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But that was all she knew. And Galien could sense it.

“I will tell you. From the words of a man who was there, who witnessed it all. Edward spared no one. Like Dennochbrook. Women, children. . . everyone was slaughtered. For two days, streams of blood flowed from the bodies of the slain. In his tyrannous rage your king ordered seven thousand five hundred souls to be massacred so that mills could be turned by the flow of their blood. His words, Reina. Not mine.”

She was going to be ill, trying to imagine such a thing. Nay, she could not. Reina turned, the rage and despair on Galien’s face painful to look upon. She knew death. Had seen it assisting Joan many, many times. But that many lives? And innocents too? She thought of the village then, of the story he’d told her of Dennochbrook.

Reina shook her head, attempting to rid it of memories that haunted her still. Of the men they could not save. But they, at least, were trained. Trained their whole lives for battle, fought with weapons they had honed. She then thought of a mother and her children with naught to defend themselves as they faced death.

She attempted to take a deep breath, but could not.

15

Reina walked all night without complaint.

He’d calmed her before they left camp, breathing as he’d been taught to do to quiet his heartbeat before battle. For Reina, her battle was a personal one. Galien could not imagine being told his parents were not what they claimed. His own were as loving as any, his extended family one Galien was sure he did not truly appreciate, even with the complexities of having English aunts and uncles and cousins. Living along the border in times such as these was anything but simple.

But they were borderers. His family and clan, everything to him. Galien was certain his desire to protect them could co-exist with his need to see Scotland free from Edward’s chokehold. Aye, he’d been captured and nearly killed. But Galien would not dwell on the fact. He was freed, and alive. And determined to keep them both that way.

“Where shall we go from here?”

They could not take the old Roman road. Having left the shelter of the forest hours earlier, and with sunrise coming, they could not chance being spotted. He looked up to the mountains, trying to decide.

What would his father do?

Find cover and wait again until nightfall? Or continue beside the main road, which, at times, would provide no cover? If they walked all day, it was possible they could reach the Wild Boar by nightfall or just afterward.

“How far is this inn you spoke of?”

He looked at her. His plaid was slung across her, providing warmth and preserving some of the poor woman’s modesty for having to travel in a shift. But at least she was dry, and Reina had expressed pleasure at being able to walk much easier than she had in that velvet gown.

“That way.” He pointed. “If we keep moving, ’tis possible we will reach it just after the sun sets.”

“We should wait, aye? And travel again at night?”

“We could, but the woods are not as deep. There will be no fire, and your father’s men could navigate on horseback if they were to loop back around. I need a sword,” he said. “And a mount. You need to eat. And rest.”

Reina picked up her hair, braided again, and pushed it over her shoulder. He would grab that braid and pull her toward him, if he could. He would undo it and watch as Reina’s hair fell over her shoulder as she rode him. Galien would do many things, none of which were appropriate for a discussion on how to keep them from being discovered.

“Do not look at me that way.” Her admonishment lacked conviction.

“My apologies, lass.”

“Unless you mean to do something about it.”

Galien had been scanning the horizon, attempting to decide on their course. But her words brought him back. Brought him a step closer to her.

“I told you why I do not, Reina.”

“Because you are afraid.”

“Afraid? Nay, I am not.”

“Aye, Galien, you are afraid of losing control. You said as much yesterday.”

“I do not lose control.” He knew they should either continue walking or choose to stay. And yet, even as the sky told him the sun would soon rise, Galien took another step closer.

“You said you would not kiss me because you would be unable to stop.”

“Unwilling. Not unable. There is a difference, lass.”