Page 81 of Highlander the Conqueror

“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.”

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