“Where do they sail to?” he asked, though he had no intention of letting theMaiden’s Honorset out.
Before any of the fools could answer, he spun and launched the knife he’d been tossing. The razor-sharp blade lodged in the thigh of the man behind him. He screamed and toppled. Alasdair dropped to the ground.
Pistol fire rang out. The bullet sped harmlessly over Alasdair’s head. He rolled and came up in front of the man holding the spent gun. The man took a swing, pistol in hand. Alasdair dodged. His fist slammed forward. The baron’s man collapsed.
Alasdair dove left, aware the third man was rushing him. They collided in a heap. A sharp twist of his body and a knee to the man’s gut brought Alasdair out on top. A punch to the face rendered his enemy unconscious.
Alasdair stood. Four of the men littering the forest floor were limp, silent. The one he’d shot lay wrapped in a ball. Groans escaped as he clutched his leg. Alasdair walked over to the man who’d tried to sneak up behind him. He knelt and pulled the knife free. The man yowled and clamped his hands over the well of blood.
“I like this knife,” Alasdair said, cleaning the blade on the man’s shoulder. “I’m going to keep it. I’m also going to leave one horse, and wake up one of the friends you left to guard them. I’ll give him a knife too, because they’re all tied up.” He gripped the man’s shoulder, to make sure he listened through his pain. “Think hard about the five men you left with the horses. Who do you most trust to bring back help? I don’t want you to die out here. This is important.”
The man gaped at him. He made a keening, wheezing sound, blood slicked fingers scrambling at his thigh. Alasdair sighed.
“The one with the nasty scar on his forehead,” the man Alasdair shot said, his voice rough. “He’ll get help.”
“Thank you.” Alasdair stood. He tugged the coat from one of the unconscious men. With quick strokes, he cut several rough strips. He tossed them to the man with the bullet wound. “Bind your leg. There should be enough there for him, too.” He nodded toward the keener.
“Thank you,” the shot man said, voice heavy with grudging respect. “I wouldn’t have done the same for you.”
Alasdair shrugged. “You were ordered to kill me. I wasn’t ordered to kill you.” He gave the man an assessing look, taking in the gleam of intelligence in his eyes. “If you don’t know, or haven’t guessed, the baron is a traitor. You’re his allies. Someone will come for you. You might be best served by turning yourself in and seeking mercy. Give it some thought.”
The man nodded. “You know theMaiden’s Honorhasn’t sailed yet.”
Alasdair offered a slight smile. “I know.”
He jogged back through the trees to the picket line. He sent all but three of the horses running off into the early evening light. The breeze was picking up as the sun lowered. In a few hours, the tide would change. Alasdair did a quick scan of the five men. The one recommended to him was already awake. He glared at Alasdair over his gag.
“Listen to me,” Alasdair said, speaking quickly. He’d lost enough time on niceties. “I’m leaving you that horse and a knife to cut your bonds.” He pointed. “Your friends are all in the woods unconscious, save for two with thigh wounds. They told me you would bring help. Do it. Don’t come after me. Don’t go to theMaiden’s Honor.” He gripped the man by both shoulders and looked him in the eyes. “I don’t want to kill you, but I will have my wife back and see the baron brought to justice. I don’t know how many are on that ship, but twenty of you couldn’t stop me, and twenty more won’t either. Nor ten times that number. See to your friends. See to yourself.”
He waited. The man, wide-eyed now, nodded. Alasdair released him and stood. He pulled the first dagger he’d taken from his boot. A flick of his wrist lodged the blade in the grass by the man’s thigh.
Alasdair strode to the horses. He tied one in tandem, mounted the other, and set out, leaving the third behind. He put the men in the forest out of his mind. Their lives were their problem now. Riding as fast as he could without harming his mounts, Alasdair sped across the grassland toward the lowering sun.
