Highland Secrets (Cree & Dawn)

It took a few gestures, but Dawn was able to return the conversation to Hume, encouraging Tavia to share some memories of him, of which she did.

Many brought a smile or bout of laughter to them. They were in a bout of laughter when the door to the Great Hall burst open and Tavia’s da came hurrying in.

“It’s a demon,” Newlin cried out, fear having turned him pale. “A demon has taken our clansmen.”

Cree followed him in, Beast hurrying past him to park himself by the hearth.

“We do not know for sure if it is a demon,” Cree admonished, not wanting him to upset the women, though they did not appear as upset as Newlin.

“How can you say that after what your tracker found?” Newlin argued.

“What did Henry find, Da?” Tavia asked.

Newlin shuddered as he spoke. “He found deep hoof prints of a two-legged, massive creature in the woods.”

CHAPTER 10

Cree shook his head as he handed his fur-lined cloak to a servant and went to sit next to his wife. He pulled away from Dawn when she went to cuddle close against him. A sharp arch of her brow had him quickly explaining, “I will not share my chill with you.”

Dawn smiled and planted herself against her husband’s side, then took his hand, the icy feel of it sending a shiver through her.

He knew better than to pull away from her again, besides he did not want to, but he did reprimand. “You are too stubborn, wife.”

She nodded and smiled as if proud of it and Cree could not help but smile himself.

Tavia was at her da’s side, her thought only on her da and how pale he appeared. “Come and sit, Da, and let a hot drink warm you.”

Newlin followed along with his daughter to the table, and he sat with such a thud that the bench creaked.

It worried Tavia, her father appearing more defeated than she had ever seen him. It made her that more appreciative that Cree had come to help them. She hurried a tankard of hot cider into her da’s hands, the cold drifting off him and sending a chill through her.

Tavia looked to Cree, and he explained without her saying a word.

“It appears that a good-sized, two-legged creature was in the woods. The tracks were deep even with the falling snow.”

“Only one reason for the deep tracks… the demon was carrying Hume,” Newlin said and shook his head. “Hume probably stepped outside, the demon snatched him up and, being as powerful as he is, he jumped from the kitchen right into the woods.” Newlin shook his head again. “How do we fight such a devilish creature?”

“There were no hoof tracks near the kitchen?” Flora asked, her voice raspy from forcing herself to speak up to be heard.

“Of course not,” Newlin snapped. “The demon had no added weight as he did when carrying Hume. The snow covered the tracks.”

“Or the tracks were made by nothing more than a forest animal,” Cree argued.

“Those tracks were nothing like any forest animal I have seen,” Newlin said.

“Look to your myths,” Flora advised.

Newlin sent her a puzzled look.

“Myths are tales that are usually born from a grain of truth that grows from the first telling until it expands beyond the truth,” Flora explained, keeping her voice to a whisper.

“This is no myth,” Newlin snapped.

“That is not what Flora is saying, Da,” Tavia said in defense of her cousin.

“Then explain what you mean,” Newlin snapped again.

“I understand what Flora says,” Cree said. “If we examine the myth, we may find the reason behind the abductions which will help us find the culprit.”

“We found the culprit,” Newlin argued. “It’s a demon.”

“Or someone who wants us to believe it is a demon and keep us too fearful of searching for him,” Cree said.

Dawn smiled and nodded, having thought the same and pleased to hear him voice what she could not.

“That would mean we could defeat him,” Newlin said with hope that brightened his face.

“And we will, Newlin. I will make sure of it,” Cree reassured him even more.

It was well after food and drink had been finished and talk lingered that one of Cree’s warriors arrived with a message.

“Henry has found something he says you should see, my lord.”

“Warm yourself with a hot drink before we take our leave,” Cree ordered.

“I am grateful, my lord.” The warrior nodded and went to the table where a servant was filling a tankard with hot cider.

“Newlin, join us,” Cree offered, seeing how anxious the news had made the man.

Newlin practically jumped off the bench. “I will wait outside for you.”

“You will need a dry cloak, Da,” Tavia said, following after her da.

Flora quietly slipped off the bench and made her way over to the warrior who had delivered the message.

Cree turned to his wife, her hands gesturing before he could say a word. “Good. I am glad you are wise enough to remain in the keep while I am gone. If you wish a walk in the snow, I will take you later.”