The Duchess (MacBride Sisters Trilogy Book 2)

suddenly consumed me, thinking I might be lost. I had to return to the trail by the lake, so I stopped for a few moments to breathe. Staying silent as Aila had taught me, I concentrated on the wind that blew not too hard, but it was enough to make terrible noises. I felt a twinge in my arm and the view started to get blurry. I couldn't lose consciousness now, or I'd run the risk of being captured. The wind blew harder this time, flying my hair. I sighed again. The noise cut through the trees and I forced my vision into a gap between two of them. I smiled when I realized that the wind was going in that direction as if it showed me the way. I had to be careful, because there could be a canyon. Slowly I set the horse in motion and slowly passed through the crevice so as not to hurt the animal or scratch my legs and arms. The gap, in fact, was two low-canopy trees, born one on the side of the other, forming a zigzag. They were very young, so they weren't the same height as the others yet. The passage was narrow, but flat. Just the roots of the trees as an obstacle. I sighed when I saw that I had come out on a not too steep hill. That brought me relief and I was happy. I smiled when I made sure I had found the trail further down from where I was.

- Thank you so much! - I whispered, raising my eyes to the sky.

I had lost myself on that trail because of those soldiers, but at least I was heading in the right direction. I took a deep breath when I felt a hook and covered my bleeding arm. I decided it would be safer to go back inside the fork and get some rest, but first...

There was something wrong and I had the slight impression that I would find the reason for being followed so easily. Getting off the horse, I grabbed one of his paws and lifted it up. As sure as tomorrow is born every day, that horse had a horseshoe with a differentiated brand. That's how the soldiers managed to track me down. Pulling a knife, I looked at the horse and took a deep breath.

- I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to take that off or we're both gonna die. - I said in a sorrowful way.

Seeming to understand me, the horse lowered his head, concentrating on the small focus of grass not covered by mud or ice. With patience I began to remove the piece of metal that protected their hooves. One by one, after some time, I removed the horseshoes and threw them down the hill causing them to fall into the river. Looking back, I saw that there were a lot of marks to be erased.

- I guess we'll have to go down the hill! - I whispered caressing the face of the beast, which whispered in understanding.

Taking a deep breath, I set up again and began to descend. Before that, however, I prayed to God that he would protect me and forgive me for the lives I took that night. I would seek refuge, sleep and in the morning continue until I found my destiny.

Chapter 02

Bruce

I looked frustrated at the trail I was following. I wanted to bang my head against one of the trees around me until it bled out. I was used to following troops and fighting warriors. Making strategies for the sieges was what entertained me, and not following foolish girls without locks on their tongues.

- Dad, have mercy on me! - I whispered a prayer.

I doubted Annabel MacBride was alive, since she'd been in the woods for days. If Alistair hadn't broken tradition, it would be Annabel who would be by your side now. Love did stupid things to people and I wanted to live free of it. In spite of my opinion regarding the wedding, I only regretted for the ambitious mother-in-law that he had arranged and for the sister-in-law rag mouth.

We always think of MacBride as witches. They lived cloistered like the great sorcerers of the legends that surround our country. We saw we were wrong and they were just ordinary girls. Well, that I still had some doubt about Annabel. Deep down, that silver-haired brat was hiding a sorceress inside her. The way she addressed me in the woods and then at the dance, made me furious and disconcerted. Every time she spoke, only a touch of disdain would cause offence. No woman had ever addressed me like that before. First, because I was a duke. Second, because it was very intimidating.

I looked around when I heard the whispering of horses. It got me out of my daydream. Frowning my forehead, I jumped out of the loin of Esperanza. With my hand on the handle of the sword, I got closer to what caught my attention. Three horses grazed along the trail, while two men were lying in the middle of the road. I poked them and realized that they were dead, just like the other two I'd been through. One of them had a pair of arrows stuck in his chest, while the other had been struck by a strong sword in the middle of his head. The blow had been so precise that his helmet had cracked.

- Who could have done that? - I whispered in amazement.

- A silver-haired demon with eyes as cold as the waters of the North Sea.

The weak voice that whispered came from one of the nearest trees. A man was leaning on her with a pale face and an arrow through her heel. The pool of blood