Page 40
“All right, all right.”
The guard finally stepped back, and the two of them proceeded to the gates, lifted three heavy bars, and pulled the gates open.
Owen inhaled deeply and then let out a long breath. There it was, freedom, right in the darkness between those giant, impenetrable doors.
He urged his horse forward gently. He’d send it into a gallop if he could, be he’d promised Amber they’d go slowly. He heard the other horses moving behind him, and his heart thumped in his chest as he listened for any signs of pursuit.
The forest was getting closer. The moon came out from behind the clouds, and he saw the woods before him like a black, frozen sea. Not long now. He looked back. Even in the darkness, he could see Amber’s wide eye and her erect posture. Her horse snorted and shook its head. Amber was making it nervous.
“Just a little longer, lass,” Owen said.
“Stop them!” someone cried from the castle. There was the rumble of horse hooves and Owen saw the dark shadows of three…four…five riders galloping down the slope from the gates.
His skin chilled. “Quick!” he yelled. “Forward!”
Muireach’s horse darted forward.
“How?” Amber cried. “How do I make it gallop?”
Damn, she really didn’t know how to ride a horse. “Spur it on with your heels in its sides!”
The riders were approaching, but he couldn’t leave her alone.
“Come, Amber! Do it.”
She dug her heels into the horse’s sides and it neighed, reared, and dashed forward. Owen followed.
They approached the woods, but the riders were right behind them. Amber rode first, her horse flying now. She didn’t have any control over it. Please dinna throw Amber off.
He spurred his horse on, allowing it to gallop faster. But the guards were already catching up. Muireach slowed his horse down and came level with Owen.
“I’ll hinder them. Ye and Amber go on.”
“What? Nae!”
“Aye. ’Tis how I fight for Scotland’s freedom. The Bruce must ken about the ambush at the Pass of Brander. ’Tis how he can get rid of the MacDougalls and win this war.”
“Nae, Muireach! We can all escape, the three of us.”
“Goodbye, Owen Cambel. For Scotland!” He unsheathed his sword, turned his horse, and galloped back towards the riders.
“Stop!” Owen called.
Owen was torn between needing to save Amber and wanting to get Muireach back. But the older man was already too far away. If Owen turned back now, he’d lose sight of Amber, and who knew where her horse would take her, or if it would throw her off its back.
“Damn it, Muireach!” Owen cursed under his breath as his throat tightened painfully and nausea rose in his stomach.
The man had made his choice. And he was right. Owen needed to get the information about the Pass of Brander to the Bruce. It wasn’t about his freedom anymore. It was about Scotland’s.
He glanced back for the last time. Muireach had stopped three of them. One already lay on the ground, and two were fighting him. Two more riders still chasing after Owen and Amber. But they’d slowed down when Muireach attacked and were far behind now. Owen and Amber had a good chance of losing them.
He needed to catch up with Amber, so he spurred the horse on, leaning close to its mane in an attempt to fuse with its sleek body and dissolve in the wind.
Chapter 13
Black trees flashed against the dark-gray night, branches hitting her face, grazing her skin, and tearing her clothes.
Amber prayed. Please, don’t let me die. Please, let all this be a dream…
