“Attack! Attack!”
Chapter 9
Raven almost toppled forward she came to such an abrupt halt as did Purity when they reached the edge of the woods. She had thought she knew fear, had felt it on occasion, but she hadn’t truly known its depth until this moment seeing a horde of warriors descend on the village and the keep. Horrifying screams filled the air as swords and battle axes were swung with a vengeance.
How could this happen? Arran had been sure they’d be safe this day. Raven couldn’t fathom how they had gotten past the sentinels without being seen. She shook her head. There was no time to debate it. Had there been time to get the women and children inside the keep? She had to find out and see what she could do to help her clan.
She frantically searched for her da and brothers amongst the battle. She spotted Royden fighting off two warriors and blessed him for being so skilled.
Oria.
She could at least find out if Oria was safe in the keep.
Raven turned to Purity. “I need to find Oria.”
“Don’t leave me,” Purity said, her face so pale, Raven feared she’d faint.
“Go back in the woods and hide,” Raven ordered. “I’ll find you when this is done.”
Purity nodded, turned, and hurried off, King following her.
Raven hurried to the kitchen in the back of the keep. She could gain entrance that way, avoiding the battle that raged near the keep doors. The kitchen was deserted and she hurried through to the Great Hall to find several women and children there and the doors secured with a thick board.
“Where’s Oria?” Raven demanded of anyone who could answer.
“She was outside helping the women and children inside and someone grabbed her and dragged her away,” one of the women said.
Raven recognized her. It was Flora, the woman Arran favored. “Stay here for now.”
“There are too many of them. They’ll defeat us,” another woman said, her weeping so heavy Raven could hardly understand her.
Raven offered what she could. “Stay strong. It’s the only way to survive.”
She hurried out of the keep through the kitchen once again. She had to find Oria. She had to keep her safe for her brother. She went around the back of the keep to peer around the side, trying her best to avoid capture herself. She couldn’t help anyone if she was caught and dragged away.
Her heart pounded unmercifully in her chest and fear mingled with anger. She had to find Oria, she had to. The fighting continued, all in the Clan MacKinnon fighting valiantly along with the various clan chieftains and their warriors. Clanging swords rang in the air, the smell of blood stung her nostrils, and screams could be heard from the wounded and dying.
Raven wished she had the skill to wield a sword along with her brothers, but she had no such talent. The only thing she could do was what she did best—sneak around without notice and do what she could to help.
She searched the area for signs of Oria but found none. She was about to turn away and search another area when she watched in horror as her da staggered away from the fight wounded. The whole front of him was stained red. He fell to the ground and Raven didn’t hesitate, she ran to him.
She frantically called out when she reached him. “Da! Da!”
His eyes fluttered open and turned wide upon seeing her. “Run, Raven! Run and hide.” He raised his hand and pushed at her, his weak effort barely a light tap.
“I’m not leaving you,” she said, taking hold of his hand.
“By all that is holy, Raven, obey me on this,” he pleaded, his effort to squeeze her hand as weak as his attempt to push her away.
“No! I’m getting you to safety,” she insisted, forcing herself not to cry.
“Raven, I’m dying. Go and save yourself,” he pleaded once again.
“No, I won’t let you die.” She slipped her arms under his shoulders and struggled to drag him away. Tears continued to threaten her eyes as she labored to get her da to safety.
Suddenly another pair of hands joined hers and she looked to see Purity beside her.
“I’m tired of being a coward,” Purity said, and together they dragged Raven’s father into the woods.
“You have to get him to the witch. She’s the only one who can help him,” Raven said.
They both jumped when an agonizing scream pierced the air and they crept to the edge of the woods to see what was happening.
Oria was on her knees, bent over, her hand grasping her jaw, blood pouring out between her fingers, while three warriors stood around her.
“Try to run away again and bite me again and when I get done with you, no one will want to look upon you,” the warrior warned, rubbing his forearm.
Raven went to go to her aid and Purity grabbed her arm, stopping her.
“They will do the same to you and you’ll be of no help to Oria. Wait and see. Maybe they will leave her for a time and we can help free her.”
Raven understood the wisdom of her words, but it tore her apart to do nothing but watch Oria suffer. Two of the men grabbed her by the arms and dragged her off, blood pouring from the side of her face. The other man, still clutching his arm, followed them around to the front of the keep.
Raven returned to her da. He continued to cling to life, as his wound continued bleeding. She tore off a good portion of the bottom of her shift and had Purity help her turn him so she could wrap the cloth completely around her da’s middle to stop or at least slow the bleeding.
“I’m going to see where they take Oria and I’m also going to try and find someone who can help you get my da to the witch,” Raven said.
“I don’t know how to find her.”
“I think she’ll find you. Wait here. I’ll be back,” Raven said with more confidence than she felt.
“I’ll go with you,” Purity said.
“No, someone needs to stay with my da and see him safe. He has to live. Besides, I made a promise along with my brothers and I intend to keep it.”
“He’s barely breathing, Raven,” Purity said, fearing the obvious.
“He still breathes and that’s all that matters. Now stay here.” Raven took off before Purity could continue to argue with her.
She once again crept to the side of the keep and watched as the battle raged. She had to get closer to see if she could find where they took Oria or if she could spot her brothers. She kept close to the keep stone wall as she made her way along it and stopped when she spotted Oria being dragged to a cart. Her face was a bloody mess and yet she fought the men as they tried to get her into the cart. Raven envied her strength and that she didn’t call out for Royden and distract him from the fight. She fought her own battle with courage, keeping the man she loved safe.
Raven saw then what her brother Arran had told her. Men were physically stronger than women. The man she had bitten threw a punch at Oria’s bleeding jaw that sent her collapsing to the ground. He hoisted her limp body over his shoulder and tossed her into the cart.
Purity had been right. She wouldn’t have stood a chance against those men. She had to survive to be able to track Oria down and free her.
Raven made her way farther along the wall toward the front of the keep so she would be able to see the battle up close and what she saw sent a feeling of such dread through her that she feared she’d collapse. The woman in the keep had been right. There were too many warriors. They’d never be able to conquer them. The battle would be lost along with many lives.