Chapter 7
Caitlin stood at theback of the inn, trying not to be noticed as the occupants argued. Kai had climbed onto a table at the front, commanding attention as he spoke in a low, serious voice. She couldn’t hear everything he was saying, but she could make out phrases like “band of brigands,” “intent on causing chaos,” and “threat to this village.”
The villagers murmured and shifted, some clearly frightened, some angry and itching for a fight. Kai’s eyes swept over the crowd, his gaze coming to rest on her briefly before moving on. She wondered what he was thinking.
“What are we gonna do?” a thin, blonde woman asked, panic in her voice.
“Isnae it obvious?” another woman replied. “We run. Go west to MacAuley lands. They’ll take us in.”
“We will do no such thing!” Rosa said angrily. “You would let these people drive you out of your homes? We will stand and fight!”
The room erupted into a chorus of agreement and Caitlin felt a swell of admiration for the village leader. Rosa was a force to be reckoned with.
“And we’ll fight with ye!” This was from Oskar. The man looked angry enough to take on the entire band of brigands by himself. At Caitlin’s side, Emeric shifted uncomfortably and Conall rolled his eyes.
“He needs to shut his mouth,” the gray-eyed man murmured. “And not make promises he canna keep.”
Kai raised his hand for silence, and the room quieted. “As Rosa says, ye arenotgoing to run,” he said firmly. “Ye aren’t in any immediate danger. The bandits were relying on surprise, a lightning raid that would have ye running scared. These kinds of men are not brave. They will only go for weak targets. They have lost their horses and, therefore, their method of escape, so I doubt they will try their luck again.” He held up his hand as the villagers began muttering. “Nevertheless, I suggest ye post guards. I will put together a rotation schedule which ye can implement.”
“But aren’t ye gonna stay and help us?” someone shouted. “Oskar told us ye would!”
Kai’s expression darkened and his gaze flicked to Oskar. “Nay. I’m afraid we have other business to attend to.”
He jumped down from the table, grabbed Oskar’s shoulder, and propelled him ahead of him. “Outside. Now.”
Caitlin followed them into the yard. The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, its rays turning the sky to a soft pink hue. Dew clung to the grass and fog still lingered in patches. Somewhere in the distance, birds began chirping their morning songs and a gentle breeze ruffled Caitlin’s hair.
“Ye canna be serious!” Oskar growled, swinging around to face Kai. “Ye know who those men work for! Ye canna leave these people at their mercy!”
“What would ye have me do?” Kai snapped. “Stay to defend this village and blow our mission? How many would suffer then?”
“We canna just walk away,” Oskar replied stubbornly. “It isnae right.”
“This isnae our fight, man. We have a mission to complete and we canna afford to be sidetracked.”
“Like hell we canna!” Oskar hissed. “I’ve never known ye to back away from a fight! I’ve never known ye to be a coward!”
Kai shifted forward, his face inches away from Oskar’s. “A coward, am I?” he growled, his words as sharp as daggers. “Call me that again and so help me I’ll teach ye a lesson ye willnae forget.”
Oskar bared his teeth and his hand balled into a fist. “Ye can try.”
The red-haired swordsman swung his fist in a fierce blow, but Kai merely swayed out of the way, grabbed Oskar’s shoulder, and rammed him against the inn wall.
