"I have something to shut you up," Alpin warned through clenched teeth.
Crap! What would he do now? She'd gone too far with her insults and threats. Adrenaline fueling her, she struggled several more times to break away. But they hung on tight, like a couple of rabid dogs.
"Put her on my horse, face down," Alpin ordered. Two of his goons lifted her and tossed her over the front of the saddle. She attempted to slide off and land on her feet, but one creep held her in place while the other tied her hands to the stirrup.
Alpin swung up into the saddle behind her and grasped the reins. "Be still, wench. We'll be there in no time." He smacked her butt.
She cringed in disgust. "Don't touch me, pervert!"
He laughed and urged the horse forward. As it trotted over the rocky ground, the saddle jabbed up into her stomach.
"Ow! You'll pay for this, I promise," she yelled, but her voice vibrated so much Alpin probably didn't understand a word. He and his minions didn't slow. When they reached a worn trail, they kicked the horses into a gallop. Pains shot through her abdomen. Facing the ground as it whizzed by, she couldn't draw a deep enough breath to scream out.
Where had Gavin gone? She no longer heard his hawk whistles overhead.
Don't leave me, Gavin, please.
Tears dripped from her eyes as the rocky ground flew past.
I'm sorry I couldn't stop the curse. I wanted to. But everyone put too much faith in me.
∞∞∞
Gavin watched from far above as Alpin and his cronies took Dani toward the damnable witch's lair a few miles away. He didn't want Ewan and Finch involved because he couldn't warn them of the danger. They would be outnumbered by Wilona's forces and 'haps killed, all for naught. Those two couldn't rescue Dani. Gavin had to do it.
Pumping his wings furiously, he increased his altitude. Never had he hated his hawk form more, for he couldn't help Dani right now. At least an hour remained before he would convert to human.
He flew higher and higher, trying to avoid notice from the men below as they headed toward Raeglen Castle with Dani. He considered dropping stones on their heads, but he feared he would hurt her in the process. A rock could hit her, or the horses might bolt.
Dani lay on her stomach across Alpin's saddle, her head and arms dangling. He wanted to throttle the knave for treating Dani so horribly. She might even now be in great pain. She turned her head, still alert.
The sun hung low in the sky when he lit in the top of a massive oak a few hundred yards from Raeglen Castle. He must reach his destination before sunset, or he would shift in this tree and possibly kill himself. Flying while transforming would be an even worse disaster.
Two guards patrolled the castle's ramparts. When they noticed Alpin's approaching party, one guard disappeared from view.
Gavin took off from the tree and flew closer to Raeglen. With the remaining guard's full attention on the riders, Gavin landed unnoticed on the ramparts behind him, hopped down to the roof, and hid behind one of the chimneys. The orange glow of sunset illuminated the stones, but the light faded to gloaming within a few minutes. The shift began, and Gavin closed his eyes, focusing on remaining silent during the painful transformation.
"What the hell!" a man shouted.
Gavin's eyes popped open to find the guard watching him, frozen in stunned disbelief. Then his hand moved toward his sheathed sword. In human form, Gavin launched himself upward from his crouched position, knocking the man backward. His head hit one of the stone merlons, and he lay unmoving.
Noting the guard still breathed, Gavin relieved him of his weapons, leather armor, and clothing. With the dirk, he cut off strips of the plaid and bound the guard's hands behind his back, then tied his feet. Gavin dragged him to an out-of-the-way nook and concealed him as best he could. The guard needed to stay hidden until Gavin got Dani well away from this hell-pit.
He detested wearing other people's clothes, but it couldn't be helped this time. He slipped the linen shirt over his head and pulled it down, belted the plaid into place, and put on the studded leather hauberk.
He looped the baldric, which held the sword, over his head, then slid the dirk into the scabbard at his waist.
After pulling the upper portion of the plaid over his head like a cowl to hide his face, he stepped inside the small door and closed it back. He stole down the narrow spiral stairwell from the roof to the top floor, then paused to listen. Hearing no one, he proceeded down another flight of steps.
Leather shoes slapped against the stone steps as someone trotted upward. Gavin crept through the open doorway of a darkened room and hid. A young maid bearing a tray scurried by and into a nearby chamber.
"What's that for?" Sounded like the grumpy voice of an older woman.
"Her ladyship said to bring bread and ale to this chamber, where her guest will stay."
"Guest?" The woman cackled. "A prisoner, more like. Put it on that table."
"Very well. Do you think 'tis poisoned?"
