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That s quite all right, Jacob. Sir Matthew, what
can I do for you? Were we expecting you? Tara
hadn t been told he was coming. A silent alarm went
off in her head.
Nay, my lady, I was traveling this way when I
ran into Lords Ian and Fin. Tis a problem. He
looked around the room, lowered his voice. A
problem they need ye for.
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Her unease from earlier returned. What kind of
problem?
I was asked to bring ye to them. They didn t
want me to announce what I ve seen. They said tis a
private family matter. His eyes shifted to the door.
We should hurry.
Of course. Jacob, have my horse readied. She
turned to Lancaster. I ll grab my cloak.
Outside Jacob held her horse with a nervous
hand.
She pulled herself into the saddle.
My lady, Jacob said, looking up at her with
worry etched on his features. Lord Duncan asked
that ye not leave the Keep.
Tara smiled to give him some ease. Ease she
didn t feel. I m on my way to Laird Ian now. Don t
fret. I m safe with Sir Lancaster.
Mayhap another knight should also escort ye,
my lady?
Tara considered the lad s suggestion, then
remembered the words family matter, and thought
twice about bringing more people to witness the
problem.
I won t be long, Jacob. She didn t give him
more time to talk or question. She turned her horse
and followed Lancaster. Worry and fear filled her.
Duncan was so far away she couldn t sense him,
let alone speak to him with her mind. She cursed
their decision to send him away.
They set out toward the village. Once under the
cover of woods, Lancaster changed direction to one
she wasn t familiar with.
So many things raced through her head. She
pleaded in her mind for Duncan to return. She
couldn t tell if her thoughts reached him. What did
you see?
Matthew looked at her and speeded up his
mount, making talk impossible. We should hurry,
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he told her again.
They journeyed deeper into the forest.
****
Duncan and Lora moved daily to keep anyone
who might notice off their track. Not that they
thought anyone watched. If anything, all had been
quiet.
Too quiet. Lora fretted within.
Neither of them was able to talk with their
spouses because of the distance. And on this day,
they moved well beyond emotions, as well.
They both felt the pull to go back, yet neither
acted on it. Instead, they made camp by a stream
and waited another day before they started home.
Duncan fished by the stream while Lora dozed.
A dream swept her away until it erupted into a
vision.
In her head, she saw Tara riding into the woods.
Above her, faces of the Ancients floated, all of them
yelling warnings.
Warnings Tara didn t hear.
A cabin emerged. Inside was a presence Lora
instantly knew was Grainna. A darkened mass
threw its shadow over Grainna s evil form and
choked off her vision. But not before she saw Tara in
the woman s clutches.
Lora woke screaming, shivering in a sweat.
Panicked, she jumped to her feet and ran to her
son.
****
Duncan turned in alarm at the sound crashing
through the brush. His mother ran to him, out of
breath and collapsed at his feet. She warned him,
We have to return. I had a vision.
Alarm slithered through him like a snake in tall
grass. In an instant, he knew his mother was about
to reveal his worst nightmare. What is it? Is Myra
returning?
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She shook her head. Nay, tis Tara. Duncan...
A sob burst forth. Grainna has Tara!
Duncan grabbed hold of his mother s shoulders,
his eyes searching hers. Are you sure? His jaw
clenched on the emotion and bile bubbling in his
throat.
She nodded, tears streaming down her face.
He should never have left. They knew there was
danger and still they acted though there was none.
Primal rage and terror broiled within. It left cold
emptiness in his soul. He cursed his foolishness and
prayed Tara s life would be spared.
Wasting little time, they mounted their horses,
leaving most of their provisions behind in their
haste.
A howl retched from his gut. He kicked Durk
into a faster pace.
****
How much farther? Tara asked, trying to stay
in the saddle, which wasn t easy considering their
speed. Tara wasn t convinced the rate they traveled
was good for her baby and started to voice her
concern.
They d been riding for over two hours, and she
was beginning to think they were lost. Matthew
hadn t said a word during their journey. He ignored
most of her questions, making the time even more
uncomfortable. The weight of his silence sat heavy
on her shoulders.
Matthew, I need to slow down, she said,
tugging at the reins.
He rounded back to her. We should hurry. He
forced her horse to a faster pace.
Matthew, enough! Laird MacCoinnich knows
I m pregnant. He wouldn t want harm to come to me
or the baby.
He continued to pull on her horse s reins.
I insist we slow our pace, she yelled. She kept
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the words she wanted to toss at him in her head.
To Tara s relief, Matthew resigned and rode
beside her.
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