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 nearly lost Ewan’s son before. They’d thought him dead. And now Alaric was faced with not only losing a lad who was dear to the entire clan but also a woman who was more dear to him than any other human being.