13
They had ridden for most of the day beneath dark clouds, heavy with rain. The wind had picked up, and they smelled more than the rain in the air as they neared what once had been a peaceful hamlet.
Duncan had been quiet for much of the day. They had ridden at a fast pace, and Anne guessed Three Rocks was just over the rise. She was correct. The stench of burned wood and straw permeated the mouth of the small canyon where the town had once been. As Duncan called a halt, the four of them got their first look at the annihilation that left nothing standing but a few stone chimneys.
Anne felt her chest squeeze and her vision narrow. The sounds of screams and clashing metal rang loud in her ears. She could feel the heat of the fire and the desperation and confusion of the villagers. Everyw
