The young man’s mouth went dry and fearing he would not be able to speak, he nodded.
Cree stopped in front of him, close enough to smell his fear. “Who wants the voiceless one dead?”
The young man licked his lips, though they remained dry, his mouth parched. “I—I don’t—”
“Lie to me again and I will slice your arm open from shoulder to wrist.” His hand went to the handle of his dirk in a sheath at his waist.
“Please, I beg, mercy, please.”
“You beg for your life when you had no qualms about taking one,” he shouted in the man’s face and he paled.
“I—I—I did not try to harm the woman. My task was to lead you astray.”
Cree’s hand snapped out and grabbed the startled man by the neck. “What do you mean?”
He choked out the words. “Two of us were instructed to keep you on our trail, away from the village while the others went for the woman.”
Cree released him so suddenly that the man stumbled and collapsed to the ground, choking to regain his breath.
“You know what to do with him when you get him back to the keep,” Cree said to two warriors.” The rest of you follow me. We ride hard and fast.”
~~~
Sloan had several warriors comb the village for Dawn. She had left the keep before he could assign a warrior to her. Cree would kill him if anything happened to her and he would deserve it. He had been ordered to keep her safe and what had he done? After dealing with Flanna and the servants he had been summoned to handle a problem at the mill and it wasn’t until he returned to the keep that he had thought about Dawn.
A warrior rushed toward him and Sloan flew off the steps to meet him.
A few words were exchanged and the two men took off, Sloan shouting to other warriors who fell in behind them. When he reached the spot where the basket lay on the ground, heather strewn about, he shook his head.
He looked around at the group of warriors waiting for orders. “We don’t return until we find her. And remember she has no voice.” They all nodded knowing full well they would rather search the woods all night than face Cree’s wrath if they returned without her.
Twenty or more warriors gathered at the edge of the woods, spread out, and headed into the forest at a fast pace.
~~~
After they were only a few feet into the woods Dawn stumbled on purpose and the warrior released her, letting her fall.
“Here is as good a place as any,” the man said and reached for his sword.
She dug her hand into the dirt, grabbed a handful and threw it in his face as she jumped to her feet, and then she ran. She hiked up her skirt and cloak as she went so they wouldn’t impede her speed and kept running, knowing that she ran for her life. The woods were familiar to her and she had managed to skirt past the warrior, as he choked and wiped away the dirt in his eyes, and head back toward the village. She didn’t have much time before he followed, and she prayed that once she broke past the woods someone would see her and help.
Dawn’s stomach roiled when she heard heavy footfalls until she realized that they weren’t coming from behind her. Were there more warriors after her? She was about to change direction when she stopped and first caught sight of Sloan, and then other warriors came into view behind him.
She wanted to drop to the ground in relief but she didn’t dare. She ran straight for Sloan, stopping in front of him breathing heavily and pointing behind her.
“How many?”
She held up one finger.
“Get him,” Sloan ordered. He wasn’t about to leave her safety to anyone else. He intended to keep her by his side until Cree returned.
He watched as she paced back and forth fighting to slow her breathing. She pressed her hand to her side and he wondered if she had suffered a blow there.
“Are you all right?” he asked anxiously.
She nodded.
“Did he hurt you?”
She shook her head.
“How did you get away?”
Dawn pretended to scoop up some dirt and throw it at Sloan.
He smiled and nodded. “Wise move.”
Dawn took a heavy breath and returned his smile. She pointed to herself and then toward the village.
“You want to go home?
She nodded vigorously, though home wasn’t exactly what she would call her new cottage. She turned as did Sloan when they heard the warriors returning and in the middle of the group was the man who had abducted her. His nose and mouth were bleeding and his hands were tied behind his back. He tried to walk but the warriors took turns shoving him and he stumbled more than walked.
Sloan wanted to roar with relief. Dawn was safe and the culprit was caught, though that wouldn’t completely appease Cree, it would help. He would still be furious that she had been taken from under their very noses.