Free Her Knight's Quest: A Warriors of the Mist Novel by Alexis Morgan

minute, poking his big head over the top of the bushes as the colt stepped into sight. Ignoring her, he lifted up his nose to sniff at Rogue.
    The big stallion snorted but stood rock still, letting the young animal get used to his presence. Finally, the colt limped forward to stand near Rogue, trembling as he stared at the three humans. Merewen’s heart leapt in surprised joy at the unexpected sight of the scarred stallion standing guard over the small colt.
    Smiling and pitching her voice low and calm, she crooned, “I need to see how badly you’ve been injured, little one.”
    The colt shivered and tried to retreat, but Rogue blocked his way. Merewen knelt down and checked the colt from nose to tail. He was fine except for being hungry and having a slightly strained foreleg.
    “No broken bones.” She backed away to consider the options. “We need to get him back to the stable master so Jarod can take care of him.”
    She considered the distance back to the keep. With his leg hurt, it was unlikely the foal would be able to walk that far.
    Kane’s deep voice gave her the answer. “I’ll carry him on Rogue.”
    An hour earlier she would’ve denied that was possible, but the stallion had obviously decided the young animal was his to protect.
    “Gideon, can you help me lift the colt?”
    He nodded and sheathed his sword. She held the colt to prevent the small animal from trying to run off while Kane mounted Rogue. Then the two of them lifted the foal high enough to settle him across Kane’s lap. The little fellow was clearly not happy, but quickly calmed down when Kane wrapped his arms around him and held him close.
    Rogue started back toward the keep, keeping his pace slow and easy. It would take far longer to return home, but she wouldn’t begrudge one minute of the time. Saving one small life didn’t make up for losing the others, but it was a start.
    And when she found out who had killed those beautiful, innocent animals, there would be a reckoning in Agathia.
    *  *  *
    Murdoch stood out on the small balcony that overlooked the bailey below. Definite progress had been made on rebuilding the stable in the past few days. He wished he had the strength to be down there helping. There was something good and clean about swinging a hammer, pounding a nail in to hold two pieces of wood together. It was a simple act of pure creation that could stand for decades beyond the lifetime of the men who built it.
    “Should you be out of bed?”
    He didn’t bother to look back over his shoulder. “I can stand.” Which didn’t really answer the question. “And I won’t get stronger flat on my back in bed.”
    “At least sit down.”
    The worry in Alina’s voice hurt him more than the wound in his gut, and possibly did more damage. It was Murdoch’s duty, his calling, to protect her. Instead, when he’d crawled out of his sickbed, he stumbled more than walked this far, his muscles weak and shaky.
    Alina had saved him in the attack; she’d thrown herself between Murdoch and her husband’s blade to offer up her life for his. If one of the enemy fighters hadn’t jumped forward to take the blow himself, Alina would’ve died, pinned to Murdoch’s body with her husband’s sword.
    The nightmare images played out in his mind whether he was asleep or awake. Right now, she crept closer, unsure of her welcome. He stood his ground, averting his eyes despite how much he craved the sight of her.
    “Gideon and Kane rode out with Lady Merewen. Do you know what was wrong?”
    Alina finally joined him out on the balcony, clinging to the far side of the small space. “From what Averel told me, Merewen and Gideon were in their quarters when she suddenly started screaming.”
    Alina glanced toward Murdoch. “Someone attacked the horses out on the grasslands. That’s all we know at this point.”
    The news didn’t surprise him. It was just one more thing he couldn’t do anything about. “Would you send for Averel and ask him