Dawn did not hesitate, she lifted the hem of her garments and hurried toward the lass, Beast running ahead of her and Dermid close at her side.
It took a bit of time to reach the lass with the snow falling and since she backed farther into the woods as they approached, perhaps worrying it was a trap.
The lass was shivering, her wool cloak so threadbare it did little good against the cold, when Dawn finally reached her. She quickly swung her fur-lined cloak around the lass and hugged her close. The lass melted against her in relief.
Tears glistened in her soft blue eyes as she said, “We need your help.”
Dawn nodded and took the lass’s hand to head back to the keep but the lass tugged in the opposite direction.
“No time. They are after us,” the lass warned.
Dermid stepped forward and the lass hurried to press close to Dawn’s side.
“Come with us to the keep and Lord Cree will gather his warriors and we will protect you,” Dermid said, eager to get them back to the safety of the keep, realizing the two warriors appointed to follow them were unaware they had left the keep.
The lass hesitated, as if unsure.
She could not have been more than six years though she appeared to carry the weight of many more years on her skinny shoulders.
The lass turned fearful eyes on Dawn. “I was told to trust only you.”
Dawn patted her chest, then pointed to Dermid and patted her chest again.
“Lady Dawn tells you she trusts me, therefore, you can as well,” Dermid said and smiled. “What is your name?”
Dawn was grateful that Dermid spoke softly to the lass and talked more as a friend than a warrior.
“Hana,” the lass said after a few moments.
“We mean you no harm. Let us help you and whoever else needs help, Hana,” Dermid said. “Come with us to the keep. Lord Cree will see it done.”
Hana nodded.
Dermid smiled and went to step behind Dawn and the lass. “Lead the wa—”
He fell back, an arrow lodged in his shoulder. “Beast,” he called out with difficulty. “Get Lord Cree!”
Beast looked to Dawn ready to protect her but when she sent him a curt wave and a sharp nod, he took off. An arrow sailed through the arrow toward him but missed and Beast was soon lost in the falling snow.
Dawn grabbed Hana’s hand and the young lass tugged for her to follow.
“Go!” Dermid ordered before his eyes closed and his body went limp.
Dawn knew better than to hesitate. She could do nothing for Dermid now. She had to trust the lass. She had survived in this forest and knew it far better than Dawn.
In no time, the lass had them tucked down between a cropping of boulders, an easy squeeze for the lass but a bit more difficult for Dawn, though she managed. The lass pressed her tiny finger to Dawn’s lips, letting her know they must remain silent. It reminded her of the way her daughter Lizbeth would press her finger to Dawn’s lips to tell her to be quiet when she gestured something her daughter did not want to hear.
Dawn managed to get her cloak around Hana and the lass cuddled against her shivering, not only from the cold but with fear.
“I told you to get the dog first,” a man’s angry voice shouted.
“He aimed for the dog,” another man said with a laugh.
“It is not funny, Liam,” the man shouted again.
“The wind grabbed the arrow, Riley.”
“That’s no excuse, Ogden,” Riley reprimanded with fierce anger. “This task should have been done by now and coin in hand.
“It’s that demon, she cursed us,” Ogden said. “Why else would the man kill Squire? Her evil commands these woods.”
“He’s right, Riley,” Liam said. “There was no reason for the man to kill Squire. All he did was stop him from hitting the little lass. The man wasn’t even giving the lass a chance to talk. Squire just wanted him to give the lass a chance to tell him what he wanted to know. And what does he do? He doesn’t just push Squire away.” Liam shook his head. “Nay, he bashes his head in until he’s dead.” He gagged. “What he did afterwards was evil.”
Hana shuddered next to Dawn, and she tucked her closer.
“A good reason for us to finish this task, get the coin owed us, and go far away from here,” Riley said. “If the man angers that easily, ah cannae imagine what he would do if we failed him.”
Ayes were heard from both men.
“What about the woman?” Liam asked. “Anything happens to her, and Lord Cree will hunt us down and it would not be an easy death we face.”
“He’ll have to find us first,” Riley said. “Now enough talk we need to find the lass.”
When the voices drifted off, the lass whispered, “You stay here and wait for help. I will lead them away.”