Highlander's Promise Read Free Page A

a small amount of food, taking care not to let anyone see they had more. They were saving some for barter and some for Cree once they freed him, if either proved necessary.
    “In the morning, I will ask around and see what I can find out,” Old Mary whispered as she stretched out on the blanket Dawn had spread on the ground, knowing her bones would surely protest tomorrow.
    Dawn could not sleep. She was not only concerned for their safety. She was worried for Cree. Sloan had avoided given her an explanation as to why Minnoch had taken Cree prisoner or what plans the man had for her husband. Did he mean him harm? The guard’s words came back to haunt her. Execution. Could it be Cree who was going to be put to death? And if so why? It made no sense to her, but she had learned that men needed little reason to do harm to others, though women were also not exempt from doing harm, her own birth mother having been one of them.
    She yawned and closed her eyes, only to open them moments later. The camp remained quiet as did the village. The only movement was the sentries on the wall walks. It would not be easy to free Cree from this place with sentries patrolling the wall walks and the gatehouse closing at dusk. The only way would be to sneak him out in the cart during the day. But how did she get him out of the dungeon with enough time to spare before someone discovered him gone?
    Dawn slept on and off throughout the night and the more she pondered over how to free Cree, the more she lost hope. It was when the sun rose on a new day that hope returned to her, for she knew there and then that if she did not free her husband... she would join him in his cell.

Chapter Three
    “Word has gone out. He is going to be beheaded.”
    Old Mary laid a hand on Dawn’s leg to calm her. It had not been long after everyone in camp had woken that talk had turned to the infamous prisoner held in Minnoch’s dungeons.
    “Wagers are being taken that Cree will break free before that,” someone said.
    Laughter circled the small group of men talking and one voice was heard saying, “That is a fool’s wager. No one escapes Minnoch’s dungeons.”
    Another chimed in, “Death is the only escape from that hell hole.”
    The small band of men dispersed after agreeing they would wait and see who won the wager for themselves.
    “We need to hurry,” Old Mary urged and Dawn nodded eagerly.
    Dawn refused to let the grim talk defeat her or think that the suddenly gray skies were an omen of doom. If anything, knowing her husband’s fate made her more determined than ever to free him, nothing would stop her now.
    It was market day in the village and the stalls were busy with people trading their wares. Everywhere Dawn and Old Mary went talk was of the prisoner Cree and his fate. Wagers were being made, mostly in Minnoch’s favor.
    “Make way for Lord Minnoch! Make way!” a solider shouted and people scurried out of the way.
    Dawn turned to take a look and grabbed Old Mary’s arm, rushing her behind a cart. It was not the sight of Minnoch that made her take cover, though one look at him did instill fear. He was fair in height, thick in muscle, his head completely bald and a vicious scar ran from the top of his brow down to the corner of his eye. His features were not appealing, though they were memorable in an ominous way. No, it was not Minnoch she hid from, it was the two men who rode behind him... Sloan and Elwin.
    Several warriors formed two lines on either side of one of several wooden doors that ran along the stone wall of the keep. The door opened and a guard appeared. He gave a respectful bob of his head to Minnoch and limped to the side. Two of Minnoch’s warriors entered before him, followed by Sloan and Elwin and two more of Minnoch’s warrior’s trailed behind them.
    The door closed and several warriors stepped in front of it.
    Old Mary whispered to Dawn. “Stay here and watch.”
    Dawn gave Old Mary a quick glance as she trailed after