Chaos Looming

Chapter 4

Keira glanced around the larder as she slowly, and ever so quietly, eased her way down the tightly twisting staircase. Boots in hand, she was careful to avoid the loose floorboard on the last step, poised to give her away. She crept across the cold flagstone floor in her stockinged feet until she reached the heavy wooden door to the garden. Opening it just a crack, she slid out into the night, gently closing the door behind her. She kneeled to slide the boots over her stockings, already beginning to dampen with the early morning's dew.

"Bit early for a stroll, don't ye think?"

The voice cut through the dark, and Keira whirled around, spare boot in hand and at the ready. It took a moment for Keira to recognize the warm baritone voice she knew so well, soft-spoken and with just a hint of a half-forgotten lilt. She blew out the breath she hadn't known she'd been holding and glared at the figure, barely visible in the setting moonlight. He was carelessly lounging on the garden wall to her right, mostly unseen in the pre-dawn mist.

"You should know better than to sneak up on people!" she scolded. Irritated—and slightly embarrassed, truth be told—at being caught unawares, Keira's voice came out sharper than intended.

Danny snorted. "Yeah, the thought of my impending demise was absolutely terrifying...and by shoe, no less. What a way to go."

Keira could hear the laughter in his voice and, tempted though she was to return it, reminded herself of the inconvenience that his sudden appearance now posed to her plans. She turned back to finish lacing her boots with a scowl. Standing, she strode decisively toward the stable, avoiding his gaze. Though she knew he'd follow her, she tramped on through the damp grass. If he wanted to stop her, he'd damn well have to be direct about it.

She could hear his soft footsteps behind her, and felt her annoyance grow. Reaching the stable, she whirled around, ready to get on with it.

"What do you want, Danny?"

Her eyes had adjusted to the moonlight and could now make out the fair-haired, green-eyed problem in front of her. He didn't answer, just stood there, a knowing look on his chiseled face, cheekbones perfectly contoured in the hazy light.

"Well, you followed me out here," Keira snapped. She blushed as she glanced away, annoyed with herself for noticing just how good he looked first thing in the morning.

Danny shrugged. "I was awake anyway. I couldn't sleep and came out for some fresh air. When I saw you, I figured you must have some grand scheme in the works." The left side of his mouth twitched up in that roguish half-grin all the village girls went wild over.

"Curs'd block-headed roan," Keira muttered under her breath, slipping quickly into the local dialect she employed almost exclusively for profanity.

"You know Nazor forbade you from further meddling." Danny spread his hands wide, being his usual, annoyingly rational self. "I know you want information, but if you start openly asking after Marek and his associates, it's bound to catch the villagers' notice." He paused, then added, "What with him being dead now and all."

She couldn't deny his logic. Damn him.

"I know, I know. I just wanted to hear what people are saying, see if we can discover anything useful. After all—" She swallowed and caught hold of herself. "—I'm the reason the Legion's got none of the information we needed. I have to fix this, Danny."

Keira implored him with her eyes, and he studied her, clearly torn between wanting to both please her and protect her.

What else is new? She thought.