“My orders have changed.I am to take the female with me.”
The claim arched my brow.“Why?”
“Because the mistress commands it.”
While I suspected I knew who, I asked anyhow.“And who is this mistress that thinks she can send her minions to my territory?”
“The mighty one.The queen of the lochs.The?—”
Given I didn’t know how many titles it would spit out, I interrupted.“Of for fuck’s sake.Why can’t you just say her name?”
“Mistress Nessie.”
“Guess she’s still pissed at me.”And now I was more than annoyed with her.
“The mistress has no quarrel with you.”
“Obviously she does, or you wouldn’t be here trying to abduct Davina.”Why did a human professor suddenly interest Nessie to the point she’d dare send a Red Cap into my territory?
“The female doesn’t belong to you,” the thing further stated.
“Nor to Nessie,” I added.“Why does your mistress want her?”
“The why matters not.I am taking her.”
“Like fuck you are.”
Apparently, not the reply it wanted.The Red Cap lunged for me while swinging its rusty blade.Too slow.I easily stepped aside and chopped with my own knife, lopping off its arm.
The screech that emerged hurt my sensitive ears.I crouched and pulled the hilt of my claymore peeking from under the mattress, and as I rose, my blade was already in motion, I sliced through its neck, and the head went flying.The body collapsed in a foul heap of blood and putrescence, which would be devilishly hard to remove from the wooden plank floor.
As would be the vomit Davina spewed.
ChapterSeven
Seeingmy first decapitation up close did not agree with my tummy.Mostly bile emerged, splattering the floor, leaving a sour taste in my mouth and a look of disgust on Alistair’s face.
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, my cheeks heating with embarrassment.
“Understandable reaction.The stench of a Red Cap is enough to curdle even my stomach.”Alistair glanced at the headless corpse and grimaced.“Nasty, smelly bastards.”
He leaned down and grabbed the body, and I wondered why until he headed for the window, which I’d left open for fresh air, and heaved it out.The head followed soon after.
I almost threw up again.He unfortunately noticed.To my surprise, he didn’t say anything cruel.
“I think you need a glass of something to settle your belly,” he stated, leading me down to the kitchen.
Turned out he didn’t mean water but eye-watering whiskey.I choked as fire raced down my throat, but to my relief, it didn’t come spewing back out.And what do you know, it did somewhat steady my nerves, enough that I finally remembered my manners.
“Thank you for saving me from that monster.”
“Don’t thank me when I should be apologizing.You should have been safe.That Red Cap should have never dared to enter my home.”
“Did I hear it right?It planned to abduct me?”
“Aye.”I watched as Alistair lay his sword on the counter and reached into a cupboard for a cloth to wipe the blade.
“Why would Nessie ask a monster to bring me to her?”
