Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 103370 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103370 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Raven didn’t believe that Rouard had any intention of attacking the village. He appeared more ready to wait than to battle, which meant he expected Brynjar to be successful at his mission. But why would Brynjar leave his men and head toward the village without them? It couldn’t be her who he was after. He would know Wolf would see her well protected. So what did Brynjar want?
She shook her head annoyed she couldn’t find an answer and her eyes caught on the shed that housed the two dead men. For some reason, she felt they held if not the answer, then at least an important piece to the puzzling mystery.
Raven entered the shed, hoping to find something that would help her. It was the first man they had found frozen to death that caught her interest. She stood over him staring. There was something familiar about his face, but try as she might she couldn’t recall him. She had met many people through the years, though they mostly were brief meetings, so faces didn’t remain long in her memory. Why then was it that his face seemed so familiar?
She shook her head and turned away to leave, then turned back for one last look.
It struck her then. She saw it clearly. She knew where she had seen him.
Chapter 27
“Where’s Clive?” Fyn asked looking about. “You’re not to be by yourself.”
“He’s helping Lars and I believe I’m safer here than ever before with everyone prepared for battle,” Raven said and smiled when little Tait squealed with delight when his snowball hit Fyn in the leg.
Fyn grinned and leaned down to scoop up a handful of snow. “Now you’re going to get it.” He shot Raven a questioning look as he formed the snowball.
“Go. I’m here to speak with Greta,” Raven urged.
“She’s in the cottage,” Fyn said and turned to throw the snowball only to get hit in the leg with another one. “Now I’m going to get you.” He laughed as he ran after a laughing Tait.
Raven gave a hasty knock on the wood door before opening it.
“Raven, come in,” Greta greeted. “Are you in need of healing?”
Raven shut the door and stared at Greta a moment.
Greta grew uneasy, her hands gripping her apron.
Raven kept her tone gentle. “You took the knives, didn’t you, Greta?”
Greta’s hand remained tight on her apron. “What do you mean?”
“The missing knives from the dead men,” Raven said, though knew full well that Greta had understood what she asked. “You took them. You know the two men or you know at least one of them. You need to tell me, Greta. I need to know if my husband is in more danger than he realizes.”
Greta all but collapsed on the chair near the hearth.
“The dead man who froze to death. He’s your brother, isn’t he?” Raven said, stepping closer to her. “I finally saw what I’d been missing. It was his eyes—your eyes.”
A tear rolled down Greta’s cheek. “Aye, Knud was my brother. I feared someone here would realize it eventually. Gard, the other man, was a good friend of my brother’s. I took their knives so I could return them to their families and let them know of their heroic deed so tales would be told about them and they would live on.”
“Your brother must have had an important message for you if he braved a snowstorm to reach you. And I can only assume that Gard followed in case your brother failed his mission.”
Greta nodded slowly, another tear slipping from the corner of her eye. “That is probably what happened. They have been close friends since they were young.”
“What was so important that they both braved death to reach you?” It was a question Raven believed she already had the answer to.
Greta’s hand went to the scar on her face. “Brynjar struck our village just before dusk one day. The gods were with my brother and Gard. The two were away trading. Brynjar took me and a few other women captive along with some men. I will never speak of what he did to me,” —her hand went to the scar again— “He told me I wasn’t worth keeping, but so I would never forget him, he left me with this scar. A few other scars as well and in places a husband only has a right to see and would be reminded of each time he…” She turned her head away in shame.
“I’m so sorry, Greta,” Raven said, aching to run her sword through the evil man. “You can rest assured Fyn is not the type of man who would let that trouble him.”
“I have discovered that and I’m grateful to have found him.” She closed her eyes a moment as if gathering strength, then continued, “My brother and Gard found me where Brynjar had left me. It had been a couple of days. I didn’t want to live but Knud refused to let me die. Unfortunately, not all in the village were happy with my return. They feared Brynjar would return for me and…” She fought back the tears pooling in her eyes but they overflowed anyway and rolled slowly down her cheeks. “I needed a safe place. A place where no one would know my secret. A place Brynjar would never dare attack. I sought refuge with the Beast.”