Read Online Highland Thirst by Lynsay Sands, Hannah Howell - Free Book Online

brink of death.
    “Where
are we exactly?” Heming asked.
    “Deep
beneath Rosscurrach,” replied Brona. “This is where the women and children are
to hide if the walls of Rosscurrach are breached. I realized that my father ne’er
told Hervey about it and few of those who did ken about it are still alive. We
ne’er had to use it, ye ken, and so Hervey ne’er had to learn of it. I begin to
think my father didnae fully trust the mon he had to name as his heir.”
    “It
would seem not. Why are we here and nay away from this place?”
    “Because
we must leave on foot and I didnae think we would get far ere Hervey and his
men found us. Especially not with both ye and Peter so weak. I am hoping the
hunt for us will soon spread to places away from Rosscurrach and allow us a
chance to slip away.”
    Heming
nodded and settled himself back down on the bed. He was feeling stronger and
could feel his wounds healing but he knew the danger of believing himself fully
cured. He had just looked death in the eye and had no interest in doing so
again for a very long time. Certainly not when he had not even been in a
battle. Nor did he wish to waste the gift Mistress Brona had given him.
    “A
good plan, mistress,” he said. “‘Tis best if we try to keep as close a watch as
possible on Hervey and his men to see just when that search for us moves away
from this land. When the chance comes to flee this place, ‘tis wise if we do it
as swiftly as possible.”
    Brona
sighed and looked around the large stone chamber they sheltered in. “Aye, verra
wise. As welcome as the safety of this place is, I dinnae wish to linger here
any longer than I must.” She smiled at him. “Do ye wish something to eat?”
    “Aye,
I believe I would though it should probably be weak fare for now.”
    After
Brona had him settled with a bowl of surprisingly tasty broth, she took Thor
for a walk through the passages. Heming finished his food, handed the wooden
bowl to Colin, and settled himself back down intending to have a rest. He
frowned at the opening Brona had left through as he began to wonder how she
would save herself from any consequences of her mercy.
    “And
when we can flee this place, do any of ye ken where Mistress Brona intends to go?”
he asked the three men still watching him carefully.
    Colin
scowled. “Nay, she hasnae said anything of her plans, but she must have some,
aye? She cannae stay here. The laird beats her for the smallest sin as it is.
He would kill her for this.”
    Hervey
Kerr dearly needed killing, Heming thought but said only, “Then when the time
comes for us to leave here we will be sure she has a safe place to go ere we
all run off to our own chosen havens. Mistress Brona must ne’er fall into that
mon’s hands again.”
    When
all three men grunted in agreement, Heming closed his eyes. He would find out
where Brona thought to go and hide and then convince her that his choice of
haven was far better. He had no intention of letting her go anywhere without
him. Mistress Brona Kerr may not know it yet, but she had done more than save
his life by giving him her blood, she had tied them together in ways she could
not even begin to understand.

Five
    Heming
grabbed his sword at the sound of someone approaching. He calmed a little when
he noticed that the dog did no more than briefly cock his head before returning
to his nap and the cat did no more than twitch one ear. Even so he remained
tensed for battle until Colin, Fergus, and Peter strolled into the chamber.
They looked very pleased and, as Heming set his sword aside, he felt the thrill
of anticipation go through him. It appeared that they were returning from their
sortie outside the walls with good news. He hoped that after five days of
hiding in the ground beneath Rosscurrach, they would finally be able to leave
the cursed place. By the look upon Brona’s face, he could tell that she felt
the same.
    It
had been almost a fortnight since he and Tearlach had been taken