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His hand clamped firmly around her arm like a shackle, and she realized she would not be able to break free of him. He hurried her to keep pace alongside him as he walked to where the captured mercenaries had been herded and were being held.

“Remain by my side and speak not a word,” he ordered just before they came to a stop in front of the group.

He released her arm after coming to a stop and she stood by his side, though wasn’t sure if she would be able to do as he said and hold her tongue. This concerned her since she had questions that she wanted answered.

There were about half a dozen men exhibiting various wounds. None were serious from what Leora could see. Some of the men trembled in fright while others displayed a forced bravado.

“Who is in command here?” Noble demanded.

“You killed him,” one man answered.

Noble continued to question, focusing on the man who was thick in the waist and lacking in height. “Who pays for this mission?”

The few there all shrugged while the man who had responded to the previous question spoke up again.

“We are not privy to that information.”

“Who is?’ Noble asked, though he knew the answer.

“The fellow you killed,” the man said.

“What was the mission?” Noble demanded.

“To kill the woman from Clan Murdock with the reddish blonde hair,” the man said.

“Why?”

“Who knows?’ the man shrugged indifferently. “A mission is a mission. The reason matters not as long as we get paid.”

“Now we don’t get the coin, Hayes, and we lose our lives to the Gallowglass, who you never informed us we would be fighting,” another man called out.

Other men echoed similar sentiments.

“This mission is an open one?” Noble asked, taking advantage of the quarreling among the men.

“Aye, it is,” one man said.

“You idiot,” Hayes snapped. “You just condemned us to death. You all but told him that if set free, there are other mercenary groups that we can join up with to finish this mission.”

Silence followed, the captives’ eyes wide and focused on Noble.

“You lie and play the fool.”

All eyes turned on Leora, including her husband’s eyes that sparked with annoyance that she had spoken when he had ordered her to hold her tongue.

“You know more than you say,” Leora accused.

“Not true,” Hayes argued.

“Then tell us why you knew that it was the Gallowglass you would battle while the others did not?” Leora asked and shook her head. “And do not waste your breath with more lies. You are privy to more information than you say, and no doubt if released, you will take it back to whoever is truly in command, which is the reason you got so annoyed with the man who responded when asked if this was an open mission. He squashed any possibility of you being freed.”

Noble intended to silence his wife, but that she realized what he had assumed himself and her commanding tone had him holding his tongue to see what she would say next and what they could possibly learn.

“It would be much wiser of you to make a deal with the Gallowglass and tell him,” —she nodded to her husband— “a Gallowglass warrior only too anxious to be rid of you all since you can offer him no help, everything you know so your lives might be spared.”

“Tell him what he wants to know, Hayes,” one man said.

“Aye, I did not sign on to fight the Gallowglass,” another man said, and other men cried out the same.