Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 92771 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92771 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
“Nay. Nay, it wasn’t me. She was like that when we came upon her and the cleric. I wouldn’t have touched her if she hadn’t started with that wise mouth of hers,” Witley said and gave a nod toward Brother Peter. “He’ll speak the truth. Ask him.”
“I can speak for myself,” Dru shouted, pushing Shade’s hand away from her face. “It was Witley’s fool mouth that stirred my ire.”
“She speaks the truth,” Brother Peter said. “The big fellow tormented her endlessly and I must say Dru kept her calm until he made mention that her mum must be as useless and as smelly as she was. Dru grabbed a fallen tree branch and gave him several whacks with it and before he could stop her, she ran, and I ran with her. The two men caught up with us here and the big fellow grabbed her and started tossing her around. Dru has a good soul. She is bruised and bloody because she helped me escape from a man about to do me harm. She took the beating meant for me.”
“Were you part of the mercenaries killing the Clan MacLeish warriors who were trying to return home?” Nug called out as he and several other MacLeish men arrived.
The Monk turned. “You are not in charge here, Nug. I am and if I must warn you again, I’ll have you put in the stocks.”
“We don’t have stocks,” a man called out.
“You will soon enough,” The Monk warned, casting a threatening glance at Nug. If the fool didn’t follow the plan, he, himself, had devised, all would be for naught.
Nug’s eyes widened briefly as if realizing his mistake and quickly apologized. “Forgive me, sir, I meant no disrespect.”
“You rule here, Monk?” Witley asked, surprised.
“Only until Lord Torrance arrives,” The Monk said.
Witley scratched his head. “Lord Torrance never made mention of you when he sent Monty and me here.”
“My message to Lord Torrance must have arrived after you left. I prevented some mercenaries from doing harm to the clan and trying to steal whatever riches now rightfully belong to Lord Torrance,” The Monk said, keeping with the story so that news would spread about it.
“Lord Torrance will be glad to learn of that,” Witley said. “He sent me and Monty with a message to the mercenaries that the killing of the wounded MacLeish warriors was to stop and that no harm was to come to anyone in Clan MacLeish. He claimed there would be no victory if he was left with a decimated clan to rule.”
“I heard the same,” Dru confirmed.
“All ends well then,” Witley said, smiling. “Monty and I will join the other mercenaries who help you keep rein on the clan.”
“Not many made it here and the few that did were too greedy, so they now reside in the dungeon. You follow my rule, or the dungeon will be your new home. Understand?” The Monk said, looking from Witley to Monty and both men nodding and claiming their loyalty to him. “I issue orders, I punish, and I alone rule here. Go against my word and—” He said no more, he simply placed his hand on the handle of one of the three daggers at his waist.
The two men nodded vigorously while assuring The Monk they understood.
“Go with Nug. He will see you get food and drink, and a place to rest your head while here, and you will wait on orders from me. Brother Peter, you go with Nug as well,” The Monk said and stepped aside for Witley to pass him as Monty hurried to retrieve his sword and join his friend.
Witley barely stepped past The Monk when he called out his name and Witley turned and was met with a fist to his face that sent him stumbling and bumping into Monty which sent the two men toppling to the ground.
The Monk placed his boot-covered foot on Witley’s chest before he could move. “That was for what you intended to do to my wife. If you had laid a hand on her, I would have killed you. Understood?”
“Aye. Aye. I would never harm your wife, never,” Witley said and rushed with Monty to join Nug as soon as they got to their feet.
“I don’t need you fussing over me. I’m good,” Dru said when The Monk approached her.
“Is she good?” The Monk asked his wife, her bruised face telling a different story.
“I’ll know better when I get her to Ena’s cottage and take a closer look at her wounds,” Shade said.
The Monk’s finger landed on the tip of Dru’s nose when she went to protest. “You will do as Shade says and then we will talk, and you will tell me what you’ve found out. But quickly, you can confirm about Lord Torrance’s change of heart—”
“If he had a heart,” Dru muttered.