Page 46 of Kilty By Association
But he wasn’t going to get the chance.
Because as he herded his charges toward the horses, a sound made him turn.
There, under the tree, where the snake had fallen, crouched a man. A dirty, ragged man, covered in a stained tunic, his beard scraggly. Another, looking similar, dropped out of the tree even as the first man slowly straightened.
When the bastard grinned, Craig couldseethe evil in the man’s eyes.
He shifted to place his bulk between Robbie and Elspethand this threat, praying they had the sense to hurry to the horses.
But instead, he heard Elspeth ask, “Who are ye? What do ye want?”
The second man grinned, and Craig decided they looked enough alike to be brothers. “We’ve been paid gold, milady, to ensure ye dinnae make it back to the castle.”
Fook.
“Elspeth,” he commanded in a low voice, “get Robbie to the horses. Get him home.” He’d face these two.
A low, keening sound came from behind him, and he realized Robbie was terrified. His mother’s hushed tones were comforting, and Craig resisted the urge to raise his voice, to scream at them to get to safety.
He didn’t have the chance to debate long, because the first man had drawn a wickedly long knife, longer than Craig’s forearm, and threw himself forward, his brother not far behind.
In his time with the Hunters, Craig had trained against multiple opponents. Usually, Payton and Barclay would oblige by attacking him simultaneously, swords slicing through the air.
None of that practice helped if his opponents carried knives instead.
These two had obviously trained together, and, blades whirling, they moved in tandem, one circling behind Craig. He couldn’t afford to let them reach Robbie and Elspeth, so Craig spun, slashing with his blade and hoping it would be enough.
As he did, the first man moved forward. Craig couldn’t see the blade, but knew he had to be there. As Elspeth gasped behind him, he lunged to one side, and felt the knife whistle past him.
“Who sent ye?” he growled, whirling back to the first man, slashing wide enough to send him darting back, then twistingto stay out of the way of the other’s attack. He needed to keep one alive, in order to question him.
“We’re bandits,” the first taunted, dancing from foot to foot. “We often ambush unwary travelers like ye.”
“And the lad,” his brother offered, laughter in his tone even as Craig growled and attacked. He merely dodged the blow, rolling to get up inside Craig’s defenses.
Stumbling back, Craig heard Elspeth blurt, “And my husband? Ye dropped the snake that killed the last Earl, aye?’
“Damnation, Elspeth,” Craig growled, attention on the attackers.Stop drawing their attention.
“Nay, milady,” one taunted, his attention on Craig’s defenses. “The rock beneath his head killed him. The snake caused his horse to rear, though. He was a puir horseman.”
‘Twas a confession. “Ye killed the auld Earl.” Craig held his sword in both hands, the hilt low, as he slowly circled, waiting for an opening. “Were ye paid to kill him too?”
Both brothers grinned equally evilly, revealing missing teeth and stained gums. “Aye,” they said in tandem.
Remember ye’re a Hunter. Trust yerself.
Drummond’s words whispered across Craig’s memory. Aye, hewasa Hunter. A representative of the King, tasked with dispensing justice and protecting the innocent.
“In that case…” He stopped circling, raising himself to his full height. “I judge ye guilty of murder. Step forward and receive yer punishment.”
The brothers glanced at each other, and as he’d hoped, attacked together, facing him at the same time. Craig didn’t hesitate.
He stepped toward them, slashing down across the thigh of one, then twisting and sending his sword into the stomach of the second. A sickening gurgle came from the throat of that one, as Craig whirled back to the first and jerked his blade onto the man’s shoulder, nearly severing it from his torso.
Craig had the wounded man pinned to the ground with his sword before his brother had finished toppling.
There was still no birdsong.
