Page 90

“I did. A fool is less likely to suffer torture since he answers endless questions without much prodding. Though I did worry when you had me taken to the Gallowglass compound. But once you had me brought to Clan Ravinsher, I knew I had a good chance of success. The others who hunted her were too foolish to succeed. Besides, they would never get past you. I was so close to the end of my mission and wealth.”

“Who were you to turn Sky over to?”

“I do not know, and I don’t care. I was given a location where a man would be waiting for us. I would go with him to collect the rest of my fortune.”

More than likely it was where Olin would have met his death. Halfdan was not known for parting easily with his wealth.

“That is all of it, though I do hate dying without accomplishing my mission. But that was my own fault for hiring idiots to help me. Instead of sticking to my plan and waiting until I signaled them to free me, they took it upon themselves to take advantage of the attack. And I paid dearly for their stupidity. Grant me a swift death and I will share my thoughts on who I believe is behind it all,” Olin offered.

Slayer was far too concerned with rescuing his wife to care if Olin suffered any more pain than he already had and he was curious as to what the man thought. So, he granted his request. “You have my word.”

“The one thing said about you is that you are an honorable man, so I trust you to keep your word,” Olin said. “I believe it was?—”

Olin fell to his side, an arrow lodged in his back and not another arrow fired.

“Find the archer!” Slayer yelled, his warriors already in motion.

He quickly crouched down by Olin, seeing the man struggling to speak.

“Hal-half,” Olin said with his last breath.

Slayer stood.

“Did he say anything, my lord?” Angus asked.

“Not a word,” Slayer said loud enough for whoever hid in a nearby tree to hear him. News would reach Halfdan’s men that Slayer did not know who had the woman or where they were taking her, which meant they would not be prepared for his arrival.

* * *

“Everything was seen to, Reed?”Slayer asked the next morning in his solar.

“Aye, sir, all is ready.”

“And the hounds?”

“Stand ready, sir,” Reed said.

“Good. You know what to do,” Slayer said and turned to Fane waiting patiently beside him after Reed took his leave. “We go to rescue Sky, Fane.”

Angel jumped up on the table next to where Slayer stood and meowed soulfully at him.

Slayer scooped her up. “Worry not. Fane and I will bring Sky home.”

She rubbed her face against his and he thought he caught the scent of Sky on her, and a wave of sorrow and anger washed over him. He missed his wife. He ached to hold her in his arms, wrap himself around her in bed and feel content as the sweet scent of her hair tickled his nose. More so, though, he worried about reaching her in time.

He found little sleep last night, though he would need it, too busy fighting with himself for not having followed her when she had been taken. A foolish thought and one Sky would have agreed with. Following her would have wasted precious time, his warriors not knowing what had happened to him would have prevented timely help from reaching him. And hearing that the men who took Sky were to meet a larger troop would have made it unlikely that he would have been able to rescue her without help. He needed a contingent of Gallowglass warriors to set his plan in motion.

Raised voices outside Slayer’s door caught his attention and he placed Angel on the floor just before the door opened and Ross entered. Storming in behind him was an attractive woman with red, blonde hair and he knew immediately who she was and the words she shouted at him proved it.

“Where is my sister, Sky? Why isn’t she with you? I was told you would keep her safe.”

Fane snarled, baring his teeth in warning.

“Nay, Fane!” Slayer ordered and the hound stilled, though kept one side of his mouth raised in warning.

“I demand to know what happened to Sky!” Leora shouted at Slayer.

Slayer grabbed the woman’s arm. “You demand nothing from me.”