Third book in my Frontier Series. This follows the storyline of season 3.
Well kind off.
Not a stand-alone novel!
You will need to read Heavy Burdens and Black Wolf if you want to be able to follow this book.
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The winds were harsh. The furs he was wearing were hardly able to keep him warm. Ice formed on his beard hours ago, his skin ached where the cold could touch him. The snow was deep and Declan had to take large steps to fight his way through it. It was exhausting. . . It was painful.
But he had to keep going. He couldn't stop now.
Declan wasn't listening to Mctaggart non-stop complaints about the harshness of Northern Canada. He had his own struggles. And the cold wasn't his biggest problem. Declan really tried to keep his rage at bay, which was hard enough at the moment, without McTaggart complaints.
"I'll tell ya, Declan, Benton already cut her into pieces...served..."
The voice of McTaggart broke through the wind, making Declan turn around and make his way back to Charlie and McTaggart. His fists clenched by his side, the rage that's been boiling underneath his skin was making him itch to punch something. And McTaggart just held up a red flag...
"What the fuck did you say?" Declan shouted and saw Charlie holding up his arms.
"Harp, he didn't mean it," the man started. "He's just tired and hungry."
Maybe that was the case, or maybe McTaggart was just being an asshole again. But it didn't change the fact that the man might be right about Elizabeth's faith. The longer she was in the hands of Benton, the more chance there was that Declan wasn't going to see her again. At least, not alive.
And, that was something Harp didn't want to think about. So, instead he grabbed McTaggart by the collar, pulled him up and locked eyes with his long time friend.
"Then go home," he sneered into McTaggart's face. "I never wanted you to come."
Throwing him down into the deep snow and turning on his heels again. Declan continued his journey into the unforgiven territory.
He wasn't aware that McTaggart and Charlie were still behind him when the snow started to fall. Not until Declan heard the voice of Charlie echoing in the distance. Declan hesitated before taking another step, but Charlie's voice came through the falling snow once more. The man sounded panicked and Declan grunts out of frustration. Why didn't they just went back?
Harp struggled through the thick snow again, searching for both men and eventually found Charlie bend over McTaggart with some fur.
"He fell. We need to get him warm," Charlie said and Declan moved fast.
Pulling McTaggart up and helping Charlie with the furry coats and blankets.
"Lean on me," Declan said, pulling McTaggart's arm over his shoulder. "We'll find some shelter where you can rest."
McTaggart might be an asshole, even in Declan's book, but the man was one of few Declan could trust to have his back in a fight. Or a brawl in a bar. Or a drinking buddy. Harp wouldn't let McTaggart freeze and die.
"Charlie," he points with his chin to some caves left from them. "If I remember correctly, we can rest there. And make a fire."
"You've been here before," Charlie asked.
"Yes," was all he replied, pulling McTaggart along with them.
Declan remembered correctly ; the cave was still here. It was a large hole filled with ice and snow at first sight, but if you went into it deeper, there was running water and stone where they could make a fire on.
After Charlie gathered some firewood, Declan kept talking to McTaggart to make sure the man wouldn't loose conscious, night feel and the three man all sat around the fire as close as possible. Their shoulders touched and Declan sat in the middle while he held McTaggart close to him. He couldn't afford to lose the man, not now, not ever. Even if they did have an argument before, Declan wouldn't forgive himself.
"I need you, McTaggart," he glanced at the man sitting next to him.
McTaggart's face was red, scarred by the heavy cold winds, but at least his hands weren't blue anymore.
"I could use a whiskey ey," the man mumbled back and Declan laughed while patting the McTaggart's shoulder.
"Once this is over, you can drink all you can," Declan murmured and stood up to be on watch for the first few hours of the night.
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It turned from night to day without any problems. Not many people came in the North and Declan didn't expect any unwanted visitors.
When he woke and glanced to the sky when he walked out of the cave, Harp looked over his shoulder to a sleeping Charlie and McTaggart. It stopped snowing. This was the best time to leave and continue their journey.
"Get up," he shouted, his echo came back to him, "we're leaving."
It was McTaggart who was up first, much to Harp's surprise, and the man stumbled with his bag until he was at Declan's side.
"Let's get that girl, ey," McTaggart looked up at him before walking away.
"Miss Liz' fine, she can handle herself," Charlie said and followed McTaggart.
Declan stared at Charlie's frame for a moment as if he didn't understand what the man said. After some minutes passed by, Declan took a deep breath and hoped Charlie was right. It wasn't the fact that Liz wasn't able to stand her ground against Benton, it was what Benton was capable of doing to her.
Torture was a mean's to an end for that old man and Harp had to push away the images of Elizabeth screaming from pain. It was as if he could hear it for real and it made him start walking again.
He held a merciless pace and slowly the snow faded again to make room for green grass and a few trees. The Sea crashed against the high cliffs and Harp stopped to stare over the water while he waited for McTaggart and Charlie to catch up with him.
There wasn't a ship to see on the horizon but Harp know she was out there somewhere.
"I need something from my Outpost," McTaggart spoke, making Declan look at him in confusion.
"Like what? We're a day's walk away from Benton."
"Guns and rifles," McTaggart laughed and already turned around.
Declan knew he had to let him go. Part of him just wanted to keep walking, charge into the Outpost where Benton would be, but the other part knew they needed weapons. Weapons that McTaggart had stored in his Southern Outpost. It was only a two or three hour walk from the cliffs where they were standing.
His hand grabbed Charlie by the shoulder, turning the man to face him.
"Hurry. Don't let him drink anything. Come back as soon as you've got the guns."
Charlie nodded and ran after McTaggart who was singing a drunken lullaby. Leaving Declan alone by the cliff side. He'd walk a few more miles and over the hill in the East. After he passed that, Declan would be able to see the Northern Outpost where Benton would be.
