Seduction of a Highland Lass - Maya Banks [66]
“That sounds remarkably like a challenge, warrior, but I have one of my own to make. If I go down the hill without tumbling from the shield, you and Cormac must also attempt it.”
Cormac scowled. “ ’Tis unseemly for warriors to indulge in child’s play.”
“Well, if you’re afraid,” she said innocently.
“Did you question our courage?” Gannon asked incredulously.
“Aye, I did. What think you to do about it?”
Gannon threw down the shield and pointed. “Get yourself on it and prepare to be soundly trumped.”
Keeley rolled her eyes and settled herself onto the cold metal. “ ’Tis so like a man to allow his pride to go before a fall.”
Before she could say yay or nay, or anything else for that matter, Gannon gave her a mighty shove down the hill. She lurched back and grasped desperately at the edge of the shield and hung on for dear life as the slick metal flew over the ice-covered landscape.
Oh dear, this was indeed a lot more difficult than it appeared, and she would need all her wits about her to complete the run without taking a huge spill.
Down the hill the children chanted her name and cheered wildly as she drew near. The problem was she raced right by them and into the trees beyond.
She squeezed her eyes shut and curled her arms atop her head just as she went flying through the air. She landed with a bounce in a snowdrift and ate a mouthful of snow.
Thank goodness she hadn’t wrapped herself around a tree.
“Keeley! Keeley!”
It was hard to discern who shouted her name. It was a mix of the children and the roars of Gannon and Cormac. She glanced up in time to see the children fast converging while Gannon and Cormac—after instructing Christina to remain where she was—charged down the hill.
An uneasy prickle raced down Keeley’s nape. Her nostrils flared and she sensed … Her head whipped up just as several warriors charged through the trees, bearing right down on her and the children.
“Attack!” she yelled. “We’re under attack!”
Intrigued by the fact that Gannon had fetched an old shield from the pile of armor that needed repairing, Alaric followed after the other man as he trudged up the hill to where the children usually played. Only, no one was there. He knew that Keeley had taken the children to play as Ewan had given Crispen permission for her to do so.
He quickened his step to follow Gannon and when he reached the rise that Gannon had disappeared over, he saw Keeley, Christina, Cormac, and the children at the next peak. He quickly saw the purpose of the shield when Gretchen plopped down onto it and then went flying down the opposite side.
With a grin he started the long hike up the opposing side. He hadn’t slid down a hill on a shield in many a year. It still sounded like a hell of a lot of fun though.
When he staggered to the top, he was shocked to see Keeley settle onto the shield and then Gannon give her a mighty push. One way too big for a lass her size. She went spinning down the hill, out of control and obviously headed for trouble.
She disappeared into the trees just as Gannon and Cormac turned and saw Alaric standing there.
The two men started down the hillside at a near run, slipping and sliding along the way. The children had already disappeared into the trees after her, when Alaric started after Gannon and Cormac.
The men froze when they heard Keeley cry, “Attack! We’re under attack!”
Not wasting a moment, the three men drew their swords. Cormac shouted back toward the keep in hopes the men would hear, then he snarled at Christina to run for help.
As soon as they reached the trees, they were met by Robbie and Gretchen who stumbled out, tears streaming down their faces. They babbled incoherently as Gannon caught both of them against him.
“They have Keeley and Crispen,” Gretchen cried. “You must hurry. They have horses.”
“Christ’s blood!” Alaric swore. “We’ll never catch them on foot in these drifts.”
Using their swords for leverage, they rammed through the snow, following the hoofprints as they led farther into the forest.
Anger and fear beat strongly in Alaric’s chest. He’d