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And then they ran.

9

Someone had seen them.

Even pulling her along, they’d not been quick enough. It was too open, and Galien had known it the moment he spotted the clearing. But since his eyes had been covered all the way from Rockborowy to Abnarth, he was unsure what to expect.

Like this entire evening.

Though he’d been hoping for an opportunity such as this, Galien had never really expected it. And certainly not in the form of the lovely daughter of the Earl of Anbarth who, if he was correct, was actually as Scottish as he. A turn of events that none, including him, could have predicted.

Galien would be damned if he’d be recaptured now.

“This way.” He’d let go of her hand when they re-entered the forest. Navigating downed tree limbs and possible obstacles hidden among the fallen leaves, they’d been forced to slow their pace. He wanted to put distance between them and knowing if they were, indeed, being followed, but Galien still decided to stop, indicating Lady Reina to do the same.

“You heard the horn?” he asked, unsure if she understood his concern.

“I did. We were spotted, aye?”

“Aye,” he said, listening. Hearing nothing, he made a decision. “We must hide. Convince them we had, perhaps, a better-planned escape. Convince them we left on horseback. Once it’s discovered we are gone, we will never evade their search party on foot.”

“Hide?” Reina had somehow managed to stay strong until now. But Galien knew fear, and her eyes did not lie. He needed her calm, however, for the long night ahead. “How?” she asked.

“I will find a place,” he said. “And when I do, we will stay there until they pass. However long it takes. Otherwise, we will be forced to find a makeshift hiding spot, an inferior one, and all will be lost. We cannot outrun them,” he repeated. “But we can evade them. Do you understand?”

She was soaked. Obviously miserable. And scared. But Lady Reina pulled her wet hair away from her face with both hands, took a deep, calming breath, and nodded. Never, until that moment, had he wanted to kiss a woman more.

Maybe it was because she’d freed him.

Maybe it was because her gown clung to her almost as indecently as if she weren’t wearing one.

Maybe it was because his newfound freedom lent Galien an appreciation of everything, like he’d not known before.

Or maybe it was due to Lady Reina’s forced bravado, coupled with the determination of a warrior preparing for battle.

Whatever it was, this was neither the time nor place. The very thought was absurd.

“Take this off,” he said of the brooch that pulled her undertunic together. “And this.” He pointed to the thick gold belt below her waist. “I will carry both,” he said, preparing his plaid to serve as a sack.

She did it before he could even explain his request, that the glint from either could give them away. When she handed them to him, their fingers touched. As it had the first time, when he’d grabbed her hand, an awareness passed between them. But this time, she noticed.

“Lady Reina—”

“Reina,” she said as he hid her adornments. “We are not familiars, of course,” she said. “But it seems as if we may be so before this adventure is over.”

She meant it innocently enough, but a rush at her words was not tempered by the fact that they must be moving along. He had agreed to help her find the truth about her parents, and if they were able to make good on this escape, he would do so. So aye, they would be more familiar as the days passed. But he was no despoiler of women, and his life had been dedicated to a cause bigger than him, or even his clan. Despite it, he wanted her. Denying the fact was like denying that they were still in very real danger.

“Reina,” he began again. “If we are caught, I will attest to having manipulated you into giving me those keys. Into taking you with me as collateral. Do you understand?” She was clearly preparing to argue with him, so Galien repeated himself more firmly. “Do you understand?”

She nodded.

“Damn, it is raining hard,” he said, turning to find a good place to shelter. Dismissing multiple spots that would be obvious for hiding, he continued to look, Reina on his heels, for some time. The moon as their only guide, the two of them moved slowly. Finally, he spotted it.

“This way,” he shouted over the pelting rain. Moving deeper and deeper into the thicket, Galien attempted to look back the way they came. That there were no obvious paths in here, and that their footsteps would be washed away, made finding a hiding spot easier. Finally satisfied they would be hidden from each direction, he carefully navigated the bushes, holding branches when necessary for Reina to follow. Then, clearing a place for them to sit, he did so, indicating Reina should do the same.

Without a word, he began to scoop up mud from beside his leg. Slathering it on his face, he waited for Reina to understand. When she did, Galien laughed at her expression.

“Every bit of skin,” he said, repeating the process on his neck and hands. “’Tis the most visible part of us now.”