Chapter 23

"Run to the castle! We have only so much time before they reach us. Run!" a woman warned the children, and they took off.

Sky hurried a glance at her husband, and he pointed at the castle. She turned and ran, heeding his command and realizing the outer sentinels had alerted to the approaching hoard, giving them time to prepare.

She had almost reached the castle wall when she spotted a frantic Glynis calling out for Oona.

Sky stopped when she reached her. "What's wrong, Glynis?"

"Oona, she was out here playing with some of the children, and I cannot find her. Oona!" Glynis cried out again.

"I will help you find her," Sky said.

"We haven't much time," Glynis warned.

"Then we shouldn't waste it. I will search this side. You search from the other side." Sky squeezed the woman's hand. "Worry not, we will find her."

Women and children rushed past her going in the opposite direction. A quick glance showed that her husband and his warriors were gathering weapons and preparing to take a stance. Why did he remain outside the walls instead of seeking their safety? The answer came easily enough. He was Gallowglass and they feared nothing.

Sky turned her attention away from the scene, needing to continue to search for Oona. She worried for the little lass when another horn signaled that the attack was imminent, and she saw her husband and some of his men mount their horses. There was a huge group of warriors, and they were a remarkable sight with their weapons drawn and their faces raging with fury. Only fools would battle them.

"Hurry!" a woman shouted. "The gate closes."

Sky looked to see that Glynis was still frantically searching and she did the same. When she thought all was lost, she spotted a piece of cloth peeking from behind a large rock. She hurried over and found Oona huddled behind it, tears flowing down her cheeks. She scooped her up and the little lass wrapped her small arms tightly around her neck.

Glynis spotted them and came running, tears flowing down her cheeks as well.

Sky handed the lass over to her. "The gate is closing, hurry."

Glynis took off and Sky went to follow when she was suddenly grabbed from behind and dragged backward.

Glynis turned, and her eyes went wide with fright.

"Run!" Sky urged. "Run!" When she saw Glynis hesitate, she cried out, "He'll come for me!"

As Sky was dragged into the woods, she watched Glynis and Oona make it through the gate doors just before they closed shut.

It was not until they were further into the woods that the man let go of her and two other men joined them.

"We don't have much time," the man who abducted her said. "That troop that attacked will be defeated soon enough and once he discovers her gone, he will search for her."

The man was right about that. Her husband would come for her, and she needed to survive until he did.

"Did Olin escape?" another man asked.

"I'm here," a voice was heard before a man emerged from the woods.

"Good job, Rory," one of the men said with a laugh.

Sky recalled the name only her husband referred to him as Rory, the liar. It seemed he was a good liar since he was not the man he had claimed to be.

"There is no time for laughter. This mission must get done," Olin said, "Iver is right. We don't have much time. We need to get out of here."

Fearful beyond belief, Sky forced herself to ask, "Who are you? What do you want with me?"

Olin ignored her and turned to Iver. "Where are the horses?"

"Not far from here and out of sight of the sentinels."

Horses. Once they got on horses, they could easily distance themselves from Slayer, taking longer for her husband to find her. There was also the chance of more men waiting to wherever they took her. Her fear grew and her stomach roiled. She had to escape them before they reached the horses to give her husband a better chance of finding her.

At least she was somewhere that she was familiar with… a forest. And she knew the secrets of the forest well.

"We need to get to those horses and keep moving," Olin said. "It will take us no more than a day's ride to reach the meeting spot, get our coins, and be done with this."

Iver was the man who had dragged Sky into the woods, and he gave her a shove. "Get moving."

"She stays unharmed, or we could get less coins for her," Olin warned and turned to one of the men as they walked. "Go a distance ahead and make sure no surprises await us."

She could not take the word of a liar that she would be left unharmed and that encouraged her even more to escape, and soon, since there would be one less man to hunt her. She was not familiar with this area of terrain which could prove dangerous, but the trees would help guide her and rock formations would provide her with places to hide. It also helped that they had not bound her wrists. It would make escape that much easier.

"Keep pace," Iver ordered with a slight shove when she slowed after only a few steps.

"Throw her over your shoulder, Iver, if she slows again," Olin called out, several steps ahead.

