Page 9 of Bride of Ice
Maybe it was only wee beasts hunting in the night. Wildcats chasing owls. Owls swooping down on mice. Mice scrabbling after beetles.
Disgusted by her trepidation, she frowned, gathering her cloak more tightly about her and training her eyes on the trail.
She was Hallidis Cameliard, after all, the daughter of Deirdre, Warrior Maid of Rivenloch. She’d fought alongside the sons of Vikings and faced down giants in battle. Why was she shivering like a leaf?
Though she hated to admit Rauve was right, she wished she had her trusty sword on her hip.
She continued for another half a mile. The sensation persisted. Highly alert now, she narrowed her eyes and strained her ears. Something or someone was following her. She was sure of it.
Several yards later, she heard a menacing growl from the bushes behind her. She went still.
Strangely, her first response was relief. She’d been right. It hadn’t been her imagination. Somethingwasstalking her.
Her second response was naturally to defend herself.
Careful not to make any sudden moves, she slowly turned to face the threat.
An enormous gray wolf emerged from the bushes. Its hackles were raised. Its head was lowered. And its teeth were bared.
But that wasn’t what alarmed Hallie.
What made her breath catch and her heart pound with fear was the man beyond the wolf. The handsome guard from the palisade gates was charging up the path toward the beast, brandishing a blade.
Colban had never meant to let the lass venture so far. But she was obviously familiar with the woodland path. And she took damned long strides. By the time he’d buckled on his claymore, secured the gate behind him, and set off after her, she’d disappeared from sight.
Now that he’d finally caught up with the fleeing maid, miles later, he was glad he’d decided to pursue her.
Perhaps a dozen yards separated them now. But crouched between the two of them was an enormous wolf. A slinking, growling, snapping beast. A beast that could devour the helpless lass with one clap of its slavering jaws.
Colban had to save her.
“To me!” he bellowed at the beast, advancing with his sword, hoping to distract it.
It worked. The wolf turned toward him. Its lips curled. Its growls intensified.
“Don’t move!” he hissed at Hallie. “And don’t turn around!”
The wolf wasn’t alone. Beyond the lass, he could see the glow of several more pairs of eyes in the trees surrounding her. If she saw them, she’d panic and run. If she ran, the pack would surely chase after her.
“Nay!” she screamed.
He’d forgotten to tell her not to scream. The wolf’s head swung back around in her direction.
“Nay, tome!”he yelled again.
The wolf turned again to snarl at him. Behind the great beast, he saw the other wolves creeping steadily forward. He might be able to hold them off for a bit. But eventually they’d attack the prey they perceived to be the weakest. Hallie.
The lass was unarmed and unarmored. She had no defense against a pack of hungry wolves. They’d easily run her down.
He had to do something.
She cried out, “Lower your blade!”
He scowled. That was thelastthing he should do.
“Listen to me,” he growled. “See that tree beside ye? When I give ye the word, I want ye to scramble up as fast as ye can. Can ye do that?”
“What?”
