Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 98745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
“I but stated a fact. A fact that now presents a danger for you, and I would advise you not to call me a horse’s arse again.”
“I will take it into consideration,” she said dismissively. “And that fact only proves that my parents risked much to accept and welcome a newborn bairn they knew nothing about into their home and hearts. I am safe and much loved because of them, and I am forever grateful that they had the strength to be so courageous.”
“But they were fools in never learning your true origins since it could cause future problems and present a danger to you and the other two women.”
“You mean my two sisters, Elsie and Sky, for we may not share the same blood, but we are sisters of the heart, a bond that can never be broken. As far as why my parents never learned the truth of our origins, I can only imagine that someone thought it wise, safer, a secret to always be kept.”
“If more than one person knows a secret, it will not remain one,” Noble said. “Now the secret is out, and the problem is… we are not privy to it.”
Noble glanced at his wife now and again the next morning as they made their way along a well-traveled path. She kept a pleasant smile on her face as she took her surroundings in with interest, and he wondered if her smile was deceptive. Was she contemplating ways to sabotage their marriage? She was not as committed to their union as he was and understandably so. At least he had been given a choice, Lord Slayer having proposed the arrangement assuring him it would prove beneficial for him, and Lord Slayer was an honorable man whose word could be trusted. He had planned to wed one day and if the marriage would benefit him, he would have been foolish to reject the offer.
If his wife was wise, she would see the wisdom of her father’s decision in marrying her to him. She was in danger, and he could protect her, keep her from harm while more was learned about who was searching for her, if indeed she was the woman they searched for and—
His head went up just a fraction, having caught a sudden scent that wasn’t there a moment ago. His sense of smell was strong, which was what made him an exceptional tracker, though it could be a blessing or a curse. He had learned to tolerate the more potent scents. He was glad his wife had a gentle, sweet scent about her. He would liken it to stepping into a field of wildflowers when the blooms were most fragrant.
He caught the scent again, growing stronger and there was no mistaking it, the pungent sweat of warriors and with it growing stronger rapidly meant only one thing.
He turned his horse toward his wife and let loose with a roar. “Attack!”
His men drew their weapons ready to fight as they quickly directed their horses to form two circles around Leora.
Leora barely got to glance at her husband when a group of warriors emerged from the dense woods that surrounded them, roaring like banshees bent on destruction. Fear gripped her, seeing what looked like a herd of madmen rushing at them. Some were on foot and some on horses. The first circle of Gallowglass warriors were off their horses in a flash and fought the warriors who were on foot while the warriors on horses that followed attacked the remaining Gallowglass warriors who circled her.
She was shocked to see how easily her husband fiercely battled his way through warrior after warrior raining down on him. He swung a double-sided axe with great skill. The only thing she could do was to keep control of her mare and maneuver the animal when necessary. She had heard endless tales of the Gallowglass warriors, aristocratic mercenaries who fought to keep their clans free of rule from the Lowlands and from the Northmen who believed certain isles and lands still belonged to them. It was claimed that they were fearless men who would die fighting rather than surrender and seeing them now, she believed it.
Warrior after warrior fell to the Gallowglass, but not one of the Gallowglass fell, not that they did not suffer injures but they kept fighting as if invincible. That the warriors were after her was obvious, trying to break through the circle of men who surrounded her. Her husband kept on the outskirts of the circle taking down any who attempted to break through the formation.
Though fearful, Leora remained strong, knowing fear would do her no good. She did not think she would ever get the sound of clashing weapons, cries of pain from the wounded or moans from the dying out of her head or stop seeing wiser warriors flee rather than die today. Even when the battle finally ended, she still heard it in her head like a tolling bell that refused to stop ringing.