The King's Warrior (Pict King Series Book 2) Read online

  A knock sounded at the door and Verity went and opened it, thinking that perhaps Amada had brought the hot brew anyway. She was surprised to see Minn standing there. The top of the door opening reached only to her brow, forcing her to bend her head if she wished to enter. Verity was grateful that she remained where she was and annoyed with herself for being intimidated by the woman.

  “I heard Wrath ask Dalmeny if a woman had passed through the village. No woman has been seen here, but there is someone who may be able to help you. He has recently traveled a distance and may have seen who you are looking for. If you come with me, you can speak with him.”

  Wrath would not be pleased if she went with Minn and she did not want to go with Minn. She simply did not trust the woman. “You should take this news to Wrath and let him speak with the man.”

  Minn smiled and snorted. “I knew you feared me.”

  Verity returned her smile. “You are right. I do fear you and I do not trust you, therefore, I will not go anywhere with you.”

  Minn grumbled before spitting out, “I am trying to help.”

  “Are you or are you setting a trap for me?”

  “That would be foolish of me, since I have seen Wrath make those suffer who do not heed his warnings.”

  Still Verity hesitated, not sure of the woman.

  “I will go get the warrior who brought you here and he can come with us,” Minn said, throwing her arms up before she stomped off.

  Verity stepped outside and watched Minn head toward the feasting hall, wondering if she would return or it had been nothing more than a ruse. She turned to go back inside to wait and see for herself, when a hand suddenly covered her mouth, stopping her from calling out and an arm snagged her around the waist, and dragged her away, off behind the dwelling.

  “What are you doing here?” the gruff voice demanded.

  She was stunned to recognize the voice and realize that it was Lars, another one of Ulric’s warriors here in Pictland. She struggled against him and he tightened his grip on her, slamming her back against him.

  He pressed his cheek hard against hers. “Keep still or Ulric will find you with broken bones when I drop you at his feet.”

  Verity winced not only from his arm that was squeezing her middle much too tightly, but from his foul breathe that stung her nose.

  “I cannot believe you escaped Ulric. No one escapes him.”

