Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 101336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
“We wouldn’t have enough time even if we wanted to. Slayer will be on our trail soon enough.” Olin looked at Iver. “I should force you to go down there to make sure she is dead.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” the other man said, pointing. “Wolves.”
The three stood staring as two large wolves inched close to Sky.
The one man gasped. “She’s moving.”
“Not for long she won’t be,” Olin said. “We need to get out of here fast before Slayer finds out what happened to her and feeds us to the wolves.”
“Go to the keep, Fane, and find Angel. You have earned a rest,” Slayer ordered the hound and turned to Reed as Fane hurried off. “How many of our prisoners escaped during the attack?” Slayer glanced around at the few that were there.
“Three. We found two but the liar is still missing,” Reed said. “I’ve never met anyone who could spin a tale the way he does or how fast the tales grow with each telling.”
“Did you pick up his trail?” Slayer asked.
“We did,” Reed confirmed.
“Ready a small troop to follow,” Slayer said.
“It is already done, sir,” Reed said then shook his head “It was barely a battle. The fools did not stand a chance against us, so why attack?”
“I doubt they were meant to,” Slayer said, seeing his men start to collect the dead to dispose of them. “They were an expendable troop which makes me think they were meant to distract.”
“But from what?” Ross asked.
Slayer wondered the same, his wife’s safety immediately coming to mind, but she was headed to the gate when he last saw her. But he never saw her go through the gate.
“Lord Slayer! Lord Slayer!”
Slayer turned to see Glyniss running toward him and terror gripped him.
“A man took Sky and dragged her into the woods.”
Slayer hurried toward the woman, his heart beating wildly. “What happened?”
“I couldn’t find Oona after the horn sounded its warning. Sky helped me search for her and she found her. The gate was near to closing and she urged me to run with Oona. I thought she was behind me, and when I turned to look, I saw a man grab her and drag her into the woods.”
“Why didn’t you alert someone sooner?” Slayer snapped harshly.
“I tried but I couldn’t reach your warriors. I was shoved into the keep and none there would listen to me.”
“You mean that no one cared what happened to Sky,” Slayer said, his anger mounting.
“I tried, sir, honestly, I tried, but only Ruth and Doreena, a young woman who works in your garden, showed any concern. When we were finally let out, I immediately came in search of you.” Tears pooled in Glynis’s eyes. “Sky is a kind and generous woman. She cared more about mine and Oona’s safety than she did of her own. When she saw me hesitate to leave her, she cried out, ‘He’ll come for me.’ I knew she was right. You would never let any of us in the clan be taken captive.”
His wife had said that for one reason alone… he had given his word to her that he would always find her. She had let him know that she had no doubt he would search and find her, and she was right.
Sky groaned as she woke. Pain struck her whole body as she attempted to move. It took her a few moments to clear her fuzzy head and recall what happened. She froze, recalling the fall and feared what injuries she may have suffered. Knowing it would do her no good to delay finding out how seriously she was hurt, she moved one arm. She felt no pain in it though her body ached in protest, so she waited before moving her other arm. It was in that stillness that she heard the soft growl. She prayed it was only her imagination and lifted her head to find out it wasn’t.
Not far from her, two large gray wolves stared at her, one growling low.
The fierce, growling face of the wolf in her recurring dream assaulted her and she shivered with fear. Then she recalled what Ruth had told her about the woman who resembled her and that she carried a wolf cub in a pouch. If by chance she was in some way related to the woman, then she should not fear wolves.
She forced a smile. “I am sorry to intrude on your den, but I took a fall and fear I am hurt.”
The wolf stopped growling, although both remained as they were.
She wanted to maintain eye contact with them, but she ached too much to continue holding her head up.
“I need to rest a bit,” she said and dropped her head on a bed of pine, realizing she had landed on a fallen pine tree that probably cushioned her fall some. Hopefully, it had prevented her from suffering any serious harm.