The horses reacted in fear at the sudden attack, twisting at their reins. He had Merlin under control with his legs, but Sorcha’s new mare had wide eyes, the white a flashing gleam in the moonlight, and was preparing to rear. His gut tightened. He wasn’t close enough to grasp the mare’s reins, nor could he afford to turn his back on the riders bearing down on them. Sorcha opened her mouth in a silent scream, her upper body rigid and her eyes round with panic. An invisible hand squeezed the breath from his chest. There was not time to reassure his frightened wife. He had only seconds to grasp all this and react with a warrior’s skills. "Argyll! Grab her horse." The boy sat mute upon his horse, a look of stricken surprise and confusion on his face. Ian pushed Merlin forward to put himself between the bandits and his wife, but the little mare spun away at Merlin’s sudden proximity, breaking from Sorcha’s control and running down the road. Argyll took after her. A swift arc of steel came at Ian and he had no time to go after her as he matched the blow from the burly rider.
