Free Lass' Valor (The Pith Trilogy) by Kara Griffin

imagination running wild. Trixie seems to have run off.”
    She
searched along the trees for her. They continued walking and after a few
minutes, Trixie returned, carrying a small creature in her mouth. Kate found a
trail a half-hour later. The forest still remained eerily quiet, but they
walked along silently.
    A
man jumped out from a bush and stood with his sword aimed at her. Not just any
man—but a daemon. Kate shoved Bonnie behind her in an attempt to protect her.
She stood mesmerized, biting her lower lip so she wouldn’t yell out. She became
afraid—terrified, was more like it.
    “Good
Goddess above.” The man was a barbarian, painted like a heathen. He would kill
her and make off with Bonnie. How would she ever get Bonnie home now?
    The
warrior stood in a foreboding manner, holding the largest sword she’d ever
seen. Several men strode from the thick forest surrounding them, seeming to
magically appear. All of them, including the warrior, wore blue painted symbols
on every part of their bodies, except for the parts covered by their tartans.
Kate swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. Bonnie pressed against her
back, holding her up. She was thankful for that. If not, she’d probably be
lying on the ground at the heathen’s mercy. Swooning seemed a reasonable
reaction to the horrifying situation, but she wouldn’t dare.
    His
eyes, made even colder by the dark paint that covered his face, pierced hers.
Kate turned slightly to see if there was a way to bypass him, when she noticed
the man motioned to the others to stay back. They obeyed.
    “Lass,
don’t be afraid, I mean no harm.”
    “I’m
n-not a-afraid.”
    The
warrior laughed.
    “Aye,
ye are, don’t be. What are you doing traveling alone in the darkened forest?
Are you by chance, a damsel in distress or a fairy?”
    The
warrior’s laughter drew an odd look from his men.
    “I’m
Lady Kaitlin Stanhope, and I’m on my way to the MacKinnon clan’s holding.” She
couldn’t believe she actually spoke to the man. Was she still standing? Nay,
she hadn’t swooned, as she thought she might have. Bonnie continued to press
against her legs, trying to get around her, but Kate held her back.
    “You
are?” He sounded surprised. The warrior turned and gave a look at the others,
but they remained quiet.
    “Aye,
and if you would be good enough to point me in the right direction, I’d be
grateful.”
    “Why,
lass? Are ye a friend of Julianna’s?”
    “Julianna,
um … nay. Do you know the way?” She hoped the warrior would accommodate her,
and at the very least, give a direction, but he wasn’t compliant. He stood
there scowling, shaking his head.
    Bonnie
peeked around Kate’s skirts then screeched loudly. She ran full force at the
warrior. Kate became dizzy, an overwhelming sense of faintness struck her, and
she wavered on her feet.
    “Bonnie,
don’t.” Kate tried to pull her back, but she was all ready out of her reach.
    “Bonnie?”
The warrior stepped forward.
    “Aye,
Uncle, ‘tis me.”
    “Oh,
Bonnie, lass!” He lifted her high in the air, hugging her close then kissed her
face. “Oh, fairy, I missed ye. Don’t ever scare me like that again.”
    “I’m
s-sorry, Uncle. I j-just …” Bonnie’s lip trembled and she cried.
    “Where
have ye been? Your Mama and Papa are worried sick.” The warrior continued to
hold her close, petting her hair. He couldn’t seem to believe that he held his
sweet niece in his arms.
    “I
been with Kate.”
    “It’s
a long story.” Kate stood by watching their reunion, still reeling with
dizziness.
    He
turned back to the men and spoke in a stern voice. “Make camp.”
    The
men turned reluctantly and went about making a fire and laying their bedrolls.
Kate stood shocked to the ground, not wanting to move for anything. This was
Bonnie’s uncle? Good Goddess, the man was quite intimidating. She hoped she
wasn’t showing signs of fear, and tried to calm her racing heartbeat. Please,
please, Goddess,