Wolf had his men leave their horses behind and circle the camp on foot, trapping the unsuspecting men. Brynjar thought himself unfailing, superior to all others, and he had instilled that in his warriors. It was one reason they charged ahead into battle, believing death could not touch them. He had seen the shock in their eyes when a sword pierced them or an axe severed them. At that moment, they realized they were not as invincible as Brynjar claimed them to be.
Wolf watched the four warriors talking around the campfire and he caught a quick glance of the man who cowered away from them, his eye swollen shut and a bruise to his jaw. He’d seen hatred enough to recognize it and it was evident on the man’s face as he stared at the four.
The four men suddenly rushed to their feet.
“You got her,” one said with excitement.
Wolf cursed low beneath his breath and looked to see his wife enter the camp area with Sten. His temper soared and he was ready to charge in after her, but he wisely refrained. He shook his head when he heard his wife laugh.
“Actually, I got him and I’m here to accept your surrender,” Raven said, laughter mixing with her words.
The four appeared dumbfounded, but his wife had a way of doing that to people. He held his hand up for his men to remain as they were and the signal was passed on to the other warriors who circled the camp.
Clive, George, Fyn, Iver, and Brod stepped out of the woods to fan out to either side of Raven.
The larger of the four men laughed. “You think five men and a mere woman have a chance against six of Brynjar’s warriors?”
“Six men,” Sten said and waved at Toke to join him.
“You join him and you’re dead,” the large man warned.
“Trust me, Toke,” Sten said and the man went to hurry to his friend.
The large man reached for the knife at his waist and before his hand could brush the hilt, he screamed out in pain. He looked down to see a knife embedded in his hand. He raised it to see that the blade had gone through, the point sticking out of his palm.
“Now there’s only three of you,” Raven said and took the sword George handed her, before drawing his own.
Wolf roared, the signal for his men to attack and they did. He went directly for the large man, seeing him head for Raven, a sword in his good hand. He had seen some women skilled with certain weapons, but never had he seen a woman as skilled with a sword as his wife. She made the man look a fool, the way she skillfully avoided him while her blade, sliced his arms, chest, leg. It was like a cat playing with a mouse, tormenting him before going in for the kill. But his wife didn’t plan on killing the man. She wanted more information.
Raven delivered a swipe of her blade to his sword hand and the weapon fell loose to land on the ground. “Surrender,” she ordered and too late realized his intentions.
The large man grabbed his knife from its sheath and rammed it into his chest before anyone could reach him.
His last words were, “He’ll see you dead.”
Raven hurried a glance around and saw that all four men lay dead, then she spotted her husband. The deep lines in his scowling face warned of his anger. She smiled to combat it. “My plan worked.”
Wolf took hold of her arm, then turned his head to order, “You know what to do.” He then hurried her off under a large pine tree. “NEVER! EVER! Do that again.”
“You refused to even give my plan thought,” she argued.
“You’re right. It was a foolish plan that put you in harm’s way.”
“And yet it was victorious,” Raven said with a proud tilt of her chin.
“It could have proven otherwise.”
“But it didn’t,” Raven continued to argue.
“You constantly fail to realize one thing.”
“What’s that?” she asked.
“I am in command, not you.” His hand rushed to her mouth, his fingers keeping any response from slipping past her lips. “I don’t want to hear another word out of you. You took an unnecessary risk today.” He shook his head when she mumbled against his fingers. “Still, you argue.”
She shoved his hand away. “My life. I defend it.”
He brought his nose so close it nearly touched hers. “My wife. I protect her. Do it again and I’ll see you go without food for two days.”
“I’ve gone without food longer than that. You can threaten me with starvation, beating, lock me away, take away shelter, and it won’t matter.”
It struck him then what she might fear the most. “What if I threaten you with love, Raven? What will you do then?” He kissed her, gently, lovingly, then whispered, “Don’t ever frighten me like that again.”