Page 3 of The Barbarian’s Claim (Not-So-Savage Barbarians #4)

Three

EINAR

I had no time to coddle the tribute. It took only moments for me to recognize the sounds of the Fer’na battle cries in the air. They were a dangerous clan with no honor, and I knew those who attacked the village center were merely a distraction from their true goal.

Creeping through the village, I checked each tent for intruders.

Three tents had Fer’na in them, attacking unprotected women.

One very nearly got his way. Her skirts were torn, and he had her pinned before I got to her.

I cut him down and dragged him out, tossing him into a fire while he was too weak to fight. He died screaming.

I ignored the sounds of battle in the village center.

My clan was powerful and would prevail. I focused only on those without protection.

I found two bodies near Feigrind’s tent, the Fer’na’s necks sliced open.

Another in Rath’s, this one with a knife wound to his head.

Someone else was doing the same as me. Good.

The village was large enough that I didn’t wish to miss one.

The village center went quiet, and I knew I needed to see what was happening, but I made sure the women were safe before heading in that direction.

Most had relocated to band together, which was safest. And they could tell me then if someone was missing.

Once they were safe, I headed for the village center in time to hear the Fer’na leader challenge Simon, Feigrind’s tribute.

Simon was skilled with blades and even got the best of me a few times when we sparred together, but he was not a warrior, and no challenge towards a tribute was allowed.

I pushed through the crowd, walking straight up to the Fer’na leader, and cut his head off before he could offer a word of protest. Then I turned toward the others.

One of many reasons my clan feared me was because of the bloodlust. I got lost in battle, and the only thought on my mind was to kill every threat. It had led to a few injuries of my own clanmates in the past.

It took several of my brothers to keep me away from the captured Fer’na, and even after I stepped away to calm myself, I still itched to fight.

I stayed out there all night, watching for any signs the Fer’na would approach.

Only a portion of their clan had attacked.

We did not know where the others might be.

When I finally headed back to my tent after the sun lifted over the horizon, I felt fatigue drag at my senses.

I blamed that for not realizing sooner that the tribute who had been chased into my tent was still there.

He was curled up in one corner, mostly hidden behind one of my travel packs.

I’d told him to stay hidden. I probably should have brought him to join the others after the battle was done. I’d forgotten about him.

He was asleep now, and I was not interested in waking him and dealing with a tribute’s tantrums. I didn’t know of him; I paid little mind to the tributes of the clan, but I’d seen plenty of whining women throw tantrums over being woken too early. Why would he be any different?

I stalked back out of my tent, looking around for a panicked brother missing his tribute.

I saw none. All who were awake were happy and joking, and none made any noise about someone missing.

There were a few injured, though, resting in the healer’s tent.

I decided to leave it for now. Once the tribute was awake, I’d bring him to Uttin.

He was the clan second and had been appointed the clan leader in Orthorr’s stead while he recovered from the injuries he’d sustained tonight.

Uttin would decide what to do with the male while his protector was unavailable.

When I came back to my tent, the tribute’s eyes opened, and he looked up at me with a worried frown. I shook my head.

“It is over. The Fer’na were dealt with. You have no reason to fear.”

Technically, those of us who knew the common tongue weren’t supposed to use it with the tributes. They wouldn’t learn if they knew we understood their tongue. I didn’t care for such things. None were brave enough to approach me anyway.

The tribute didn’t speak to me, but he relaxed a little at my words. I wanted to rest, but I would get none while the tribute was in my space. I didn’t want him here. I didn’t trust him.

If I hadn’t heard the tribute speak the night prior, I would have thought him mute.

He was silent as the grave most of the day.

Even when I begrudgingly offered him food, he took it with a polite nod of his head but didn’t speak to me.

He didn’t look terrified of me like most others did, so I wasn’t sure why he stayed silent.

I didn’t ask. It didn’t matter. He was quiet.

I liked the quiet. I was not going to encourage him to start chattering.

I waited until after lunch to approach Uttin. He was busy checking that none of the stores of food were damaged or tampered with during the attack, and didn’t notice me until I cleared my throat.

He jerked upright, his hand going to his sword before he realized it was me. He relaxed a little. “Einar. How are you, brother?”

I ignored the question, getting straight to the point. “A tribute hid in my tent during the attack. He needs to go back to his protector.”

Uttin’s brows furrowed as he frowned deeply. “No one reported any missing to me. Who is his protector?”

My blank look was my only answer. I hadn’t asked. I figured if the tribute knew the name, he would have said something. He hadn’t said a word.

Uttin sighed. “I’ll check with Zoya, but I don’t believe there were any injured protectors. You should ask the brothers closest to you. The tribute probably did not go far to end up in your tent. I will ask around as well.”

Fighting off a scowl, I asked, “Can’t you take him?”

He raised an eyebrow at me. “I don’t have the time. Many were injured, and Orthorr still has not woken. If you cannot handle this, you’ll need to find someone else.”

Irritation flooded me. I was normally better at handling things, but last night wasn’t the first that I missed sleep. I could only ignore it for so long.

