Sturan retorted fiercely, “You circle the fukin’ Scottish beast!”
Bang!Her feet jumped back when a vibration, rivalling the mating earlier, slammed the wall.
“NAE! Do not let Aonghus cross…” Clyde commanded, but the words were abruptly cut short.
The reason became clear why Clyde fell silent. Bile seared her throat when Clyde’s copper-haired skull rolled by herdoorway with unseeing eyes and grizzled neck leaving a trail like a blood snake slithered behind. The traitor to his friend was now missing his head.
“Keirah,” Aonghus ordered sharply, “secure the door!”
She charged forward. At the same time, a scream erupted from her throat as a hand with etchings upon the skin grabbed the frame. Rune!Use any means necessary.Aonghus’s earlier words surfaced. Throw the blade? No clean angle! A defiant cry burned her throat as she threw all her weight behind the door, slamming it directly over Rune’s knuckles trying to gain entry. He gave a painful howl.Aye, cruel bastard! Cut him, cut him now!All the years of morbid events she saw in her shadow-glances…Her eyes still closed, unable to look at what she must do, the dagger tore bone when she cut Rune’s fingertips clear off.Oh yuck!
The massive Northman hollered from pain, releasing the door, but, a brutal warrior to his core, he charged at her again. Before she got a look at him or could shut the entry, Rune’s leather-clad foot tried to step forward and jam in the doorway but was yanked back with the voice belonging to Aonghus snarling: “Nae! You will not touch her, Northman!”
The foot vanished, dragged backward, and she slammed to bolt the door, dropping the board in place. This complete, the sounds of battle took an eerie muffled quality almost akin to waves crashing on a shore by a violent storm. It may have been moments or hours or days…With each breath her heart raced with a skipping flight under her breast waiting. Who…would be victor?
Bang! The door shook. Could it be Aonghus? A second passed, then the brogue caused her spine to decompress.
“Keirah, my lass, you may release the threshold; all is well.”
She flew as if doves lined her soles to tear open the timber. There stood Aonghus – bloodied and bruised and safe! She would have thrown her arms about the mercenary, but he grasped a prize: Sturan, who glared at her with his beady gaze. Her eyes saw in the periphery a mangled pile on the passageway’s floor belonging to Rune’s corpse.
“Your appraisal regarding the traitor’s appearance, ’twas flawless,” Aonghus commended her. “The only feature lacking would be the tusks.”
Sturan had been bound by her mercenary with a leather strap, which was stained vermillion. This had to be the grizzled tie once belonging to Clyde’s scabbard. A firm grip on Sturan’s bicep, Aonghus shoved the boar into the chamber ahead of him.
Taking a few steps back, she crossed her hands higher over her chest. Sturan had spied on her bathing in a river during their disturbing travels; the lust-filled look he had given that day haunted her. She saw a twisted grin take to the boar’s mouth.What a vile creature.
“Do not feel the urge to cover your grandeur, lass, my memory is already etched by your finery,” he goaded. “If you were seekin’ a Scotsman between your thighs, my cock was more than willin’ to see the deed done.”With the mouth of a devil too.
The final word left his lips before Aonghus’s fist caught the side of Sturan’s face. She cringed at the force exerted; the traitor’s eyes rolled back in his head and two teeth snapped from his mouth before they clicked onto the floor. A dullthudsounded after an unaware Sturan hit the floorboards.
Aonghus gripped his sword, advancing with death promised in his eyes.No!She leapt forward, grabbing his arm.At her touch, the mercenary covered by misted blood stilled and looked from the traitorous pile upon the floor to her.
“You declared the king sought himalive,” she reminded him, countering the rage reflected in her mercenary’s gaze.
He lowered the sword. “Aye.” He looked at the oozing lump which was once Rune in the passageway to vow, “One Northman slain, Keirah; three more to be seen to in your honor.”
A loud clapping of hands caused both their necks to snap up toward the doorway. A familiar pointy nose, chin, and long beard came into view. Aonghus bolted before her like a bailey wall at the newfound threat.
Herewas the third unseen stranger in her shadow-glance. “Torsten,” she mumbled, horrified.
Chapter 11
How could she not have known this was the one the three looked back at in the passageway? The sly Northman was average with the blade but a master in manipulation. He could barter with the devil himself regarding the cost of brimstone.
“Well done.” The slender and keen-eyed enemy looked at her protector. “Aonghus MacCade, your quality with the blade is superior, even to that of Rune’s, though he had grown to be a bit older and slower these last few years. Would you not agree, Keirah? I must declare, a mere brush in time away from my Lord Kollungr and you have strayed to a very promising place for finding a newfound champion.” Torsten’s eyes studied Aonghus with a heavy respect.
Aonghus gave a low growl before taking a step.
“Tsk, tsk, Scotsman.” Torsten waggled his finger in the air. “I hold no weapon; I am here to offer terms for the fair Keirah’s return to her most ardent admirer.”
“Then you shall leave with one less tongue,” Aonghus snarled, “Northman.”
“You Scots, always so passionate in your ways.” He tilted his balding head toward the side as he taunted. “I see Keirah has melted herself right back into this defiant trait as well. However, before you claim my tongue to join Clyde’s head, Iwould care to offer a trade which may be most” – he rubbed the end of his pointy flaxen beard between his fingers – “sought, for one lacking a clan such as yourself.” Aonghus stiffened. “Yes, Scotsman, I have heard your tale of woe regarding being banished by your clan – a bastard really.” Torsten made a shocked expression. “I bring good tidings in a fresh horizon for you. With Rune placed at death’s gate, a warrior shall be sought to fill his position.”Torsten, cold to his own soul, only loyal to Kollungr.“Being a warrior in fortune, I would believe the price could be more than ever dreamed.”
Thump.A thick bag of coin hit the floorboards between them.Of course– if brawn hadn’t succeeded then bribe would be next, the same as Torsten had done in Oslo with that…wait, why did MacCade just lower his sword?
“If I do not seek to serve the Northern lord?” Was he actually considering this?
