The Witch and The Warrior Read Free Page A

Robert as Mad MacDunn began to gallop toward the stake. He sprang to his feet, knocking over his chair.
“Stop MacDunn!”
    The flames from the first torch had spread hungrily through the branches untouched by ale and were now lapping at the hem of Gwendolyn’s gown. The bear warrior leaped onto the platform and hacked at the ropes binding her to the stake as Mad MacDunn thundered forward on his horse, his great broadsword raised high in warning to anyone foolish enough to get in his way. The astonished MacSweens obligingly parted, realizing he truly was mad, or perhaps thinking this was some terrible feat of magic Gwendolyn was working. As MacDunn reached the burning platform, Gwendolyn felt the last rope give way. She started to fall, but the enormous warrior easily lifted her off her limp legs and threw her onto MacDunn’s horse.
    â€œHold on to me!” commanded MacDunn. He jerked her arm forward around his waist.
    One of Robert’s men was racing toward them, his sword aimed at the chest of MacDunn’s horse. “You’ll not get away so easy, MacDunn,” he swore, drawing back his blade.
    An arrow sliced through the air and neatly punctured the warrior’s back. Gwendolyn glanced up to see the elflike warrior in the window positioning another sharply carved arrow against the string of his bow.
    â€œSurround them!” shouted Robert, jumping from the dais and running toward his own horse. “Don’t let them escape!”
    MacDunn began to thrash mercilessly with his sword at the advancing crowd, forcing them to part as he urged his horse toward the gate. Gwendolyn clung to him, her arms wrapped around his waist, aware of the power emanating from him as his muscles shifted and flexed beneath her hands. His plaid was soft against her skin, but the body it covered was rock-hard, and she leaned closer, drawing courage from his strength.
    Someone grabbed her leg and began to drag her off the charger.
    â€œMacDunn!” she cried.
    MacDunn turned and drove his sword into the man, then swiftly pulled the dripping blade out and speared another MacSween who had been about to hack his ribs open with an ax. The man crashed heavily against MacDunn’s horse, causing the animal to rear. Gwendolyn began to slide backward. MacDunn’s hand clamped painfully onto her arm and held her fast as he continued to use his other arm to hack at anyone daring to come near them.
    â€œHold on!” he commanded furiously.
    In that instant Gwendolyn saw another of Robert’s warriors taking aim at MacDunn with his bow and arrow. Suddenly remembering the sharp stone hidden in her hand, she hurled it through the air. The warrior howled and dropped his weapon, then raised his fingers tentatively to the ugly cut leaking blood just below his eye.
    â€œJesus Christ,” muttered MacDunn.
    Gwendolyn sensed he was impressed, but he wasted no time thanking her, for they had nearly reached the gate.
    â€œThe gate!” bellowed Robert, who by now had mounted his own horse and was thundering toward them.
“Close the bloody gate!”
    The MacSweens surged toward the gate, each one clamoring to get there first. This resulted in a great deal of tripping, cursing, and ultimately wrestling among themselves. From the corner of her eye, Gwendolyn could see both the bear warrior and the elf were now mounted and racing toward the break in the curtain wall.
    She leaned into MacDunn and pressed her face into the warmth of his plaid.
    Thank you, God.
    The wooden portcullis crashed to the ground.
    Having reached the end of the courtyard, MacDunn was forced to abruptly halt his horse. The snorting animal reared once more.
    â€œYou really must be mad, MacDunn,” Robert called out scornfully as he rode up to them, “to attempt such a ridiculous abduction.”
    It was over, Gwendolyn realized. For some reason these men had risked their lives to save her, but they had failed. Now they would