“So this man, the one you call Beast, didn’t let either of you go. You are still beholding to him?” Royden asked.
They both nodded.
“You don’t walk away from him without permission,” “Wilfred said.
Angus spoke up, his anger flaring. “How can men remain loyal to him when he takes them captive and forces them to fight for him?”
“He doesn’t force most of them. They come to him,” Penn said.
Angus pounded his chest. “He forced us.”
“Aye, Penn said. “He took a good portion of men from this area, but I don’t know the reason why. It was strange to see and strange that he’s left a hold on this area, which can only mean his job here is not finished.”
“What do you mean?” Royden asked.
“He’s paid to do a job. Once it is done, he leaves,” Wilfred said.
“So his job isn’t done here,” Royden said. “I suppose neither of you know who paid him to attack this area or why?”
Both men shook their heads.
“The warriors are never told that information,” Penn said. “But it is surprising that this has gone on so long here. He is usually swift in seeing a job over and done.”
“Which means something has prevented him from finishing,” Royden said.
“Someone must want this land bad and have an overflowing coffer to keep this going for five years,” Angus said and rubbed his chin. “Unless…”
Penn and Wilfred turned scrunched brows on Angus.
But it was Royden who satisfied their curiosity. “Unless it’s revenge someone is after and if so until he gets it, he’ll never stop.”
Royden headed toward the kitchen garden to see his wife. He wasn’t sure what to make of his discussion with Penn and Wilfred. Was it possible this whole thing had been brought about because of revenge?
Penn and Wilfred had both made it clear that they didn’t want to reach out to other warriors about joining the Clan MacKinnon for fear of what trouble it might bring them. They were too afraid of losing what they had and it went without saying that Royden couldn’t offer them protection against this man his warriors called the Beast.
He thought it might be for the best, since he was doubtful that warriors who’d been loyal to this man would ever go against him in battle.
Royden rubbed the back of his neck, an ache having settled there. He had thought himself free of battle once he was freed, but he was in the middle of an even bigger battle. A battle against an unseen and unknown enemy who appeared to want not only the majority of the land in this area, but complete control over it as well.
He continued to rub his neck. He’d discuss it with his wife, though not before he gave her a good poke that would leave them both well satisfied. He smiled at the thought as he rounded the corner of the keep.
It vanished in a flash when he didn’t see his wife in the garden.
He was about to hurry to the kitchen and see if she was in there. Actually, he was praying she was there, since fear had gripped him when he hadn’t seen her where she’d said she’d be. But just before he did, he caught a rustle of movement coming from the woods.
Could someone have taken his wife? Fear slammed into him, stealing his breath but he ran anyway, straight toward the sound. Before he reached it, his wife appeared, her eyes going wide like an animal’s eyes when caught in the sights of a hunter.
She appeared frozen in place, as if shocked to see him, and he rushed to her. His hand closed around her arm like a shackle, gripping her tight, and he dragged her out of the woods.
Oria winced from her husband’s strong grip and tripped a few times, but had no fear of falling since he held her firmly.
Royden swung her around to face him once out of the woods almost slamming her against him, but stopped just shy of her hitting his hard chest.
His dark eyes burned with fury and there was an angry growl to his tone. “What were you doing in the woods? Are you that foolish? Anyone could have grabbed you and abducted you. Never! Ever! Do that again!” he warned, not realizing he was shaking her.
“Stop, Royden. Please stop,” she cried out, growing dizzy and pain shooting through her arm. She feared he didn’t hear her, seeing in his eyes the savage side of him that rose on occasion. She placed her hand against his chest. “Please, Royden, Please.”
Her plea had him halting immediately and shaking his head, forcing the savage in him to retreat.
“My arm,” she said, the pain making her wince.
He let go of her and stepped away and took hefty breathes, finally able to breathe.
Oria rested her hand on his back.