in three different directions, Riley stumbling as he went, while trying to wipe the blood off his face.
Cree burst past the trees, his warriors behind him, Torin and his tracker among them. “FIND THEM!” he shouted, and his men rushed into the woods, Henry and Torin’s tracker joining them.
Cree went straight to his wife, his anger mounting at the blood that ran from her mouth and the sizeable welt on her cheek.
Dawn was eager to feel her husband’s arms around her, but Hana drew her attention with a tug of her hand.
“Please, help, more search,” Hana said, tears trickling down her cheeks.
Dawn gestured quickly to Cree before he could gather her in his arms.
“It will wait a moment,” he ordered and scooped a handful of snow off the ground to press at her cheek and at the side of her bloody mouth. He lowered his brow to hers. “You are a handful, wife.”
Dawn smiled and gestured.
“Aye, you are right… I love you anyway.” Cree kissed her brow.
Dermid, Dawn mouthed, having worried over the warrior.
Concern filled his wife’s eyes and he told her what he knew so far. “We found him making his way back to the keep, the arrow still in his shoulder. He has been taken to the healer.”
“Please help,” Hana said, her small hand tugging at Dawn’s.
Dawn turned pleading eyes on her husband.
Cree hunched down in front of the lass. “Tell me how I can help.”
“More men search for us,” Hana said, her tears continuing to trickle along her cheeks. “Trent keeps them away with false tracks, but he got hurt and now the men grow close. Please! Please! We must go to them.”
Torin stepped forward as soon as Cree stood. “I will go gather my warriors and have Argus’s warriors join us as well.”
With a nod from Cree, Torin took off.
Dawn was glad Cree did not send her back with Torin, but then she would have only slowed him down and, besides, he would trust no one but himself to protect her now.
“You will stay close or hide well if fighting ensues,” Cree ordered, and Dawn nodded. He looked to Beast. “Stay with the lass.” He would not chance losing her.
Beast’s response—stepping close to Hana—showed he would do as commanded.
“Take us where the others wait,” Cree said to the lass, and she released Dawn’s hand and hurried ahead of them, Beast keeping pace beside her.
Cree kept a firm hand on his wife’s arm as they followed the lass. When he came upon one of his warriors, he learned that two of the mercenaries had been captured. He ordered his warrior to gather more warriors and follow them and he also let him know more warriors were on the way.
“Has the lass told you anything about these others who hide?” Cree asked as they followed as quickly as the accumulating snow would allow.
Dawn shook her head and was glad the snowfall had tempered some, making it easier to see in front of oneself, though trekking through the snow still remained burdensome.
Hana stopped a good distance ahead, turning slowly and looking carefully around.
Six of Cree’s warriors caught up with Cree and followed him and Dawn to the lass.
“Do you see anyone about?” Hana asked when Cree and Dawn reached her.
“I have noticed no one, but I have warriors who will protect you and the others,” Cree assured her.
“He has more,” Hana said, hugging herself. “And he is mean.”
Cree scowled. “And I am meaner.”
Dawn worried his words would frighten the lass, but Hana smiled.
“That is good,” the lass said and gave one last look around before she pushed aside the branches of a large bush. “Follow me.” She and Beast disappeared in a blink of an eye.
Cree yanked the branches back, snow falling off them as he went first, then held the thick limbs up high for Dawn to pass through. His warriors who followed did the same, creating an archway to make it easier for Dawn to walk through. They came out on the edge of a slope, Hana already descending slowly down it as Beast bounded down ahead of her.