Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 101336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
The hounds started growling and rushed at Sky. She had no time to jump the fence. She turned and faced them.
“The lass got a fright from the fall, but she is safe in her mum’s arms. You did well in keeping her safe.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “I will bring extra bones to you tomorrow in thanks.”
The two hounds stopped growling and their heads shot up and sniffed the air. She heard people suddenly running and crying out in fright and when Sky turned it was to see the people hurrying away from the pen and the two missing wolfhounds racing toward the pen ready to vault it. Again, she had no time to jump over the fence. She stayed where she was, seeing her husband come barreling toward the pen on his stallion.
“SIT!” Slayer commanded as soon as the two wolfhounds with him cleared the fence.
All four wolfhounds sat, their eyes on Slayer.
Sky remained as she was, her eyes on Slayer as well as he brought his stallion to a halt and dismounted. Dried blood clung to the side of his face and stained the sleeves of his shirt and the front of it as well. A film of dirt and sweat covered him. That he had engaged in battle was evident and she felt an overwhelming relief that he had survived. Though she could tell by the fiery look in his eyes that he was none too pleased to find her in the wolfhounds’ pen.
Slayer walked over to the pen, and the wolfhounds’ eyes remained steady upon him. He did not say a word. He reached over the fence, grabbed her beneath her arms and with a forceful lift swung her over the fence to land with a solid thud on her feet.
“Are you hurt?” Sky asked, seeing the wound on his head where the blood had dripped from and dried.
Slayer glared at her, having been prepared to unleash a tongue lashing on her for being in his hounds’ pen. Yet she robbed him of those words when she showed concern for him rather than defending herself.
“My lord,” Glynis called out. “She saved Oona from the hounds. She had fallen in the pen and Sky did not hesitate to enter the pen and keep the hounds from harming her. She saved my little lass, she did, and without any thought to her own well-being.”
“And where were my warriors in all of this?” Slayer demanded, sending a scathing look to each one of them there.
“I did not give them a chance to do anything,” Sky said, “I jumped over the fence before anyone could stop me.”
One of his warriors stepped forward. “There is no excuse for our failure, my lord, we should have been able to stop her.”
“You’re right and you’ll pay for it,” Slayer shouted. “And, Glynis,” —he turned to the woman— “if you let Oona get anywhere near the hounds’ pen again, you will suffer the consequences.”
“Aye, my lord, it won’t happen again,” the woman said, her lips trembling along with her words.
“It better not,” Slayer warned. “Now begone, all of you.”
All left but his warriors. They remained, waiting to face their punishment.
“I will speak with you all tomorrow. For now, you will do extra duty at your posts. Now go and never disappoint me again,” he said with a scowl at each one of them.
Their heads hung low as they walked away, though one of the warriors hurried to take the reins of Slayer’s horse to see to his care.
“Take extra good care of him,” Slayer ordered.
The warrior nodded. “Aye, my lord.”
Slayer walked past Sky to the hounds’ pen. “Food will be brought to you soon. Rest until then. We will hunt soon.”
The hounds laid down, resting as he ordered, though their attention sparked when Slayer mentioned that they would hunt soon. What amazed Sky even more was that the hounds remained in the pen, though they could easily jump the fence as the two had done upon returning with Slayer. Yet they didn’t. They remained there waiting for Slayer’s order. It appeared that everyone, even animals, obeyed him without question.
Slayer glared at her, angry at the scene that had greeted him upon his arrival home. He wanted to lash out at his wife for being so foolish while also wanting to wrap his arms around her tightly, grateful she was unharmed.
“You are a foolish woman!” he yelled and reached out to grab her hand and yanked her along to follow him.
When Sky felt him squeeze her hand, she knew he yelled at her for others to hear and to see that he had grabbed her hand to force her to walk along with him when truthfully it was an excuse for him to take her hand. But she also knew that part of him was angry with her, and she could understand why.