“I think you have a vivid imagination,” she replied but wondered at the moisture she swore glistened on the metal. Had he slit a man’s throat? Driven him through?
A heartbeat later, Teagan went still again, then whipped his dagger to the left. A strangled sound rang out before a thump resounded nearby.
“Time to move faster,” he whispered, moving as quickly as she knew he dared with them following. Her palms grew sweaty. Would one of Randolph’s men leap out of nowhere at them? Call for others? If they did, what then?
But she knew. She’d been dreading it all day. Not for herself, but for the others.
If they were caught, not only would it mean severe punishment and inevitable separation for Ada and her children, but Teagan’s death. Randolph and Bartholomew would hide it from Edmund, but they would see the Scotsman dead. She knew it without question.
So every step that led them away couldn’t come soon enough.
Fast enough.
She wanted them free of this place so that Ada and her children might have a life together. So that she and Teagan might have the same. Though startled at her thoughts, considering so little time had passed since she met him, she truly felt that way. Not only did she feel a blooming friendship with him, but something more.
Something she desperately wanted time to explore.
“You mean love?” Margery would hedge. “That is what we are talking about, yes?”
“Well, I would not go that far,” she’d reply. “What do I know of love?”
“Little,” Margery would say. “Where you should know far more.”
“But we only just met.”
“So?”
“So, love takes time.”
“How do you know when you know nothing of love?” A silly grin might hover on Margery's face. “I believe love can happen straight away just as easily as it can grow over time.”
“Yes,” she would reply. “But then you believe in love, to begin with.”
“Bloody hell,” Teagan cursed under his breath, yanking her from her thoughts seconds before he spun off to the right and engaged a man. A breath later, another warrior came out of nowhere from their left.
Understanding her role until her fighting skills improved, Greer pulled the children close and held her dagger at the ready whilst Ada and her mother dealt with the newcomer.
“’Tis all right,” she assured the children, fearing for the others, wishing she could help more. “All will be well.”
“You will learn to fight better once you are free of your uncle,” Margery assured. “Until then, protecting the little ones is every bit as important.”
Greer knew she was right, but that didn’t make it any easier.
Teagan side-kicked his opponent to the ground, clamped his hand over his mouth to keep him quiet, then ran a blade across his throat. Meanwhile, Ada kneed the other man in his groin, only for Teagan to close the distance and kill him just as silently as the other.
“Come, now,” he said without pause, moving along even faster this time.
Greer’s heart beat so hard, she feared that alone might draw attention. Was it too late? Had one of Randolph’s men heard his comrade fall? Was he rallying more to arms? Fortunately, despite her burgeoning fears, no cries of alarm rang out, and every step took them farther and farther away until Teagan finally slowed then stopped.
“We are far enough out now that we shouldnae have any more trouble from yer uncle’s men at the moment,” he whispered. “But, all must remain silent until I say so in case we come upon anyone else out here.” He looked from person to person. “Ye ken, aye?”
Everybody nodded, and they were off again.
Though relieved to be beyond her uncle’s clutches, she knew Teagan killing those men was unfortunate in more ways than one. Not only would they be discovered, ensuring Teagan’s and perhaps even Ada’s death, but Greer and Cecille would suffer somehow, too. Had he left them alive, however, they might have roused too quickly and called everyone to arms before they could get away.
The only upside? The spot they were meeting Edmund was relatively unknown in these parts, especially by nobles. The caves they headed for were better known by the poor who, it just so happened, were very good at keeping secrets. But then, according to Edmund, who had informative contacts all over the place, many a fleeing peasant had sought refuge in the well-hidden hideaway over the years.
A spot, as it turned out, they made it to safely without coming across anyone else.
“This is well secluded,” her mother mentioned as they made their way down a hidden pathway into a cavernous area beneath a woodland hill. It was so well disguised, all one saw when looking at it was a thick copse of bushes at the base of rocks.
“Aye, ’tis a good place to hide.” Because Teagan had an armful of wood he'd gathered, Ada lit a torch they found at the entrance. He gestured deeper into the cave. “There should be a spot to rest just around the bend. According to Edmund, fire cannae be seen from there.”
As it happened, there was a small fire pit around the corner and space to rest. Teagan lit a fire, and Greer handed out dried meat, rye bread, and skins of water. Ada and Cecille saw to making the children comfortable beneath thin blankets.
“Might ye spin us some magic, Mistress Greer?” Besse asked on a yawn.
“Of course.” She sat on a rock across from them, proud of how well they had done today. “Is there a particular tale you would like to hear?”
“Mayhap, the rest of the one ye started a few weeks ago?”
“Aye,” Duncan agreed, glancing from Teagan to Greer. “What happened once yer warrior-hero rode off into the sunset with us?”
“Ye mean the dark of night,” Besse corrected.
“Yes, the dark of night,” Greer agreed, doing her best to appear whimsical. But then it wasn’t that hard once her imagination took over. “Well, after they escaped the dismal fortress with many an exciting battle along the way, they settled into a fairy’s nest for the eve.”
Besse’s eyes widened. “A fairy’s nest?”
“Is that so safe?” Duncan frowned. “Fairies dinnae know how to wield a blade and protect others.”
Besse pouted. “How do ye know?”
“Perhaps they cannot wield a blade,” Greer gave the sparks coming off the newborn fire a knowing look, “but they can most certainly control fairy fire.”
Duncan cocked his head. “Fairy fire?”
“Oh, yes.” Greer gestured at the sparks, sure to sound mysterious. “Though we mere mortals only see them dancing around flames in all their dangerous glory, never to be touched, fairy fire is wherever fairies go. It protects all the good souls who enter their realm.”
“Are we good souls?” Besse whispered in awe. Her wide eyes drifted after the sparks.
“The very best,” Greer assured. “In fact, children are the most protected of all.”
She went on to explain why and continued her story, but Besse and Duncan didn’t last long. Soon enough, they were sound asleep. Ada settled beside them, mouthed thank ye to Greer, then rested her cheek on Duncan’s head, and closed her eyes.
“I’m going to sit by the entrance and keep watch,” Teagan said softly.