“It looks like I willnae have the time for that. So ye will just have to settle with plain old death.”
He snatched the dagger by the door and pressed the tip to the guard’s chest.
“Please,” the guard hissed, his eyes widening with despair.
“Also, ’tis Wolf of the North,” Neil whispered. “If ye’re going to call me by that name, at least do it right.”
He drove the dagger into the guard’s chest, piercing his heart. His lips parted on another gasp.
Heat bled across Neil’s knuckles as he gave him one final hard look. “Go to hell.”
The guard crumpled to the floor.
Neil rose to his feet and strained his eyes. No shout yet.
He wiped the blade on the guard’s coat, then cut the rope around his other wrist and his ankles.
“Alex,” he muttered under his breath. “I am coming.”
His eyes darted between the door and the window. He chose the door.
He opened it fully and let the night air in. A wave of cold slid over his burns as he stepped out, shut the door to a thumb’s width, and moved along the wall until the darkness swallowed him.
2
The camp lay in a rough ring, and fire burned low, smoke crawling across the ground. Men lounged around the logs with cups in hand, their legs stretched out and their blades near. Horses stood along a rope, their ears flicking at the sparks that rose into the sky.
“Another cup,” a guard by the flames grunted. “I earned it.”
“Aye, ye did,” a second agreed. “We are closer to making the Wolf sing. I can just feel it.”
“He willnae sing,” a third sneered. “He willsqueal.”
“Close enough,” the first said. “That’s all we need to find our sister and that wretched braither of his.”
“Ye think he will tell us today or tomorrow?” the second asked.
“Nae tomorrow.” The third shook his head. “Give it a week at most. Angus plans to try a new torture method. He willnae last long.”
“Aye. I remember he mentioned it.” The first chuckled. “The one where we take his lass, is it nae?”
Neil leaned against a post and listened. The guards grew braver with each round of what he could only assume to be ale.
“I heard about his wife,” the first said. “Apparently, she is incredibly beautiful. The lucky bastard.”
“Ye saw her?” the second asked.
“Nay,” the first replied. “But I heard people talking… ye ken, before we captured him. They said that she stood straight at the altar, looking like a queen.”
“A queen,” the third sneered. “I will have her on her knees, and we will see how royal she feels.”
Neil’s jaw locked.
Wait, man.
“Aye,” the first said. “We lay her out sweet and slow. Let the Wolf watch, and he will talk quickly.”
“Ye think she screams pretty?” the second asked.