  Verity dug her heels deep in the snow to leave a trail for Wrath to follow. She suddenly recalled her vision of Ulric dragging her away as she called out to Wrath. But Lars and Ulric were like brothers, did it matter which one she saw in the visions? And Wrath was not harmed or dead. Had she been too far from the village for him to hear her? Was that why he had not come for her? Had he been right? Had her vision been trying to protect her? She had to scream out. She had to alert someone so Wrath would know of her plight.

  ~~~

  “Northmen have been spotted in these parts. The Kerse captured one and plan to take him to the King,” Dalmeny said. “Does the King know anything of this?

  “No more, the Northman is dead. We met the Kerse on the way here and the Northman chose death over capture. Where else have they been spotted?” Wrath asked, wondering how long these rogue Northmen have been here.

  “Not far from the Ancrum Tribe. Egot does not protect his land and tribe as he once did. He leaves it much too vulnerable. Though, I have wondered if someone in his tribe may be plotting with the Northmen. You have not answered me. Does the King know of this? Is that why you are here?”

  With the Northmen having been spotted, news would spread. Dalmeny needed to know all of what had happened. Wrath started with the attack on the couple who had been slaughtered and the attack on the Raban Tribe and the Northmen who had joined with the Ancrum warriors. He also told him what all tribes were being told that Ulric and some of his warriors had arrived on their shores and had requested and been granted a meeting with King Talon.

  “Ulric chose now to come here when the land is coated with snow and the seas are ready to devour? Something is not right,” Dalmeny said, shaking his head. “Ulric made no mention of why they are here?”

  Wrath decided to tell him about Verity without letting him know who he actually was speaking about. “No, though we have wondered if it has anything to do with two Pict sisters who had been taken from their home here when they were young and who recently escaped and returned here. One made it to the stronghold and the other we still search for.”

  Dalmeny shook his head again. “That makes even less sense. Ulric cannot be that foolish to think the King would return two Picts to him. Besides, it would seem the Northmen that have been spotted have been here for a while, so they would have nothing to do with the two sisters.”

  “King Talon left warriors with the Raban Tribe and the warriors are scouting the land to see what they can find.”

  “With the Northmen here and those plotting to take the throne from the King, and having no heir to succeed him, it does not bode well for King Talon.”

  “Have you ever known the King to leave himself vulnerable?” Wrath asked.

  “I cannot say I have, but of late, things do not look good for him. With the Northmen on our shores without permission and some already roaming the land, the tribes will begin to doubt that King Talon is capable of protecting them and take matters into their own hands.”

  “That would be foolish of them,” Wrath warned. “The King is a wise man and will see this settled in favor of the Picts.”

  “I trust you, Wrath, though I will do whatever is necessary to protect my tribe.”

  “And so will the King, though it will be all the people he protects.”

  Minn rushed into the fasting hall, yelling out for Wrath, and when she spotted him she rushed to a stop in front of him. “Someone has taken Verity.”

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Verity let her body go limp, making it difficult for Lars to drag her and keep a good pace.

  “You will not play games with me,” he warned and dropped his hand off her mouth to grab her and throw her over his shoulder.

  Before he could, she let out such a loud scream that it reverberated through the woods. She knew the consequences she would suffer, and they came hard and fast. His open hand hit her face with such strength that it sent her crashing to the ground. She had no time to recover from it, since he grabbed her long braid and started pulling her along the ground. Any moment she expected her braid to be torn from her head, the pain so bad it nearly blinded her.

  His mistake had been that he thought he had taught her a lesson and she would keep silent. This time she screamed out Wrath’s name over and over and over until he turned his hand on her again. Only this time, she was prepared. As he dropped down to deliver another stinging blow to her face, she came up with her head right beneath his chin and sent him tumbling back to land on his backside. It gave her a chance to run and she did, grabbing her braid and keeping hold of it against her chest so that he could not grab it when he followed after her. And he would follow. Northmen never gave up.

  She waited to hear footfalls behind her and hoped to see Wrath running toward her. The footfalls came behind her, but not Wrath, and she feared she would be captured once again. It was not long before she was sure she smelled Lar’s rancid breath behind her and no matter how hard she tried to put a good distance between them, he gained on her. Any moment she expected to feel his hand on her as he yanked her back and sent her tumbling to the ground, letting loose his anger on her again.

  He struck with such suddenness that it stole her breath as she was yanked back and flung to the ground. She scrambled to her feet, knowing he would pummel her if she did not get out of his reach. He got her arm before she could get away from him and as he swung her around, his hand aimed for her face, she brought her other hand up. He grabbed it, releasing her other arm and twisted it hard behind her back, forcing a scream from her. His free hand caught at her neck, squeezing, and turning her scream into a
croak.

  He shoved her arm up higher behind her back. “Ulric will not mind a broken bone or two.”

  A terrifying roar suddenly ripped through the forest, sending birds scattering out of the trees and frightening animals out of their shelters. And it sent the Northmen trembling so badly that his hand fell away from her neck.

  She remembered that roar and when she caught her breath, she said, “That is my husband, the mighty Wrath, and he is coming for me—and you.” He gave her arm another hard yank and she cried out in pain, then screamed, “Wrath!”

  Lars released her as he backhanded her across the face and as she fell to the ground, she saw Wrath running straight for her, his dark eyes ablaze with fury, his warriors following behind him and other warriors behind them.

  Wrath let out another chilling roar, seeing Verity fall and knowing he would not get to her before she hit the ground. He signaled his men to go after the man he had watched twist his wife’s arm up behind her back and his hand strike her face. He would make him suffer endlessly before killing him for daring to lay a hand on her.

  His men ran ahead as did Minn and Dalmeny and his warriors while Wrath dropped down beside Verity. He eased his arm under her, and she winced.

  “Give me a moment,” she pleaded.

  Wrath stared down at her, her eyes shut tight, and knew she was battling the pain screaming in her shoulder. He had suffered such an injury and had made sure the man responsible was never able to use his arm again. He would do much more to the man who did this to her.

  His anger mounted when he saw bruises forming on each cheek and another forming on her chin. He could not wait. He needed her in his arms. She would be safe there. He gently slipped his arm beneath her, avoiding her injured shoulder and eased her into his arms.

  “Tell me what happened.” He did not mean it to sound as a demand, but it did.

  Verity knew Wrath by now. When he demanded of her, it was more out of concern and that was what she heard—concern. “It was another one of Ulric’s warriors. He was surprised to see that I escaped.”

