The Hawk (Highland Guard #2)(5)

“I haven’t lost a race in …” Erik turned questioningly to his second-in-command, Domnall, who shrugged.

“Hell if I know, Captain.”

“See there,” Erik said to Randolph with an easy grin. “There’s nothing to worry about.”

“But what about the silver?” the young knight said stubbornly. “We can’t risk the English getting their hands on it.”

The coin—fifty pounds’ worth—they carried was needed to secure the mercenaries. Small scouting parties had collected it over the winter months from Bruce’s rents in Scotland. The nighttime forays had only added to the growing rumors of Bruce’s phantom guard. MacSorley and some of the other guardsmen had been able to slip in and out of Scotland undetected thanks to key intelligence leaked from the enemy camp. Erik suspected he knew the source.

Bruce hoped to triple the size of his fighting force with mercenaries. Without the additional men, the king wouldn’t be able to mount the attack on the English garrisons occupying Scotland’s castles and take back his kingdom.

It was Erik’s job to get them there. With the time of the attack approaching, Bruce was counting on him to secure the mercenaries and get them past the English fleet to Arran in time for the attack scheduled for the fifteenth—less than two weeks away.

“Relax, Tommy, lad,” Erik said, knowing full well that the nobleman with the sword firmly wedged up his arse would only be antagonized further by the admonition. “You sound like an old woman. The only thing they’ll catch is our wake.”

Randolph’s mouth pursed so tightly his lips turned white, in stark contrast to his flushed face. “It’s Thomas,” he growled, “Sir Thomas, as you bloody well know. Our orders were to secure the mercenaries and arrange for them to join my uncle, without alerting the English patrols of our presence.”

It wasn’t quite that simple, but only a handful of people knew the entire plan, and Randolph wasn’t one of them. They weren’t arranging to have the mercenaries meet Bruce, they only were arranging the next meeting.

It was safer that way. For Bruce to have any chance against the formidable English army, it was imperative that they have surprise on their side.

After years of serving as a gallowglass mercenary in Ireland, Erik knew that it was wise to be cautious with information. Coin was the only loyalty most mercenaries honored, and the McQuillans were a rough lot—to put it mildly.

The king would not trust them with details of their plan until he had to, including both the location of the rendezvous and when and where they planned to attack. Erik would meet the Irish two nights before the attack, and then personally escort them to Rathlin to rendezvous with Bruce to assemble the army. The next night Erik would lead the entire fleet to Isle of Arran, where Bruce planned to launch the northern attack on the Scottish mainland set for the 15th of February.

The timing was imperative. The king had divided his forces for a two-pronged attack. Bruce would attack at Turnberry, while his brothers led a second attack on the same day in the south at Galloway.

With the timing so tight, and since they could travel only at night, there was no margin for error.

“I don’t want any surprises, Tommy. This way we’ll make sure of it.”

Nothing would interfere with his mission, but they could have a little fun doing it.

“It’s reckless,” Randolph protested angrily.

Erik shook his head. The lad really was hopeless. “Now, Tommy, don’t go throwing around words you don’t understand. You wouldn’t know reckless if it came up and bit you in the arse. It’s reckless only if there is a chance they’ll catch us, which—as you’ve already heard—they won’t.”

His men hoisted the square sail. The heavy wool fibers of the cloth coated with animal fat unfurled with a loud snap in the wind, revealing the fearsome black sea hawk on a white-and-gold striped background. The sight never ceased to send a surge of excitement pumping through his veins.

A few moments later he heard a cry go up across the water. Erik turned to his disapproving companion with an unrepentant grin. “Looks like it’s too late, lad. They’ve spotted us.” He took the two guide ropes in his hands, braced himself for the gust of wind, and shouted to his men, “Let’s give the English dogs something other than their tails to chase. To Benbane, lads.”

The men laughed at the jest. To an Englishman, “tail” was a hated slur. Bloody cowards.

The sail filled with wind, and the birlinn started to fly, soaring over the waves like a bird in flight, giving proof to the Hawk’s namesake emblazoned on the sail and carved into the prow of his boat.

The faster they flew, the faster the blood surged through Erik’s veins. His muscles strained, pumping with raw energy, holding the boat at a sharp angle to the water. The wind ripped through his hair, sprayed his face, and filled his lungs like an elixir. The rush was incredible. Elemental. Freedom in its most pure form.

He felt alive and knew that he’d been born for this.

For the next few minutes the men were silent as Erik maneuvered the boat into position, heading straight for Benbane Head, the northernmost point of Antrim. His clansmen knew him well enough to know what he had planned. It wasn’t the first time he’d taken advantage of a high tide and treacherous rocks.

Glancing back over his shoulder, he could see that his ploy had worked. The English patrol had forgotten all about the fishermen and were giving chase.