Page 68 of Blood & Claw

By the Five. No wonder a clutch of them had attacked. Gateway had brought the imps out to hunt, but they’d made things easy for them by camping on their doorstep.

The warriors saw it too, and their faces tightened.

Maol growled a curse and spat on the ground as they rode by.

17: FIERCE

DARACH BUCKLED HIS dagger belt around his hips and cast Ailsa a sidelong look. “Right, let’s get moving.”

Dawn had just broken, taking with it the eerie shrieks and cries of the Slew.

He’d slept long and deep and awoken more refreshed than he’d felt in moons. He could still sense the beast sleeping beneath his skin—he always could—but its growls had almost eased to a purr this morning. A welcome relief.

However, his companion didn’t look so well rested.

Ailsa’s face, usually paler than most people’s, was bloodless this morning. Her cheeks were drawn, her dark eyes hollowed and red-rimmed; almost as if she’d been crying. And as she shrugged on her fine green cloak and fastened it at the throat, he marked the slight tremble in her fingers.

“Aye,” she replied huskily.

Darach frowned. “Is something wrong?”

Her gaze glanced off him, yet she didn’t meet his eye. “No.” Her tone was clipped, and he wondered if she was still sore at him over his disappearing trick. She had every right; even the best of his excuses had been weak.

However, there was no way he could tell her the truth.

She’d drop him like a hot coal if she knew. And he needed to stay with her.

“Didn’t you sleep?” he asked.

“I did … but the Slew woke me early.” She cut him a rueful look then. “Unlike you. I swear, a gang of boggarts could have marched through the door, and you wouldn’t have stirred.”

He caught the disapproval in her voice and frowned.

Another mark against him. A bodyguard who slept through danger wasn’t worth much.

In truth, he’d been so tired the night before that little could have disturbed him. Even so, it was dangerous to slumber so deeply. What if a malevolent wraith had squeezed in through the smoke vent?

As a warrior, he knew better.

And what use was he to Ailsa, if he slept like a stone?

He couldn’t let that happen again.

“Well, at least that’s Gateway done with.” Throwing on his cloak, he pulled the iron bar free from the door. Then, one hand on the hilt of a knife strapped to his thigh, he drew the door open. Best to exercise a little caution.

Pale light streamed in, bringing with it clean, frosty air.

Outdoors, the sun was cresting the hills to the east. The Sweeper had died.

The air felt light, as if the world had just let out its breath.

Now that Gateway had passed, the people of Rhu could get on with their lives for another turn of the seasons.

Darach crossed the stable yard in long strides.

Rùn greeted him with a whicker from the stable opposite. The stallion pawed at the ground, making it clear that he too was eager to be off.

“Looks like no damage was done,” Darach announced, ducking into the stall.