  “That would mean he had to be here long before you landed on Pict shores.”

  Voices growing closer had them both turning silent and with a gentle lift, Wrath stood with her snug in his arms.

  Dalmeny approached with one of his warriors. “Your warriors and mine are tracking him. My tribe is already prepared to fight if necessary. We need to talk. Our healer can see to your wife while we do.”

  “I will see to my wife, then we will talk,” Wrath commanded and walked away.

  “You are needed elsewhere,” Verity said as soon as he placed her on the sleeping pallet in their dwelling. “I can tend my own wounds. I have done so for as long as I recall.”

  He placed a gentle hand beneath her chin. “You have a husband now and I will see to your wounds.” He was quick to silence her when she went to speak. “Not another word.”

  She held her tongue, seeing the anger in his dark eyes mounting as his glance skimmed over her face. She could only imagine how she looked to him and when his hand drifted down to her neck to tenderly stroke it, she wondered if Lars had left a mark there as well.

  “Did he do anything else besides strike you?” Wrath asked, his glance lingering at her throat.

  She shook her head.

  His eyes went to hers. “I will have the truth, Verity.”

  “Lars would not touch me that way. He would be too fearful. He believes I can see all and know all about him, even his death by simply looking at him. He dragged me by my hair and left some marks on me, but otherwise I am unharmed.”

  “He dragged you by your hair?”

  “I drove my head under his chin and managed to escape him, but not for long. He grabbed my braid and dragged me, but it was enough time for me to scream out to you again. I knew you would come for me.”

  Wrath sat down beside her and ran his hand gently over her bruised cheek. “I did not get to you soon enough.”

  “You came just in time. Lars intended to break some of my bones.” She realized too late that she should have kept that to herself. Her husband looked ready to roar with rage.

  Wrath contained his anger, letting it build to unleash upon the Northman. “He is the one who will find his bones broken.”

  She tried to soothe his potent anger. “It does not matter any longer. All that matters is that you saved me from worse harm.”

  “It does matter. He should have never gotten hold of you in the first place.”

  She rested her hand on his arm and moved the discussion away from her. “We should be more concerned that another Northman has been found here. Also, have you not noticed that the ones we have seen so far can blend easily with the Picts. They do not have hair or beards the color of the sun like many Northmen. They are also trusted friends of Ulric, especially Lars. They are as close as brothers. They have all fought by his side. They are all loyal to him. Why would they be here?”

  Wrath took hold of her hand and hers quickly closed tightly around his. “That is a question that has troubled me as well. They have blended much too easily, speaking our language as if born to it.”

  “The Northmen have traded long enough with the Picts to speak it as well as their own.”

  “There is much to be considered, much for the King to know. But tell me,” he said, “how did this Lars get hold of you?”

  “Minn came to tell me that she heard we were searching for a young woman traveling alone and she told me there was someone here who might have seen her in his travels, but that he would not be here for long. I did not trust Minn and would not go with her, so she went to get Tilden to accompany us. Before I could step back inside the dwelling, Lars grabbed me and dragged me away.”

  He would definitely have a word with Minn. “He had to have been here in the village when we arrived and spotted you.”

  “That is what I do not understand about the Northmen we have come across. What are they doing here? What are they doing mixing with your tribes? It makes no sense. They always travel together.” She was surprised about what she said next. “I wish I had a vision that could explain this.”

  Wrath recalled her vision of being captured and screaming out to him, he should have paid more heed to it. He should have realized that if she had not seen him in the vision, then she had been taken without him knowing it. “You will stay in my sight at all times.”

  “Who would have thought that a Northman lurked among the Imray? And is it not better we found out?”

  “At too high of a cost,” he said and slipped his free hand around the back of her neck as he drew his face close to hers. “I will not see you suffer again.” He brushed his lips lightly over hers. “I promise.”

  A knock sounded at the door.

  “Who goes there?” Wrath called out.

  “Tilden.”

  Wrath hurried to open the door. “Tell me that you captured him?”

  Tilden shook his head. “We lost him and could not find his tracks.”

  Anger had Wrath shouting, “You gave up!”

  “He would go where you least expect him to,” Verity said, stepping from behind Wrath and she was not surprised to see Tilden wince when he looked upon her.

  Wrath was quick to order, “Search the outskirts of the village.” He turned to Verity and took her hand. “You come with me.” She gasped when he tugged her arm to follow him out the door. He cursed when he heard her and came to an abrupt stop, annoyed that he had forgotten how badly her arm had been twisted. He would have rather left her to rest, but he could not bring himself to leave her alone or have someone else watch over her.

  “I did not mean to hurt you,” he said, releasing her hand and slipping it around her other hand.

  “I never thought you did and the pain will fade soon enough.”

  But not the memory, he thought and could not wait to make the Northman suffer far more than his wife had. He slowed his pace and kept a watchful eye on her as they made their way to the feasting
hall.

  Minn was whispering something to Dalmeny when they entered and Wrath could tell by the narrowing of his eyes that he did not like what he was hearing.

  Wrath looked directly at Minn when he came to a stop in front of them. “Why are you not helping my warriors when it is your fault this has happened?”

  Dalmeny looked to Minn. “Why does he accuse you?”

  “It was not my fault. Besides, how was it that she was known to this man?”

  “Not your fault?” Wrath argued. “You go to my wife rather than me after learning we were searching for a young woman and offer to take her to a stranger to speak with him? Why? What made you think the stranger would know anything? And who else knew of this stranger’s presence in the village besides you?”

  “Why was I not informed of a stranger entering the village?” Dalmeny demanded.

  “He arrived late last night and asked for shelter for a day or two. He was hunched over, his hands gnarled from age—”

  “You saw what he wanted you to see—a helpless old man who posed no threat,” Wrath accused.

  Minn turned an accusing tongue on him. “What would he want with her? What have you not told us about her?”

  Before he could answer a warrior rushed into the feasting hall and shouted, “He has been caught.”

  They all hurried out of the feasting hall to see Wrath’s warriors dragging the bloody and bruised captive through the village. His hands were tied and a rope was looped around his neck, not tight enough to choke the breath from him, but tight enough to be uncomfortable.

  They deposited him at Wrath’s feet and as soon as they did, he staggered to stand.

  “I will speak to King Talon and no one else,” he said and spit blood from his bleeding mouth, causing Minn and Dalmeny to jump back.

  Not Wrath. He stayed as he was, the spit barely missing him, and glared at the Northman called Lars. He would make certain this Northman did not take his life like the other one. He would have that privilege, after he made him suffer endlessly.