Page 46 of A Fearless Rebel

“Spying for them, of course,” Alastair said. “She claims to be concerned about us.”

“I am not lying!” Ava had dashed to her mother’s side. “Now that I know ye fare well, I will return. I was worried…”

“No.” Alastair motioned a guard forward. “Take my sister to her chamber. Bind her arms and stand at the door.”

Hours later, as darkness fell, she managed to slip from the bed and to her feet. However, there was nothing in the room that could be used to cut her ties. Thankfully, the guard had not had anything to tie her with and had resorted to using strips of fabric he’d torn from her underdress.

Her wrists burned from her struggles and she frantically searched the room for something to use. There was a fire in the hearth and she neared it. Then she lowered to sit on the floor and lifted her arms. Carefully and slowly, she held the bindings close to the fire.

Ava hissed as the flames scorched her skin until, finally, the fabric gave way.

She raced to the window to ascertain the possibility of escape. The chamber faced the front of the keep. The window was narrow, but she could slip out of it. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a drop to the ground below.

Just then, guards arrived at the gates, and the group called up to the gate guards who then began the process of opening them.

The small party entered the courtyard. It was then Ava noticed that a man was thrown over one of the horse’s backs. Whoever it was seemed to be unconscious.

The arrivals would be the distraction she needed to get away.

She went to the bed to pull the bedding off, but then the door opened, and the guard rushed in. “What are ye doing?”

“Men arrive.” She pointed to the window.

The guard gave her a narrowed look. “Get back on the bed.”

Ava took a step to the bed. She was glad when the guard’s curiosity got the best of him, and he went to peer out the window. She dashed to the door and raced to the end of the corridor, opposite of the way out.

There was no exit in the direction she was heading, so she knew the guard would go in the other direction, hoping to catch her.

At hearing his footsteps racing away, she dashed back into the bedchamber, closing the door behind her. She locked it and then hurried to the window.

This time, she’d have to jump without the aid of a sheet. She shimmied out feet first and then dangled from her fingertips.

When she landed on her bottom, the fall cushioned by a plush bush, Ava could have cried with gladness.

It would be a bit of a trek to get to the side entrance but, thankfully, everyone was distracted as the guards carried whoever they’d captured into the house.

Ava leaned forward to ensure the path was clear and her breath caught.

The horse the man had been brought on kicked its front hooves into the air, announcing its displeasure. The animal landed back on its legs and trotted toward her.

It was Keithen’s warhorse, Gallant. Without thinking, Ava jumped onto the horse’s back and kicked the animal’s sides. “Go,” she whispered urgently into its ears, guiding the animal straight into the courtyard.

Men scrambled out of her way as the huge beast threatened to trample them. One of the guardsmen gave her a puzzled look but then shook his head, not sure what to do.

The horse galloped at top speed out the front gates.

Ava was sure they’d be followed but, hopefully, Alastair would be too preoccupied with Keithen to care.

“Go,” Ava said to the horse, digging her legs into the animal’s sides. “Go!”

She had to save Keithen which meant riding to the closest Fraser allies.

Clan Ross.

*

Heart hammering as Gallant’s huge hooves thundered across the ground, Ava could not fathom how it would be possible to save Keithen. If he wasn’t already dead, then there was a chance she could arrive and ask Laird Ross to come back with her to help.