Page 5 of A Fearless Rebel

Once the animal was able to move away from the tree, it took several steps backward but did not flee. It was a tamed horse. By the looks of it, the horse had been well taken care of. Since the animal was on Mackenzie land, she figured it belonged to one of the guardsmen or was one of her own father’s stable horses.

She searched the area for a few moments but didn’t see anyone about. As much as she wanted to call out, at the same time, it was dangerous to call attention in case someone had attacked the horse’s rider and remained nearby.

There was the possibility of danger, which meant she’d have to cut her ride short. Ava grabbed the freed horse’s reins and tugged the animal closer to her own.

Since she’d cut the reins, it was not possible to tether the horse to hers. Instead, she held the longer cut portion of the reins so she could bring the horse back to Mackenzie Keep.

As soon as she passed the gates, several guards hurried to her. One of the guards eyed the horse and then looked to her. Her brother, Alastair, hurried forward and glared up at her.

Ava cringed. Her brother would not hesitate to inform her father that she’d been out alone, and she’d be punished.

“Where did ye find that horse?”

She considered not telling him as it would divulge her favorite place to ride and get away. But when he yanked her from the horse and shook her, she decided to comply. “In the woods, just south.”

Alastair’s upper lip curled. “Who were ye there to meet?”

“No one. I went to be alone.”

“With Father’s permission?”

“Of course,” Ava lied, meeting his gaze. “I did not see anyone injured or about. But I did not call out. The horse’s reins had become entangled in low thorny branches.”

She hoped that by directing the conversation away from his question, he would not realize she’d lied about having permission.

Without another word, Alastair turned on his heel and hurried to where several guards stood. “Ten guards mount at once,” he directed, pointing to her. “My sister will show us where she found the horse.”

“Ye recognize the horse then?” Ava asked her brother, who gave her an annoyed look.

“Aye, of course. He is one of our warhorses.”

“Who would have ridden it?”

Her brother studied her for a moment. “Perhaps who ye went to meet with.”

Not wishing to continue arguing, Ava returned to her horse and mounted.

It wasn’t long before they reached the area where she’d found the horse. The guards dismounted and began searching the area. It was less than an hour later when one called out, and everyone scrambled to the spot.

On the ground lay a Mackenzie guard that Ava recognized. The man was cruel. That much, she knew about him, so she’d had done her best to avoid him. Whoever had killed him had cut the man several times from all the bloodstains on his tunic.

“It’s obvious there was a fight of some kind,” one of the men said.

“Probably an angry husband,” another added, and they laughed.

“Or an intruder,” someone else said. “A poacher or trespasser.”

“Do any of ye know why he would be out here? Could it be he was a spy, a traitor?” her brother, who always seemed to look for the worst in people, asked.

No one replied. Instead, they looked at one another. Of course, they would not give an opinion as it could possibly paint them as part of a conspiracy.

The dead man was thrown over the back of a horse, and the group split. Two men rode back to the keep while the rest would stay behind and search for clues.

Ava had dismounted and she guided her horse to a creek to drink. Her brother came up behind her. “Go back to the keep.”

“I will,” she snapped, not in the mood for his continuing attempt to intimidate her.

He sized her up. “Why were ye really here?”