Cedric slowly began to remove his weapons. First his sword, then a crude ax with a chipped blade. How many skulls had split under that ax? How many men had fallen to this young braggart? Would her sin be great for killing him? Did she not have the right?
Cedric leaped at her all at once, taking her by surprise. Brenna screamed, not in fear, but in regret, for they fell many feet from her weapon and she could see no way of getting nearer to it.
“Now the victor claims the spoils,” he murmured before he ripped her shift to her belt.
Then he fought to untie the belt, and Brenna fought desperately to stop him, her fists hammering at him. One blow brought forth a curse as blood oozed from his split lip. He slapped her, rendering her nearly unconscious. In her dazed state, her belt seemed to open magically and the rest of her shift tore effortlessly in half.
Blinding pain cleared her muddled mind as both his hands came down to torture her bared breasts, squeezing them cruelly, delighting in her anguished screams. He continued mercilessly, it seemed endlessly, until finally Brenna could stand no more and fainted to escape the pain.
Garrick stood in Brenna’s room, a candle on the mantel his only light. He stared venomously at the cold fire and the remains of the two gold arm rings, now black, but still retaining their original shape. This was how she repaid his generosity. This was what she thought of his caring.
Garrick no longer held his anger in check—he had not for days. Why should he pretend to others that he was unaffected? He was furious, so much so that if he could find Brenna today he would kill her. But there was little chance of finding her—she had made good her escape.
Never again would he come close to trusting a woman. Having given him her word, he actually believed she would honor it.
“Fool!”
He drained the tankard in his hand and walked out of the room. He would order everything within it burned. He wanted no memory of the lying bitch left behind.
Garrick entered the hall, where Maudya was just placing his meal on the table. “Where is Erin?” he barked at her.
Maudya jumped nervously and scampered out of his way. “He is coming.” Then she added, hoping to pacify him, “Erin is old, Master Garrick. It takes him longer these days to cross the yard than it used to.”
“I did not ask for excuses, mistress,” he growled in return, then he pounded his fist on the table. “Odin and mighty Thor, help me! Will I have obedience from no slave under my rule?”
His call to his gods frightened Maudya more than his rage, and she ran from the room as if those very heathen deities were about to devour her. She passed Erin on his way in. He was vexed at seeing her white face and terror-filled eyes.
“You have no need to take your anger out on the poor wench,” Erin said boldly to Garrick, taking more liberty than he knew he should. “She has done naught but serve you well.”
Garrick was angered further. “You overstep your place, old man. You would do well to remember who is master here!”
“I know well enough whom I serve with love—and patience when needed.”
Garrick was adequately chastised, but he hid this under a stern countenance and moved to the reason why he had called for Erin again. “Tell me once more what you recall of the day Brenna left.”
“Again? Garrick, we have been over this four times thus far. I have told you everything.”
At that moment Perrin strode into the hall, but his bone-weary expression relayed that he had no encouraging news. Garrick ignored him after a single glance and continued his interrogation.
“Just repeat your story, Erin.”
Erin sighed. “I did not know the lass had returned that day, nor that you had come and gone. I curse myself for my weakness, for falling ill on a day that has since caused you such misery.”
“Never mind what it has caused me, Erin!” Garrick said harshly. “Just repeat what happened.”
“I did not expect to be needed that day, so I went early to Rayna’s for her special potions. She put me to bed for most of the day, and God’s truth, her mixtures made me feel well again. I returned to the stable late, and that was when I heard the shepherd howling as if he were a hound from hell. The storm had not yet begun and the air was still, so ’twas not hard to hear the animal from the stable, even with my old ears. I found him alone in the house, but thought nothing of it till I realized the animal could not have started the fire or made the bread that was then burnt to a crisp. I knew the other women had not been to the house, so that was when I sent Coran to tell you what I found. Since both your mount and Brenna’s were not in the stable, ’twas only natural I assumed she was still with you at your father’s house. Before you came with Coran, the storm had begun, covering the tracks you hoped to find.”
Garrick gritted his teeth as he remembered cursing the heavens for the snowstorm that had thwarted any chance of finding Brenna quickly. He had not found her at all, and too many days had passed.
“And you said when you opened the door that night, Dog ran out and off to the front of the house?”
“’Tis as I said,” Erin replied.
Garrick slammed a fist into his palm. “I have searched every inch of land to the east, all the way to the base of the mountains, but there was no sign of her!”
“And the mountains?” Perrin finally spoke.
“Any fool would know they could not survive there in winter, yet I did cross the lower hills.”
