“My Lady…” Brandon bowed formally.
She nodded. “What news?”
He looked up and pursed his lips. Rarely did Sir McNally frown. “I’ll let your husband do the telling. But I’m very happy to see you alive. Randvior told us of your bravery. Once again, you have humbled men of war by showing us purity in spirit.”
She received his praise with mixed emotions. Managed to give him a half nod, before Randvior told her to stay put while they made further plans.
Randvior’s voice boomed across the clearing as she waited. She couldn’t make out what he was saying, but none of it could be good. Bored with waiting, and desperate to relieve herself, shewandered into the woods. No harm with a small army standing nearby. A faint rustling and a whisper drew her deeper into the forest. It sounded so familiar.
Were the Norse gods summoning her?
For some inexplicable reason she wasn’t afraid. She jerked around at the sound of leaves and twigs being trampled underfoot. And there he was… whether a figment of her imagination or a ghost, her brother, Brian Sinclair, stood only feet away.
Astounded, she recalled seeing him back at the cabin before she passed out.
“Sister …”
Noelle searched for an escape route. But it was dark and Brian was faster and stronger. He extended his hand to her.
“I’ve come to take you home.”
“To what?” She realized he was flesh and blood now.
“To Durham.”
Noelle sank to her knees. Her mind painted a vivid picture of what misery her life would be back home.
“No. Iamhome.” There was nothing he could offer her to lure her back to a life under the same roof with him.
But Brian didn’t care about what other people wanted. He came at her—and Noelle couldn’t move out of the way in time.
“Life,” he whispered as he roughly yanked her to her feet, “is often unfair. Did you enjoy selling your soul to the devil? Didn’t I tell you I’d hunt you down?”
She gouged at his eyes, but he clapped his hand over her mouth and spun her around so her back faced him. He held her in a death grip and applied so much pressure to her chest she couldn’t breathe. She tried to break free, but he only gripped her harder.
“Help yourself. Come peacefully and I’ll let you live until we get home. Keep struggling and I’ll slit your throat right now and watch you bleed out like a pig.”
At that, she bit the fleshy part of his palm.
“You filthy bitch!” he yelped and shook his hand out while she ran for cover, hiding behind a large bush. Long moments passed, then she heard his footsteps.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are…”
Noelle bowed her head. Good God—how had he gotten here? Her heart jolted. Lauga… Of course, they had a shared hatred in common.
“I’ve been trailing you for days. A touching wedding ceremony, I might add, outdoors for the entire world to enjoy. Did you really think Father would allow you to disappear? Did you think I’d allow you to live happily ever after?”
She could hear him walking around and it frightened her.
“Margaret has been sold off to an English baron and our father is very ill. He met with an unfortunate accident after his return from Ireland, after he tried to banish me.”
This news surprised her. Her father would never do such a thing unless the servants and soldiers convinced him Brian had murdered Ophelia in cold blood. Even Lord Sinclair had his limits.
He threw a bit of rope over the bush and it landed by her feet. “Bind your hands and come out.”
She focused on the air around her and considered her options, fleeing or dying. She would sleep an enchanted sleep having loved so purely and deeply. Death didn’t scare her anymore, but leaving Randvior behind and sailing home with Brian did. She threw the scrap of rope at him.
“I’d rather die.”
