Free Highland Hunger by Hannah Howell Page B

little warning and was a formidable building. It looked as if it had grown straight up out of the rock it was set on. She wondered if the ones who had built it had made it look so threatening on purpose. From what little Raibeart had told her of his ancestors, she suspected they had.
    She was about to ask Raibeart a few questions about his overpowering home when he suddenly turned to look behind them. Una turned back as well and cursed. The hunters had caught up with them. She had the fleeting thought that it was odd for Angus to be riding behind the others, for he was a man who led, not followed, and then Raibeart appeared at her side.
    “Tell my kin there are hunters on our lands,” he said and gave her mount a slap on its rump.
    Her horse jumped forward and began to run toward the keep, the spare horse right beside it. From what little she could see while attempting to rein the animal in, Cambrun was set in a rocky valley between two mountains. Daring a look back at Raibeart, she saw him draw his sword and face Dunmorton’s hunters. When it looked as if the still mounted Angus was actually backing away, leaving the other three men to face Raibeart, Una decided being on the back of a running horse was making her vision play tricks on her. Angus was one of the laird’s coldest, cruelest killers and not one to back away from a fight.
    Then four men came running toward her and she knew immediately that they were Raibeart’s kinsmen. They were all tall, strong, and too darkly handsome for any woman’s peace of mind. “Raibeart is facing hunters just behind me,” she said quickly as she finally managed to slow her mount down a little.
    “Keep riding to the gates, lass. We will take care of those fools if Raibeart doesnae,” said a lean man with cold amber eyes.
    Una had not ridden far when screams rent the air and were quickly silenced. She suspected any armed strangers coming into Cambrun lands would have met a similar fate. When everyone found out what Dunmorton’s men were also guilty of, any unease they might feel over the swift execution of four men would fast disappear. The fact that Raibeart had ordered her to say there were hunters told her that such men were already considered enemies to be killed without mercy.
    A tall slim man with thick black hair, golden eyes, and softly pale skin caught hold of the bridle of her horse and forced it to a halt. “Who are ye?” he demanded.
    “Una Dunn,” she replied. “I came with Raibeart.”
    She glanced behind her to see Raibeart and the other men approaching. Raibeart nudged Tor to a trot when he saw the man holding her horse. He looked down at the man as he reined in next to Una and, to her surprise, patted her thigh right in front of the man. Since she was neither hurt nor showing signs of being upset, she wondered what game he played. The way the other man grinned made her wonder if some strange message understood by only men had just been sent out.
    “Cousin Einar,” Raibeart said and nodded in greeting, “I thank ye for sending help so quickly.”
    “Weel, I ken that ye could take down three hunters with ease, but the lads were bored,” drawled Einar.
    “Three?” Una frowned at Raibeart. “There were four.”
    “Aye,” Raibeart said, “but Angus was gone but a moment after I sent ye on your way. We thought on chasing him, but he had good start ere we cleared the path and ’tis too close to dawn to go ahunting.”
    “He will hie himself right back to Dunmorton.”
    “He has no knowledge that will change anything, love. He but kens that ye escaped with me, and, mayhap, that ye are now with others of your kind.”
    “Ye dinnae think that will cause trouble for the others?”
    “Nay more than they already have.”
    “So ye found yourself a Lost One?” asked Einar, frowning a little as he looked Una over. “The blood tie is an old one, aye?”
    “Aye, her grandmother’s mother. One of the cursed Nightriders, I suspect.” Raibeart dismounted