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)
“Aye, you will help me willingly or not,” Slayer said. “But why take part in this if you did not want to?”
Iver sputtered as he searched for a response.
Slayer answered for him. “Greed.”
“I will not deny I wanted the coin, but I gave better thought to it after I watched men brutally kill a large Gallowglass warrior. I never saw a man fight so fearlessly and continue to do so with so many wounds.” Iver shuddered. “I have seen evil things done by evil men, but never did I truly look on evil until that day when I watched a man step out of the woods to deliver the final blow to the Gallowglass warrior. One glance and you could see the pleasure he derived from slowly driving his dagger into the warrior and twisting it before he slowly sliced his throat.” Iver shivered at the memory. “I never saw such bravery as the Gallowglass warrior lay there unable to move yet not crying out in pain. He even managed last words.” He shook his head. “I didn’t understand why he said, ‘I won.’”
Slayer was nearly brought to an abrupt halt upon hearing that, but he was far too anxious to get to his wife. Clyde would have to wait. However, he would find the man and avenge his friend’s death.
“Did you and the other men with you partake in this attack?” Slayer asked.
“We’re here and the edge of the cliff is only a few steps beyond the pines,” Iver warned, coming to a stop in front of the tall pines.
“Lead the way,” Slayer commanded and grabbed him by the back of the neck and shoved him roughly to push through the pines. That Iver ignored his question was answer enough.
Slayer’s heart thundered in his chest, fearing what he might find and not wanting to think of a day without Sky. He did not know when she had become so essential to his life, but she had and if that was love then his love for her was stronger than anything he had ever felt in his life.
Slayer kept a firm hand on his captive as they maneuvered through the trees. When they broke past the pines and he saw how little distance there was between the trees and the edge of the cliff, he could almost picture his wife breaking through on the run to escape her captors and tumbling off the edge.
“Take him,” Slayer ordered one of several warriors who had followed behind him, and Iver was grabbed by the neck once again.
Slayer approached the edge, his heart pounding, and his stomach twisting, and leaned over the edge to peer down.
His wife was nowhere in sight.
Slayer released a ferocious roar that would frighten the most powerful beast, and, in the distance, wolves howled.
CHAPTER 24
Slayer turned to Reed. “Take another man and have him bring a large troop of warriors here. You remain behind and oversee the safety of the clan until I return, and have a message sent to Ross to return home immediately and let him know why. And tell him that Noble and Cavell may be needed.”
Reed did not hesitate to take his leave.
One of his warriors pointed to a narrow stream. “That stream must connect with another body of water. If we find it, it will lead us down there.”
Slayer looked to the warrior who had pointed it out, one of his best trackers. “Take two warriors with you, Devlin, and go find the waterway that connects with that stream while I go down and see if I can find anything that can tell me what may have happened to Sky.”
“How will you get down there?” a warrior asked as Devlin disappeared into the bushy pine trees.
“I’m going to climb down the cliff.”
“But what if the wolves return, my lord?” a warrior asked.
“They will be distracted,” Slayer said.
The warrior looked puzzled. “How, my lord?”
Slayer turned to his warrior who had a grip on Iver. “You never answered me, Iver. Did you participate in the attack and brutal killing of the Gallowglass warrior you told me about?”
Iver paled, seeing the fury in the eyes of the Gallowglass warriors standing nearby. “Please, I beg you.”
“Clyde was not only a fellow Gallowglass warrior but a good friend.” Slayer nodded to the warrior who held Iver and without delay he gave Iver a hardy shove that sent him flying off the cliff screaming. His screams died when he hit the ground. They all looked down to see his limbs bent unnaturally and blood pooling beneath his head.
Slayer turned away and made ready to climb down the side.
One warrior expressed concern. “If you fall—”
“I won’t,” Slayer said, and tossed his sword off the cliff before he lowered himself over the edge and began to make his way down.
Nothing would stop him from reaching the bottom and finding anything that might help him locate Sky. With that being the only thing on his mind, he continued his descent, reaching for crevices and sturdy trees that grew out of the rocky cliff here and there.