Highland Secrets (Cree & Dawn)

When they stepped inside, Dawn wasted no time, she gestured her own concern.

Cree shook his head. “I want to return home as badly as you do, but I cannot—will not—take a chance of anything happening to you or our bairn. We wait and see. If this snowfall proves light, then we will be on our way before a worse snowfall traps us here.”

Dawn nodded, understanding the wisdom of his decision and praying the snow stopped soon.

“I should not be too long,” Cree said after summoning a servant to fetch his wife a hot brew. He kissed her cheek and ordered, “Stay put.”

She smiled and crossed her heart, promising him, having no desire to be out in the snowstorm.

Dawn was about to slip her cloak off and sit by the fire to warm herself with the hot brew waiting for her when an image of Fia shivering from the cold in the dungeon popped into her mind.

Without thought, she grabbed the tankard and snatched up a cloak someone had left on a nearby bench and headed for the dungeon, Beast keeping pace with her.

“My lady,” Dermid called out as he hurried behind her. “Please, my lady, Lord Cree has ordered that you not go down in the dungeon.”

Dawn stopped and turned a glare on the young warrior that had him taking a step back.

“I am only doing what Lord Cree ordered, my lady,” he said. “It is not safe down there for you.”

With only one hand free to her, Dawn gestured slowly, hoping Dermid understood what she intended to do whether he or her husband liked it or not.

Dermid smiled, proud that he understood. “You want to take the brew and cloak to the demon.”

Dawn smiled as well and nodded.

“I can do that for you,” Dermid offered and took the tankard from her hand, though she did not surrender the cloak as he had hoped she would.

Dawn deepened her glare, tapped her chest, and pointed to the door that led to the dungeon, letting him know she had no intentions of letting him stop her.

Dermid sighed in surrender. “A very short visit.”

Dawn nodded.

Dermid hurried around in front of her. “Follow close behind me, my lady. The stairs can be slippery, and it is better I stay in front of you to prevent any fall.”

Dawn felt the cold rush up to sting at her the closer they got to the bottom of the stairs.

“It sure is cold down here,” Dermid said and handed the tankard to Dawn to step aside and let her approach the cell.

Fia moved slowly toward the bars. “You should not be down here, my lady.”

Dawn grew angry when she saw how Fia shivered, the cold having penetrated her garments and blanket she had wrapped around her. She hurried the tankard through the bars.

Fia eagerly reached for it and took a much-needed swallow. She sighed. “I am most grateful, my lady.”

Dawn pointed to her own back, then to Fia.

“My back will improve with time and with Tavia bringing me all that I needed and Flora helping apply it, I will do well,” Fia assured her. “You will be leaving here soon won’t you?”

Dawn patted her chest.

“Hopefully,” Fia said, understanding the gesture. “The lass has found you then?”

Dawn’s eyes filled with sadness as she shook her head and she gestured again.

“The lass has not shown herself to you since the last time?” Fia asked.

Dawn nodded.

“Has it snowed heavily since then?”

Dawn shook her head and was about to let Fia know that snow was falling heavily now and stopped. Her eyes went wide realizing why the lass had not appeared to her.

“Hurry,” Fia whispered. “She needs your help.”

Dawn turned and went up the stairs as fast as she could, Beast having rushed past her to wait at the top and Dermid close behind her.

“What is it, my lady? What’s wrong?’ he asked with worry.

Beast was bouncing around in anticipation when Dawn reached him. He understood she was on a hunt, and he was excited to join her.

“My lady,” Dermid said anxious to know what was happening and keeping close on her heels.

Dawn waved for him to follow, having no time to explain. All work stopped as she rushed through the kitchen and outside. The snow was falling heavier than before and she shook her head, stopping and cast an eye to the area she had last spotted the lass. Why hadn’t she realized it before this? The lass appeared when the snow fell. It helped her to hide and covered her tracks so no one could follow her.

Dermid stood beside her, realizing what she looked for and said what she had realized, “The snow protects her.”

Dawn nodded and remained still, her eyes alert as were Beast and Dermid as well.

She caught a quick movement and then—she spotted the lass waving at her to come to her.