“Go!” he screamed.
Before she could take another step, John collapsed. Noelle couldn’t move a muscle to help him. Her entire body quaked under the weight of his assailant’s steely stare—the man resembled a flesh and bone devil. Trembling still, she sprintedfor the main doors with Margaret in tow. They made it to within a few feet of the entryway.
Heavily armored men blocked their route and a flash of movement attracted Noelle’s attention. Another enemy charged from their right flank. His mouth hung open as he spoke words she didn’t understand. Heathen curses that made her skin crawl. She squared her shoulders and pulled Margaret closer, her sister’s heavy panting warmed the nape of her neck. The warrior’s mouth twisted into a cruel smile.
“Easy,” Noelle whispered. She didn’t know where she found the strength to comfort Margaret as her own knees wobbled. Her grasp of reality threatened to disintegrate at any moment.
Just as Noelle contemplated making another move, a battle axe swung and split the offender’s skull. Blood spattered across the front of her cloak and Margaret shrieked. Noelle dropped her sister’s hand and motioned forward. She lunged and cleared the doorway, catapulting down the stairwell outside. As Noelle’s feet hit the ground, she looked over her shoulder and saw Margaret had followed. They ran away as fast as they could.
The forest was the only adequate hiding place nearby and these men, whoever they were, would be more interested in looting the keep than chasing down a couple of helpless females, Noelle hoped. They came closer and closer to the dark outline of trees on the west side. Her father’s lands stretched for many miles in every direction.
Flickering light beyond the tree line concerned her. Were other women in the forest already? She sprinted ahead. They mustn’t provide a beacon of light for the invaders to follow. She burst through the trees and stopped in a small clearing to catch her breath. Margaret followed, wheezing.
Ten women. But Noelle’s eldest sister, Ophelia, and other maids from the household were missing. More women arrived from the direction of the castle and Noelle turned sharply toinspect each one carefully. She took a torch out of a woman’s hands and threw it on the ground.
“Put out all the lights,” she directed, and rolled the oiled wood with the tip of her shoe until the flame extinguished. “We must remain hidden as long as possible.”
There should be more women here.What excuse would she offer her father after he returned from Ireland for failing to protect them? Raids to the north and south had increased over the last few years. If Ophelia and the others were harmed because Noelle had failed to execute their well-practiced escape plan, she’d never forgive herself.
Fear quickly turned to agitation. She also didn’t want to give her brother, Brian, a reason to question her competence. Not only hers—any woman’s. In all creation, he claimed women were God’sonlyfailure. Every unfortunate female bore the brunt of his judgment. Whatever it took, Noelle must rescue her sister. Pacing, she considered her options.
She made up her mind and turned to Margaret. “Stay here. There’s no reason forallof us to risk our necks.”
Margaret locked hands around Noelle’s arm. “Don’t leave me here,” she squeaked. “What would father say?”
“Father’s not here.” Noelle wrenched her arm free. Nothing could interfere.
Margaret’s round eyes bulged unattractively as she waited for an explanation.
“Many women are in danger. And Ophelia is stubborn enough to stay behind to defend her dowry. Mother’s gold and silver candlesticks aren’t worth losing her life over.”
“Is saving her from her own idiocy a legitimate reason to die, too?”
Noelle stared. Listening to her questions was a complete waste of time.
“Would father approve?” Margaret challenged. “And if you fail to rescue her, our sire may only haveoneliving child to return to.”
She actually thinks Brian and Ophelia are going to die.Noelle gave her a stern look. “Nonsense… I’d be more concerned if father returned and foundallof his children unharmed and his castle burned with his fortune gone.”
Margaret’s lips twitched as she crossed her arms over her chest. “No wonder father says you are the most disobedient daughter in northern England.”
Despite the temptation to match her sister’s insult with one of her own, Noelle sucked in a deep breath. She shrugged and adjusted her collar. Not even the Almighty could talk her out of doing this. Ignoring Margaret’s continuing protests, she disappeared into the trees.
Randvior Sirgurdson walked along the perimeter of the fore building overlooking the courtyard. Here the heaviest concentration of English defenders guarded the entrance to the castle, andhereis where most of them perished. He acknowledged their bravery—never failing to recognize men who fought gallantly, although quite foolishly. Outnumbered five to one, at least forty broken bodies were being stacked along the back wall. He’d let the English bury their dead, only after the details of surrender were agreed upon.
After he’d called for a truce, several skirmishes had broken out. His captains put an end to them nearly as quickly as they’d started. A complete waste of time in his mind; why risk his men’s lives if he could negotiate terms and bring the castle under his control without bloodshed. In the old days, he would have fought until the last English dropped. After fifteen years of raiding, he was exhausted—finished with pillaging and murdering. His father spent too much time and money on his education and training to piss it away.
My sights are set on the future, where seafaring will be altered forever.Christian kings were uniting in an effort to defend against foreign invaders. Soon, Norway would face its own challenges—the White Christ had already claimed many converts in the south. Quick and calculated strikes yielded the most rewards now.
Of course, it helped that the lord ofthiscastle sired a known coward for a son.
He left Aud Magnusson, his most trusted captain, in charge and headed for the great hall. There were many things to discuss. Gold, silver, and a ravishing beauty that caught his attention the moment she appeared on the landing inside the hall. Praise Odin for favoring him this night. He even considered exercising his excellent manners—taught by the best English tutors during his childhood. He could perfectly emulate the speech and behavior of the most refined English gentleman at will. What he never fully grasped was their effeminate nature.
In spite of his limited patience, he entered the hall with good intentions. Confirm reasonable terms and go home. A huge commotion broke out somewhere near the back. He rushed past guards and women—pushed his way to the stairs. The dark bastard he recognized as the heir had a knife in his left hand and a woman’s long hair coiled around his right. She struggled to stand, but he kept her bent over in front.
“What’s going on here?” Randvior queried.
“This woman has no respect for authority. She’s a disobedient bitch,” Brian said.
