Page 33 of Mated to the Alien Warlord

My heart constricted at the thought of these thirty men giving their lives for me. It was inconceivable.How could one person live with that kind of knowledge?I wondered. I needed to escape to make their sacrifice worthwhile, I just had to.

Too soon though, I heard the disheartening sound of hoofbeats behind me. For a moment, just a moment, I allowed myself to hope that it was Wrynn and his men, that they had defeated Fionbyr's army, but one quick glimpse behind me told me what I already knew. It wasn't Wrynn coming after me.

With a sob, I kicked my horse again into a gallop, forcing it to give me all it had, but it wasn't long before a rider pulled up next to me. I used the long end of the reins to whip them at the man, but he only laughed and, keeping his balance with his legs, reached out for me. He grabbed me around the waist and pulled me off my horse and into his saddle in full gallop.

I didn't lash out at first, too scared he would let go and I would fall, hurting my baby. But as soon as he pressed me against his chest, I flung my fists against him.

He pulled on his reins to slow his horse.

"Well now, what do we have here?"

I bit my tongue, wondering if my situation would get better or worse if I told him who I was.

"Lady Damaris if I'm not mistaken," he grinned, dropping my heart further.

"Warlord Fionbyr will be pleased to finally have you in his power."

"Warlord Vandor will kill you if you don't let me go," I threatened, trying to put all my anger and indignation into my voice.

The man only laughed and turned his horse. "Come my pretty bird, you will fetch me some nice credits."

"Whatever Fionbyr will pay you, Vandor will double it," I tried desperately.

"I have no doubt he would, but he will also chase me down to the end of Thyre for the warriors I killed."

"They're all dead?" I cried, feeling the lump in my throat closing and choking me.

"Not yet," he said ominously.

He kicked his horse forward, and I sat rigidly in front of him. I had nowhere to go. Even if I managed to somehow get off his horse, he and his men would catch me in no time. Had we been closer to the forest, I might have tried it, but any kind of cover was hours away.

Tears stung my eyes as we rode toward where the two armies had battled. Surprisingly, I only saw a few dead, many wounded though, and all tied on their horses.

Wrynn was bleeding heavily from a gash on his head. "You will pay for this Cryeogh. Warlord Vandor will disembowel you."

"He might, but first he has to defeat Warlord Fionbyr. I'll take my chances, Wrynn."

I was glad Wrynn was alive, even though he didn't look like he appreciated the fact as he glared at Cryeogh, the man holding me.

"Keep them close together and kill anybody who tries to escape," Cryeogh ordered.

AtsomepointIwas so exhausted, I slumped against Cryeogh, no matter how much I despised him, and fell into a restless sleep until night fell and we made camp.

Cryeogh wordlessly bound my hands in front of me after he lifted me off the horse. A few scraggy trees surrounded a small, dirty pond, and he tied the other end of my bindings to one of them, while Wrynn and his men were tied to another group of trees on the other end. Too far to talk to.

Tents were erected, fires were built, and the aroma of stew simmering in a pot filled the air. I feared I would be too scared to eat even if they offered something but was ready to force myself to do so for the baby and because I would need all my strength if I wanted to find a way out of this near-impossible situation.

Once they took me to Slotenburg, Fionbyr's stronghold, there would be no escaping. No army, not even all the warlords and the khazar combined, would be able to take Slotenburg down, which had been designed to keep Udruns at bay and Vandall's from venturing deeper into Thyre territory if they made it past the coast.

The only way to take Slotenburg would be to lay siege, and that would seal my fate just as much as everybody else's inside.

I turned my back to the camp and tried to gnaw on my bindings, but the leather was of excellent quality, and I stopped because I realized I would never be able to loosen the knot.

Frustrated tears welled in my eyes when a kick to my thighs startled me. I cried out against the unexpected harsh treatment and rose to my feet.

"Come. You will give me company in my tent tonight," Cryeogh ordered, pulling a knife to separate my bindings from the tree and yanking me forward with the severed end.

"Do not dare lay a hand on her," Wrynn fumed, rising to his feet and tearing at his bindings.

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