She could not let that happen, so she kept pace and feared their hasty steps would get them to the horses before she had a chance to make her escape. That meant she could not wait. She had to make her escape soon. But how?

It came to her when she spotted a sizeable stone ahead and when she reached it, she purposely stumbled, falling just enough to grab the stone.

Iver grabbed her by the arm. "Stay on your feet."

Sky didn't wait. She slammed Iver in the head with the stone and his hand fell off her as he collapsed to the ground. She took off, knowing she had little time, Olin and the other man having kept their quick pace. That had put enough distance between them for her to dash into the forest and hide.

It was only a few moments later that she heard Olin yell, "You idiot!"

Sky ran as if the devil was on her heels, keeping watch for places to hide and places to avoid.

"Spread out," Olin yelled.

His strong voice sounded close. She needed to find a place to hide and fast or they would find her.

The forest thickened, making it difficult to keep a good pace. She spotted towering pines grouped close as if they hugged each other. If she could squeeze through the thick branches, she just might be able to hide among them. She might suffer some scratches but that would be the least of her worries. She heard the cries and screeches of some of the forest animals. They were cries of distress. They were warning her. The men must be close.

Once she reached the bushy pines, she closed her eyes, leaving barely a slit to see from, so no pine needle could poke her eyes and make things more difficult for her.

"I see her!" one of the men shouted.

Sky hurried her way through, knowing she would have to run fast once she passed the trees. The pine needles poked and prodded as she maneuvered her way through and as soon as she broke free of them, she ran. Too late she realized she was at the edge of a cliff and, try as she might to save herself, momentum had taken hold, and she went tumbling off the side of a steep cliff.

Olin was the first to breach the pine trees and caught his steps, stopping himself from tumbling off the edge. He called out, "Go slow! There's a cliff."

The other two men stepped carefully past the trees and looked down to where Olin glanced.

"She's not moving," Iver said.

"We'll never get her out of there," the other man said.

"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.

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 menwere 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 longto 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."

"Aye, you will help me willingly or not," Slayer said. "But why take part in this if you did not want to?"

Iver sputtered as he searched for a response.

Slayer answered for him. "Greed."

"I will not deny I wanted the coin, but I gave better thought to it after I watched men brutally kill a large Gallowglass warrior. I never saw a man fight so fearlessly and continue to do so with so many wounds." Iver shuddered. "I have seen evil things done by evil men, but never did I truly look on evil until that day when I watched a man step out of the woods to deliver the final blow to the Gallowglass warrior. One glance and you could see the pleasure he derived from slowly driving his dagger into the warrior and twisting it before he slowly sliced his throat." Iver shivered at the memory. "I never saw such bravery as the Gallowglass warrior lay there unable to move yet not crying out in pain. He even managed last words." He shook his head. "I didn't understand why he said, ‘I won.'"

Slayer was nearly brought to an abrupt halt upon hearing that, but he was far too anxious to get to his wife. Clyde would have to wait. However, he would find the man and avenge his friend's death.

"Did you and the other men with you partake in this attack?" Slayer asked.

"We're here and the edge of the cliff is only a few steps beyond the pines," Iver warned, coming to a stop in front of the tall pines.

"Lead the way," Slayer commanded and grabbed him by the back of the neck and shoved him roughly to push through the pines. That Iver ignored his question was answer enough.

Slayer's heart thundered in his chest, fearing what he might find and not wanting to think of a day without Sky. He did not know when she had become so essential to his life, but she had and if that was love then his love for her was stronger than anything he had ever felt in his life.

Slayer kept a firm hand on his captive as they maneuvered through the trees. When they broke past the pines and he saw how little distance there was between the trees and the edge of the cliff, he could almost picture his wife breaking through on the run to escape her captors and tumbling off the edge.

"Take him," Slayer ordered one of several warriors who had followed behind him, and Iver was grabbed by the neck once again.

Slayer approached the edge, his heart pounding, and his stomach twisting, and leaned over the edge to peer down.

His wife was nowhere in sight.

Slayer released a ferocious roar that would frighten the most powerful beast, and, in the distance, wolves howled.