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)
Sky felt a wet nose touch her hand on the arm she had stretched out. That the wolf was curious and not hostile boded well. She lay there unmoving, letting the wolves get to know her, as she drifted back into unconsciousness.
She stirred awake to gray clouds hovering overhead and wondered how long she had laid unconscious? She needed to move, keep herself awake, and find out the extent of her injuries and find some type of shelter since the dark clouds promised rain.
“Slayer,” she said softly. “How will you ever find me?”
She raised her head to see the two wolves lying nearby. “Thank you for staying with me.”
She tried to move but the pain that ran through her body forced her to cease all movement. She feared what damage she had suffered and told herself the only thing she could do right now was rest and get up when the pain finally eased. With the two large wolves nearby, she need not worry of being harmed… she hoped.
When next she woke, it was to feel something poking her, and she smiled as she said, “Slayer.”
But when she opened her eyes, it was to see a wolf poking at her arm and the other she felt poking at her leg. She understood what they were trying to tell her. They were urging her to get up, but why? She felt it then, the pine tree trembling beneath her. Horses were headed her way.
The four men were on their knees in front of Slayer, six of his warriors standing behind them and more warriors surrounding the area.
“I knew you would show your true worth eventually,” Slayer said as he approached Rory.
“It is the coins. Olin promised us lots of coins.”
“Shut up, Iver,” Olin ordered, a furious look on his face.
Slayer nodded. “So, the lie started with your name. What else did you lie about?”
Before Olin could answer, Slayer grabbed the man’s hand and snapped his wrist back, breaking it.
Olin screamed out in pain.
Slayer grabbed a hunk of his hair and yanked his head back, forcing Olin to look only at him. “That is just the beginning. I am going to break every bone in your body until I get the truth from you.” He let go of his hair, giving him a shove and nodded to the warriors behind the men. “And what I do to you will also be done to them.”
His warriors stepped forward and one by one broke the wrists of two men, but before they reached Iver, he shouted out, “She escaped us. She hit me in the head with a rock and ran.”
Slayer nodded at the warrior standing behind the man and he quickly snapped his wrist.
The man screamed and cradled his broken wrist in his arm.
Slayer grabbed Olin’s other hand and snapped that wrist and as he screamed in pain, the others begged for mercy.
“Tell me the truth and I will spare you,” Slayer said, his face twisted in fury.
Iver rushed to speak up. “She ran and we followed.” He hesitated, but when the warrior reached for his other hand, he spewed out the rest. “She fell off a cliff.”
A fiery rage twisted Slayer’s face and he snarled, “And you left her there?”
“She was dead, not moving,” Olin said and gasped when Slayer rested a dagger against his throat.
“She moved,” Iver cried out.
Slayer’s anger spewed out with his every word. “And still you left her there?”
Iver was quick to explain. “We had no choice. The wolves got to her first.”
Slayer felt a tremendous pain pierce his body as if one of his limbs had been severed, as if he lost a part of himself. “They attacked her?”
“We didn’t stay to see,” Iver said. “We feared you would catch us if we didn’t take our leave fast.”
“You will take me to this cliff,” Slayer ordered, praying his wife survived the fall and that her unique way with animals just might have saved her.
“Aye. Aye. I will take you,” Iver said eagerly, cradling his broken wrist.
Slayer turned to Reed. “Keep them here in case they have lied to me. Besides, I have more questions for them.” He looked at Olin. “Afterwards they will suffer a slow death.”
Olin made the mistake of saying, “Why should we tell you anything if you plan to kill us anyway?”
Without hesitation or warning, Slayer swept his dagger across Olin’s arm. He screamed and Slayer grabbed his face, squeezing it. “It is the difference between a fast or slow death. Your choice.” He turned to Iver, who was more than willing to talk. “How far is it?”
“You caught us not far from the cliff.”
“Show me,” Slayer commanded.
It did not take long to spot the line of pine trees not far in the distance or for Iver to beg for his life.
“Please, my lord, spare me. I did not want any part of this,” Iver pleaded. “I will help you any way I can.”