Could he be one of the men who’d killed her mother? She tried to get a better look, but she was more worried about Hildi. She couldn’t follow, but she could still curse the bastards. “May the biggest eels from the deepest depths of the sea slither over the side of your vessel and strangle you both until your eyeballs pop out of your head!”
“Hildi, wake up,” Hagen said, gently prodding her.
Brynja tried to walk but found her ankle weak, nearly falling. “Hedgehog’s warts.”
“Do you need help?”
“Nay, I’m fine. Fix Hildi.”
“She’s not waking up. I’ll get her in the boat and get her back to Iona. I think Aunt Brenna is visiting. If not, Beatris can help her.” Hagen lifted Hildi without a struggle and carried her, handing her over to Jowell, who settled in the boat the best he could.
“I’ve no furs or extra plaids.” Jowell shrugged his shoulders.
“We can’t get to Iona from here,” Brynja said, her gaze moving to every area around her as if someone were to jump out at her. “Not in this small boat.”
Hagen said, “We’ll get her to MacQuarie Castle, then get a larger boat. It’s the only way. This is not our boat.”
Brynja sat next to Hagen and stared at her friend, tears coming to her eyes. “My dearest Hildi.”
Hagen said, “Brynja, I cannot row with you next to me. Can you sit in front of me, mayhap hold Hildi’s head on your lap?”
“I can do that.” Brynja nodded, unable to think much of anything. “Just save her. Please.”
They set off, Brynja cradling Hildi’s head. Though she continued to speak with her, the lass didn’t awaken.
“What happened?” Hagen asked once they were headed back to Mull.
“We saw the two men approaching by boat, so I crept over to the edge to identify them and to listen in on their conversation, but Hildi tripped and they heard us. The next thing I knew one of them was chasing us through the woods. When he got close, he grabbed Hildi and threw her hard against a tree, snapping her head back. Then he pushed her down the hill. I feared she would land in the water and drown. The monks are still there somewhere.”
She looked back, noticing one on the shore watching them depart. She waved to let them know she was hale.
Hildi was not.
Once they arrived on Mull and returned the boat, Hagen lifted Hildi and handed her to Paden who settled her in front of him as they headed back to the castle. Jowell explained to Paden what had happened, while Brynja rode with Hagen. She leaned back against him and whispered, “Do you think she’ll die?”
Hagen said, “Nay. She’s young, she’s strong. Head injuries need time to heal. That’s what I’ve been told before.”
“How will we get back to Iona?”
“Thane MacQuarie will let us borrow a boat. I’ll leave Paden here with the horses. Jowell can travel with us.”
“Many thanks to you, Hagen. Why were you on Ulva?”
“Because I was talking with Thane when we saw the suspicious boat go by. You were right, then. Those men are looking for you.”
They rode slowly in the dark, and to her surprise, Hildi’s voice carried to her when they neared MacQuarie Castle. “Brynja, are you hale?”
She spun around to the horse behind them. “Hildi? Is that you?”
“What happened? Where are we, Brynja?”
“The bastard threw you against a tree. Hagen came along and scared the two away. Are you hale?”
“Nay, I don’t feel well.”
They approached the castle and Thane called out to them. “What happened?”
“Let me down,” Hildi said. Paden set her down and she fell to her knees and heaved all over the bushes. Jowell followed her and helped her back up when she finished, talking quietly to her.
