“Yes. How did you know?”
“I told you I grew up here.” She did not add that they were on the land of the tribe that had attacked Gressa’s people and the same land where she had been stolen away. She had been gone too long to know how matters lay between the tribes and had not thought to ask.
“There is another route there that’s shorter, but the terrain is much harsher. Is there snow on the mountain yet?”
“Only a dusting,” Afan offered, the only one trying to be pleasant.
“Then we cannot wait. That dusting could turn into a blizzard while the sun shines on the coast. We have to go into the hills on our route.”
“How do you propose to set us free?” Afon glared at her, not at all convinced that she could rescue them nor come with them.
“No one will watch you during the dead of night. There is a hidden doorway in the wall surrounding the village. I can release you then we leave by that door. We will have to make our way into the hills as soon as we can, or they will track us.”
“You sound as if you already had this plan before we arrived.” Rowan’s smile made Gressa’s stomach curdle. It was more of a leer, and Gressa knew there was no way she could be alone with these three men in the woods unless she wanted them to complete the assault she had already survived.
“I need to know I’m not running away to my own death. You say Rhys awaits my return, but you haven’t said anything to convince me that Grímr will win the next battle.”
“We intended to get caught. They sent us to watch the comings and goings of the people living in this homestead. Finding you alive and well was just a bonus. Grímr intends to lure Ivar’s people out into the woods where we can easily shoot them before he raids the village.”
“You meant to get caught before you even knew I was here and could help you?”
“No, we decided that after we saw you arrive on the dock.”
Gressa swallowed her gasp. The three men, possibly with others, had been practically inside the village for weeks if they had seen the longboats dock and her disembark.
“You must have a great deal of faith in me,” Gressa tested them.
“Not faith. You either serve your purpose--freeing us then warming Rhys’s bed-- or we kill you. It seems rather simple.” Rowan once again leered at her.
Gressa’s heart pounded as Rowan spoke aloud what she had assumed before their conversation started.
“Very well. It can’t be tonight. They’ll already suspect what we talked about for so long. They’ll expect me to free you. We must wait at least one more night.”
“So, you can tell Ivar all that you’ve learned. I think not.” Rowan spoke as the leader of the group. “You take your chances tonight.”
“They’ll kill you alongside me. Then how will you report back?”
“A risk we must take.”
Gressa nodded before looking toward Bjorn and Leif. She jutted her chin towards the men before tilting her head to the door. Bjorn and Leif dragged the men from the chamber as she watched them go. She waited until the door slammed shut before spinning on her heels. Strian was already crossing the room to her, and she raced into his arms. Strian held her against his chest until she calmed enough to share what she had learned.
“They saw us on the docks when we arrived.” Gressa trembled, thinking about how close the men had been and wondering what else they had seen if they planned to nab her near the fjord before Strian joined her. “They saw us together in the woods, and I’m not convinced they believe I’ve been fooling you. My suspicions were correct. They want to lure us into the woods for the archers to fire on before they raid the homestead. They said once they saw me, they intended to be captured, so they could not only get to me but to learn the inside of the village. I told them I could help them escape but we would have to go into the hills to get to Grímr’s camp. They’re on Jarl Fengr’s land.”
Gressa waited for the significance to register with Strian. Anger transformed his handsome face into a mask of fury.
“I take it things have not improved with that tribe in the years I’ve been away.”
“Things are calm, but I haven’t forgotten what they did to my mother, to Tyra’s mother, or any of the others they found here while we fished so close to the shore but just too far to hear their screams.”
Gressa held Strian while it was his turn to tremble, but his was born of rage.
“I don’t know that Fengr is giving them aid. I suspect he either doesn’t know or doesn’t care to get involved.”
Strian nodded, but Gressa knew his mind still battled the memories the name brought forth.
“Strian, they insist that I rescue them tonight even though I warned them I would be under greater suspicion after our conversation.”
“You’re not going anywhere with them this night or any other. I heard the name Rhys several times. It was one of the few words I recognized besides Grímr. What were they saying?”
