Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
“Tracking. Attacked. Warn Phelan,” Rankin struggled to say.
“You were tracking ahead for Phelan and were attacked?” Knox asked to confirm he understood him correctly.
Rankin barely nodded.
Knox could see that Rankin didn’t have much time left and hurried to ask, “Who?”
Rankin shook his head.
“More than one?”
It took a moment for Rankin to say, “Many.”
“Where’s Phelan?”
“Old place.”
“They’re going after Phelan?” Knox asked.
Rankin didn’t have much breath left to him but managed to say, “Autumn.”
“They want the woman Phelan believes is Autumn?”
Rankin looked as if he’d respond when his head fell to the side, blood running from his mouth.
Knox stood and paced in front of the dead man. He ran his hand through his hair, muttered beneath his breath, then stopped and glared at Dru.
“I need to tuck you someplace safe while I go warn Phelan, if we want that woman to live,” he said.
“The only place I’m safe is with you. And what if you can’t reach Phelan before they do? These are vicious men.”
“So are Phelan’s warriors. They will kill without thought, without mercy, and I need at least one of the enemies left alive so I can question him. And the innocent woman needs protecting. The old place isn’t far from here, though it’s been abandoned for years, and Rankin understood he was dead whether he told them where Phelan was or he didn’t. His attackers probably thought he was dead with as many stab wounds as he suffered or that he soon would be when they left him. His sheer stubbornness kept Rankin going, looking for help. You can’t help me with this, Dru. You must remain behind.”
“This is a death mission,” Dru said, her heart beating wildly with fear.
“Not if I’m careful,” he insisted and hurried to his mare. “You stay hidden in this area. I will come find you when I’m done.”
“You can’t leave me,” she said, chasing after him.
“I don’t have a choice.”
“Nay, we’ll leave. Go somewhere far away,” she argued, her fear growing.
Knox swung himself up on his mare, wanting desperately to do as she said, yet knowing they couldn’t go far enough not to eventually be found.
He gripped the reins tightly. “I will not let us spend our life in fear, waiting day after day for someone to find us. I will see this done.”
“Together. You promised we would do this together,” she continued to argue, hoping to stop him.
“Aye, but not battle, wife. Battle is left to the warriors. Now hide and if—” he paused— “if I don’t return within a day get to The Monk. Tell him the truth of who you are. He will protect you. I love you, Dru, always.”
She went to grab his leg to try and stop him, but he rode off without looking back and though fear gripped her, she didn’t let it stop her. If he thought she would sit by and do nothing, he was wrong.
She took off running, tears streaming down her face.
Knox wished he had taken his wife in his arms and kissed her before he left, but he feared if he had, he wouldn’t have let her go. He would ride off with her and hide, forever hide. And he didn’t want that kind of life for them.
It took a while since he needed to be cautious and not run into the band of warriors who had viciously attacked Rankin and left him for dead. Phelan was going to be furious when he found out, Rankin having been one of his most trusted warriors.
The smell of woodsmoke alerted him that he was near and hearing no signs of battle left him feeling hopeful that he had reached Phelan in time to warn him, see the woman kept safe, and more importantly in time to capture one of the attackers.
When he got close, he dismounted and whispered to Star, “Hide until I call out for you.”
Star snorted, bobbed her head, and took off.
Knox approached the camp with confidence, knowing one of the sentinels Phelan posted would see him and alert the camp, but no one did. He slowed his pace worried at what he might find.
Phelan sat around the campfire with a few of his men, fewer than Knox expected. The woman was tied to a tree and looked to be exhausted as well as covered in dust and grime.
Phelan flew to his feet when he spotted Knox. “How did you get past my sentinels?”
“Get your men armed. You’re about to be attacked—”
“Why should I—”
“Bloody hell, Phelan, do as I say. Rankin is dead and his killers are after the woman,” Knox called out and drew his weapon.
Phelan wisely listened and he and his men had their weapons in hand as a roar was heard and warriors poured into the camp.
Steel clashed with steel in a deafening symphony. Knox didn’t hesitate. He was already in motion, meeting the first attacker with a downward slice of his blade that sent the man sprawling. Phelan’s men rallied, fighting like the fierce mercenaries they were, their shouts mixing with the shrieks of the assaulting warriors.