He stared down at his fist, the whites of his knuckles visible.
“It seemed ‘twas only yesterday that a chieftain put out a call for our help,” he said, his tone cheerless. He leaned over and picked up a stick near his foot. “We surprised the English bastards with our quick arrival, and managed to annihilate a guid number of them. But it wasnae nearly enough.” He pushed the stick into the fire pit, stabbing it into a burning log. “They came searching for us afterward, raiding and torching every town in their path. And then they came into MacGregon territory.” His voice cracked, and he stopped talking as if he couldn’t bring himself to continue.
“And they murdered her,” she said, finishing for him.
“Aye,” he nodded. “The lass along with her parents were burned alive.” The stick in his hand broke in half. “And there was nothing that I or anyone else could have done tae help them. Her older brother Blane was with us at the time, sae at least his life was spared, but Brenda…” he cleared his throat as if he was overcome by emotion, “…Brenda was such a charming and innocent lass; she didnae deserve tae have her life end sae soon.”
Love and sorrow intertwined into his voice, and a curious feeling rose to Adrina’s chest. She pushed it aside, not wanting to examine it any further.
But she caught his gaze, and was startled to see the intense anger and hate that burned there.
Duncan tossed the broken stick into the fire with an unconscious force, causing the sparks to fly every which way. Blue smoke smoldered off of the stick before it burst into flames. “Many people have died in the hands of the English, sae my story is nae unique,” he continued. “Now ‘tis up tae the living tae avenge our loved ones, and tae hold onto what is rightfully ours.”
Duncan stabbed the carcass with his knife, and found that the juices ran clear. Grabbing ahold of the stick, he took the steaming meat off the fire. It was small fare, but it was enough to tide them over until the next meal.
He didn’t know what possessed him to tell Adrina about Brenda. He had tried his best to forget about the lass, but her senseless death had burned a hole in his soul. They had been so close to the horrific scene. Both he and Blane had wanted to tear out from their hiding spot, and rescue the Cunningtouns from the burning house. But Rory held them back. “’Tis unsafe,” he had said.
In the end, Duncan knew that his brother was right. Had he and Blane bolted out of their hiding place, they would have put everyone at risk. Instead of three lives lost, their entire troop might have been maimed or slaughtered.
Cutting off a piece of the rabbit, he offered it to Adrina. She gingerly took the meat from the blade and ate it. He sliced off a portion of the carcass for himself, and started to eat it even though his hunger had disappeared.
Off in the distance, he heard a faint rumble. The wind had started to pick up, and began to tear at the flames in the fire pit. Tilting his head, his eyes narrowed when he caught sight of the darkening clouds. Yet it puzzled him that the last of the sun still shone over the treetops. He also found it odd that until now, there were no indications of the coming storm.
“The horses are restless,” Adrina said, glancing nervously at the beasts.
He looked over at their mounts and discovered that she was right. “They are likely skittish over the approaching storm.” He was about to get up and tend to them when he noticed a raven perched in a nearby tree. “Or perhaps ‘tis the raven that disturbs the beasts,” he added casually.
A startled look appeared on her countenance, and she straightened her spine. “A raven?” she repeated, her tone anxious. “Where is it?”
“On the tree next tae where our rides are tethered.” He picked up another log from the ground, and dropped it into the fire pit. “It appears tae be following us.”
She turned her head toward the spot that he indicated, and stared at the raven in the tree. The blood slowly drained from her face, and when she spoke again, her voice was hoarse, “Has it been following us for long?”
“Since we left town,” he said.
She let out a small sound of distress. “This cannae be guid.”
Getting up quickly from her seat, she searched the ground for a rock. When she found one that was the size of her palm, she picked it up and threw it at the bird. “Be gone!” she hissed.
Her aim was surprisingly good, and the stone struck at the bark, just below the bird’s feet. It opened its stout bill, and let out an irritatedkraahbefore flying to a branch that was higher up. And there it perched as still as a statue, continuing to watch them.
“’Tis still there,” she said, glaring at it. She scanned the ground for something else to throw at it.
“Relax,” he said. “’Tis only a beastie. It cannae harm us.”
“That’s where ye are wrong,” she said, sitting back down on her rock. She hugged her arms to her chest. “Since ancient times, ravens were known tae feed on human corpses. And tae this day, they’re present whenever death and destruction is nigh. Fingal MacNauld disnae care about the ill omens that the raven brings, and keeps one as a pet. He speaks tae the black bird as if it could understand him. And as long as I remember, ‘tis never far from its master.” She squinted at the animal. “It has a tiny crack at the base of its beak —”
“Who’s Fingal MacNauld?” he asked casually. “Is he a relation of yours?”
“Nay, he’s an evil man!” she said without hesitating. Adrina appeared that she wanted to say more, but she laced her fingers together, and laid them on her lap. She became silent for a few moments, as if she realized that her outburst made no sense to him. “He was a cleric, although he took on the duty of principal advisor tae my father. Despite what everyone thinks, I believe that he’s repugnant, and I regret the day that he found employment at Dunnvie Castle.”
“Sae this MacNauld is responsible for your troubles.”
“Aye,” she shuddered. “He’s the one who jinxed us all. Unfortunately the people are unaware of the role he plays in their imprisonment. They often repeated his words as if they were their own, and completed deeds that they wouldnae normally do.”
“And ye are taking it upon yourself tae free these people from his influence,” he said, coming to his own conclusions. He was seeing her with new eyes. Adrina had traveled all the way to Tancraig Castle with no regard for her own safety. It was a miracle to him, and everyone else that she had arrived safely at her destination even though all manner of danger existed in the highlands.
A loud clap of thunder ripped through the sky, the noise reverberating through to the ground and making it tremble. At the same time, the wind picked up suddenly. The gale lifted the branches high and then snapped them down, violently shaking the leaves.
