Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 42873 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42873 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
“They eagerly wait your command,” Sloan said with a nod.
“As soon as it is done with the monk,” Cree said.
Sloan nodded again. “I will go make certain Tate does as he was told.”
“His concern for his brother will let him do nothing less, though that does not mean his worry might cause his good intentions to go amiss.”
“All is in place, I believe it will go well,” Sloan said and took his leave to see that it did.
Cree turned to his wife, standing at the end of the dais. “You have been silent, wife.”
She smiled and tapped her lips as she closed the short distance between them.
Cree laughed and reached out to catch her around the waist and hug her to him. “You may think you have no voice, but I hear you more clearly than others and your silence tells me you are upset with me.”
Her smile turned to a glare, and she tapped his lips, then her chest.
“You know why I did not tell you my plan, not that you haven’t known it from the start. You know me too well and are too wise not to know I never had any intentions of submitting to Cavell’s demands—” Cree stopped abruptly. “Bloody hell! I know what Cavell wants from me.”
Dawn raised her brow, anxious to hear.
“Cavell knows me well and has known all along how I would respond. He even told me so when he said I never submitted to anyone. Cavell wants me to not only rescue my men but him as well from whatever mess he has gotten himself into.”
CHAPTER 13
Cree stormed out of the keep and when he spotted the cleric speaking with Tate, he headed straight for him.
Dawn followed close behind, knowing her husband’s patience had finally run out.
Everyone in sight came to a halt seeing the glare on their mighty leader’s face and his hurried steps. They watched, not in fright, but in anticipation of what was about to happen.
Tate caught sight of Cree before the cleric did and he scurried to his feet, the sheets of parchment falling off his lap as he did and scattered out around him.
The cleric looked ready to gather them up when he saw how Tate’s eyes had widened and his glance followed to see Cree bearing down on them.
Cree did not wait for the cleric to stand. He caught him by the robe at his chest and yanked him to his feet. “Who do you work for?”
The cleric stared at Cree, appearing confused, then finally said, “The Lord.”
Cree shook him like he weighed almost nothing even though he was not a slim man. “Don’t lie to me. I have had enough lies told to me lately, I will hear no more.”
“I tell you the truth, Lord Cree,” the cleric said.
Cree brought the man close to his face and a low growl rumbled in his voice when he said, “You are no cleric. I have known enough of them in your present position that spew prayers as they beg for mercy, fear of what I might do to them. You show no fear. You are a warrior.”
Dawn saw the cleric’s nose flare just enough to know her husband was right, and she had no doubt Cree had seen it as well.
Cree shoved the cleric away. “You will tell me who you work for.”
The cleric stumbled but righted himself fast enough and straightened his rumpled robe as he spoke. “I am nothing more than a mere monk.”
“We both know you are no monk, and you will join the other fellow in my dungeon who also claims to be a monk,” Cree said and smiled. “Your eyes betray your surprise at that news, and that tells me much more about this farce of an abduction.” He waved at Sloan. “Another guest for the dungeon.”
“I will not be treated with such disrespect,” the monk declared, backing away as Sloan approached.
Cree lunged at the man so fast that he stumbled back in fright and landed flat on his back staring up at Cree.
“Give me a reason to beat you senseless,” Cree challenged, his knuckles cracking as he fisted his hands hard at his sides.
The monk’s nostrils flared again when he said, “I will pray for you, my son.”
“You will have plenty of time while in the dungeon,” Cree said and nodded to Sloan.
The monk was brought to his feet by two warriors who kept tight hold of him, and two more warriors followed behind as Sloan led the way.
Tate hurried to Cree’s side. “He wasted no time in joining me under the tree once he spotted me. He expressed interest in my drawings, praised them, and urged me to show him all of them after only exchanging a few words with me.”
“You did good, Tate,” Cree praised. “Now go have an ale or two to help stop your hands from trembling.