Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 89331 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89331 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Torin hurried to ask a question before his wife could. “Were you able to learn where the bounty was first offered, Owen?”
“The furthest we could trace it was near to the lowlands from what one man shared, my lord,” Owen said.
“Who would the mercenary contact when ready to collect the bounty?” Torin asked.
“No one would say,” my lord, and I believe they did not know,” John said. “I think it was because only the individual leaders of the mercenary troops were given the information.”
“How would one confirm my death to this person, for surely a person’s word alone would not be sufficient enough to collect the coin?” Flora asked, and both men looked to Torin.
“You do not want to know, Flora,” Torin cautioned, the idea of what would be done to her sending a furious rage racing through him.
“Of course, I want to know. I want to be prepared for whatever may— OH!” Flora said when it hit her. “My head would be removed and presented to the person.” Her eyes sprang wide. “That would mean I am recognizable to this person.” She shook her head. “But I have been to too many places to recall all who may have met me or have seen me in passing or with my parents.”
“One other important fact, my lord,” Owen rushed to say when Flora paused. “The bounty was only offered to the most powerful mercenary groups, and they have made it quite clear that any rogue mercenary who attempts otherwise will suffer the consequences.”
“A sign this person is quite serious and is in a hurry to see it done,” Flora said and quieted as she tilted her head in thought, though not for long. “Why then has it been quiet these last few days with no attempts made?”
Torin had the answer to that. “Walsh! Word spreads fast and no doubt it has been learned that Walsh has accessed the isle and with the death of the first man in the trees when he arrived, the other man he killed supposedly to help me, and with the three recent deaths, it is probably believed that he stopped them, intending the bounty for him and his men.”
“Walsh has had ample time to kill me, and yet he has not,” Flora said and thought of the message he had given her from her da that had to have been from him or did she want to believe it had been?
“You cannot spend coin if you do not survive the mission,” John said.
Owen agreed with a nod. “Walsh is wiser than most of the mercenaries. He would make sure to carry out the mission and make his escape.”
Flora’s silence alerted Torin that she was upset, and he quickly dismissed the two men. “Go get food and drink. You did well.”
Torin turned to his wife, lost in her thoughts, he reached out and took her hand in his. He was glad she spoke before he could, not sure how to quell her troublesome thoughts.
“I just spoke with Walsh. He gave me a message from my da. It was meant to be given to me if I learned of his extra activities and continued to question. My da told Walsh I would understand it, and I did. I will not deny I longed to have a word with my da again and share in things he or I have learned. I want to believe he did not let death stop him from reaching out to me and sharing knowledge he had learned and wished to share with me. I also want to believe that Walsh was a friend to my da and not a foe. But I also do not want to be a fool and trust blindly in a man I do not know.”
“He is being watched, for I have yet to fully trust his word,” Torin said. “But you will not approach Walsh alone on that I will have your word, wife.”
“I promise,” she said to his relief. “I am perplexed as to what we should do next. We must discover who is behind this but how do we do that when isolated here on the isle? And it would make no sense for me to travel back home to see what someone might know there, for I doubt I would survive the journey.”
“You are not going anyplace. Your home is here now, and it is where you will stay,” he commanded with authority, a fear rushing through him of what could happen to her if she took such a chance.
“I am wise enough to know that would be a foolish thing to do,” Flora said, then grew quiet, though not for long. “There might be another way.”
Torin eyed her skeptically when she turned an overly sweet smile on him, and he did not think he was going to like what she was about to suggest.