Sir James bellowed at the guard leading Kollungr, “His crew saw the result of his traitorous acts against King Håkonsson?”
“If you’re asking did they stare at the binding upon his wrists? Yes, the deed was done,” the guard called back over his shoulder, ducking when a lantern swung violently from the rafter.
“Excellent,” Sir James approved, then ordered, “See he is held without food or drink and remains bound even in his cabin. Place a guard with him on watch with another directly outside his door. Svørn, once fetched, is to be bound then tied to the post here, while Torsten shall be near the casks tied to that post, where they will both be in the door guard’s line of vision. A final guard is on the exterior door to the cabin-turned-cell for his former lordship. Two guards present at all times.”
The pair of guards hollered in unison, “’Twill be done!”
To her surprise, Kollungr didn’t address his captor, Sir James, but her. “This is not over, my lady.” Kollungr spat the words while glaring over his shoulder. “It has only begun. You would have preferred my bed to what I will now have planned for you.”Never-ever.
“Widow Inga would beg to differ upon that accord, Northman,” Aonghus ground back at the adversary, whose eyes widened when he discovered she had told him the perverse deeds the Northman had inflicted upon Inga. “Have you already forgotten my promise at the great hall? You willnotbe leaving these shores. The gold chain my lady won will be wrapped around your strangled neck by my bare hands. You know the lady I speak of? The one you worked so very hard to smother her spirit, only to have her kick that same spirit straight up your northern arse. Tell me, Northman, how does it feel to be bested by a Scotswoman twofold now?”
Despite the dire circumstance, she stood taller; Sir Brayden gave a low chuckle, and Sir James shoved Aonghus forward.
“Move!” Sir James ordered them toward the next passage doorway when the ship gave a pitch at the waves growing taller outside.
***
The cell was meager, dark, and full of fumes from rat piss. Wonderful. The slam from the square cell door and key clanking seemed a very final sound unto their demise.
She heard Aonghus challenge Sir James one last time. “If the storm takes this ship, why not bind us to the mast and give a chance for survival?” he asked, furious.
A grin the devil would wear marked the Scotsman’s traitorous lips. “Why would I care for such an outcome,SirAonghus? If I could seek a lower deck to place your lowborn hide upon, that is where we would be at this moment. May you drown in the bowels of this ship like the three rats you are.”
As soon as the shadow belonging to the devious knight vanished, Sir Brayden stated wryly, “He does not know he is the rat, right?”
“Nae,” Aonghus replied, “he considers arrogance to be the same as glory.” She watched her knight quickly dive onto his knees before her, proceeding to rip up her skirts.He is going for the daggers– their lifeline.
“Um, Aonghus,” Sir Brayden stammered on the watery boards while her cheeks blazed when his fingers began traveling up her calf, sending fire surging through her, “while truly, I admire the vigor you harbor in your passions for your lady, perhaps this moment should keep till we are on solid soil, not surrounded by nearly twenty thousand battle-ready Northmen?”
The ties gave on both blades; her grin matched his when he stood with both weapons in hand.
“Daggers?” Sir Brayden gasped in a hushed tone. “Brillant!”
“The lock you picked for the guard at the Stirling dungeon a year past?” Aonghus reminded.
“Aye.” Sir Brayden sprang forward, took the smaller dagger, and bolted for the lock to commence the quest for their escape.
“Do you consider Alec has reached Deidre upon his own quest?” Her question was weighted with worry while a scrape from metal on metal filled the air.
His somber tone told of his heavy heart as he replied, “I do not know, Cluaran.”
Ouff.She gasped when the ship gave a rough pitch, but before she slammed into the wall, Aonghus’s arms caught her,pulling her safely to him. Looking up into his eyes, she asked, “Once free, where shall we seek?”
“You catch sight of the bark supply ship tethered directly beside King Håkonsson’s vessel in between us and the king?” Aonghus cocked an eyebrow.Oh, you wicked knight.
Her grin reappeared. “The initial plan byourlord king,” she said approvingly.
“Aye,” Sir Brayden agreed over his shoulder. “Starve the northern wretches from our shores!”
CLICK! Advance!
Chapter 36
Aonghus took Keirah’s hand.She has a sheen from nerves.Giving her a tiny tug in silent reassurance, he led her from the cell, while Sir Brayden puffed up prouder than a goose. Pausing, Aonghus locked eyes with her, the lantern’s shadows were growing wild from the swings at the waves crashing the hull. He handed her his dagger.
“You are more skilled than I,” she replied, pensive. “What weapon shall you grasp?”
Her eyes grew when he pulled the necklace won from the Northman from under his mail and tunic. It was keeping in wait for the time to come since they left Ayr.This is that moment.The linked chain was thick as his fingers and the solid medallion wide as his fist. The right amount of force and pressure to the skull would do nicely to kill an opponent with one lash.Ready, Kollungr?