Uttin didn’t respond to my annoyed growl, but I could feel his eyes track me as I stalked out of the storage tent. It only annoyed me more. I was in my right mind. I wouldn’t attack my own people.

He was right that the tribute probably didn’t run far to get to me. I headed for a group of brothers around a fire nearby, laughing and joking together. They fell silent at my approach, eyeing me warily.

“Brother. Are you well?”

“Who is missing a tribute?” I demanded.

Most looked surprised and confused. One, Orn, winced visibly. My fury grew. He knew his tribute was missing. He said nothing. He was here laughing and joking with his friends like it didn’t matter if the tribute was safe or not.

My teeth bared as I stared him down. He sighed.

“I thought he was hiding with someone else. He’s so quiet, I just assumed he hadn’t bothered telling anyone who his protector was. I was going to look for him eventually if he didn’t come back.”

“Do you care so little for his safety that you would not even check?” I snarled. While I was unhappy with the tribute hiding in my tent, I would not be so careless as to not look for him if he was missing. He was under Orn’s protection. His safety was supposed to be his priority.

Orn’s face flashed with annoyance. “To care for him, he would need to be an actual person. He’s not.

He won’t speak, he won’t interact. He refuses to learn the language.

He is a shell with no personality. Forgive me for not thinking of him first, after I was injured in battle.

” He pointed to his arm, which was bandaged.

I lunged for him, ripping the bandage away.

The injury was inconsequential. I’d survived alone in the forest with much worse.

Disgust filled me, and I shoved him away.

“You have no honor. You are a disgrace to your people.”

His mouth fell open, indignant. “You said he was with you! He is obviously fine!”

I didn’t care to think what would have happened to the tribute had he not come to me.

If I’d figured things out without his warning and gone to do my job, I might have missed him.

I hadn’t realized they were taking so many male tributes.

I knew of Simon and of Finn the year prior, but no others.

I wouldn’t have thought to ask, and the Fer’na could have dragged him away.

The things they did to their tributes were abhorrent.

I’d made the request to Orthorr to put an end to them before.

He refused. Our clan had fighters, but not enough to battle the Fer’na. He wouldn’t take the risk.

Fury scorched through me like a forest fire, and I found myself reaching for the sword at my belt. I wanted to gut Orn for being so careless with another’s life. I did not wish to call him brother any longer.

A hand rested on my forearm, stalling me, and I whipped around with a snarl. Rath, ever patient, didn’t flinch away from me. He spoke low, and the only sign of his anger was the tightness in his voice.

“We will bring him to Uttin. He will decide the punishment. You cannot dispense judgment without trial first.”

“Trial?” Orn squawked. “I did my duty! I protected him when the Fer’na arrived and told him to run and hide! He did so! He is unharmed! Why would I need to face trial?”

Rath turned his dark gaze toward Orn. “Had you done your duty, you would have searched for him when you realized he was missing. An entire night passed with no one knowing he was gone. Anything could have happened to him. All because you do not enjoy his company?”

Orn grimaced, then his face twisted into a scowl. “Einar said nothing, either. He could have told me sooner that my tribute was with him.”

I scoffed at his pathetic attempt to shift blame. “I did not know who he belonged to.”

That only seemed to incense him more. “Because he wouldn’t tell you, correct? He is just as much to blame as I am. Had he spoken up for once?—”

“Enough,” Rath said with a scowl. “You will not place blame on a frightened tribute. You will come with me now to see Uttin, or you will be dragged there. Choose.”

For a moment, it looked as though Orn would continue to argue.

But he must have decided it wasn’t worth going up against me and Rath both.

Rath could not beat me in skill, but he was formidable, and none who wished to survive dared challenge him.

Orn shoved to his feet, muttering under his breath about how males should not be tributes and how cowardly the one he was given was.

Rath had to restrain me from reaching for him again.

Only once he was out of sight, led away by a few warriors, did he release me.

“Be at ease, brother. I will make sure he is truthful with Uttin. Can you bring the tribute to the discussion, or would you prefer I ask another?”

It didn’t matter if someone else fetched the tribute or not; I was going to be part of that discussion. Orn’s dishonor would not stand.

“I will fetch him,” I growled. “If Orn runs, you tell Uttin I will track him myself, but I will not bring him back alive.”

Rath nodded once before walking away to deliver my warning. I turned my attention to the others who had sat with Orn and joked as though nothing was wrong. “You are as much to blame as he is. You knew he was a protector. Had the tribute turned up dead, his blood would be on your hands as well.”

I walked away without a word, leaving them spluttering behind me.

I did not wish to hear their excuses, and the next person who pissed me off might not be so lucky as to have someone step in to stop me.

I stopped outside my tent, taking a few deep breaths.

It would not do to scare the tribute. I didn’t wish to hear him crying.

After the discussion with Uttin, he would be given to another, and I could start packing.

I was reluctant to leave my clan unprotected so soon after an attack, but I needed space from them.

The disgust I felt for Orn tainted the entire village.

Ducking into my tent, I found the tribute where I’d left him. He looked as though he were lost in thought, a forlorn look on his face. I wasn’t sure why he had that look, but it didn’t matter.

“We will go now to talk to Uttin. You need a new protector.”