“Later,” Owen said impatiently.
Wintra bounced in place. “We cannot wait.”
A sly smile came over Owen. “Fine, I’ll escort the both of you.” He turned to his warriors. “Do not disturb us.”
Dawn saw the warrior who had captured her look with disgust on Owen. He had been kind to her while on the horse with him, asking if she fared well and telling her not to worry that no harm would come to her. He had insisted that she and Wintra would be released once the ransom was paid. The warrior obviously believed what Owen had told him. She, however, did not trust Owen.
The last she saw of the warrior was him slowly backing away from the small troop as the other warriors grinned, watching Owen disappear into the woods with her and Wintra. He was probably taking his leave, not wanting any part of what was to come, or could he possibly be brave enough to be going for help? She could only hope.
They walked a distance into the woods before Owen ordered them to stop.
He pointed to Dawn. “Go do what you must while Wintra pleases me. Then you can take your turn pleasing me.” He grabbed Wintra’s shoulder so hard that she winced and pushed her to her knees. He pulled out a dagger from the sheath at his waist. “And no tricks or I will leave you with a worse scar than your husband’s.”
Wintra had to stop herself from grabbing for his nose and ripping it off. She could not make any move that would bring the other warrior’s to Owen’s rescue. She and Dawn had no choice but to make a silent escape. It would give them time to put some distance between their captors. She purposely fumbled with the ties at his waist, trying to give Dawn time. She had not counted on it being Owen who would bring them into the woods, but at least he was only one man.
“Finished already?” Owen asked as Dawn approached. “Damn, what is wrong now?”
Wintra turned her head to see Dawn doubled over and vomiting. Good Lord, she was sick. She would have to see to this herself and get Dawn help.
Owen pushed Wintra out of his way. “Pregnant women are nothing but trouble.” He walked over to her annoyed. “Get up and go back to the warriors. I will not have your disgusting mouth on me.”
Wintra sprang into action and grabbed for the rock she had spied when she had gone down on her knees. She got to her feet and ran at Owen.
He heard her approach and turned too late. He never saw the blow coming. Dawn hit him in the head with a rock from behind and as he staggered forward, Wintra lashed out at him with the rock, catching him in the forehead before he reeled back and fell to the ground.
Wintra quickly dropped the rock and held her hand out to Dawn. “You are not ill?”
Dawn shook her head and patted her stomach, then pointed to what snow still remained on the ground.
“You used the snow to pretend you were sick,” Wintra said with relief.
Dawn nodded and took Wintra’s hand. Wintra grabbed the dagger from the ground where it had fallen and they both hurried off, knowing there was no time to waste.
They kept a brisk pace, Wintra silently berating herself for not killing Owen when she had the chance, then he would never be able to hurt another woman again. She hoped that they had done enough damage to him that he would be unable to chase after them when he came to, or better yet, it would be hours before he regained consciousness.
Wintra worried that Dawn would grow tired at the fast pace they were keeping, but then she was as determined as Wintra to return home. Wintra kept a watch on her anyway, ready to do whatever was necessary to make sure Dawn got home safely to Cree. And to make certain she got back to Torr.
~~~
“The troop divided,” Cree’s tracker said after examining the ground.
Cree looked to Torr. “We will have to separate.”
“You think they separated the women?” Torr asked, his worry for his wife mounting by the minute.
“If you can wait a moment, I may be able to determine from the tracks if the women were separated,” the tracker Henry said.
“A moment is all you get,” Cree ordered, knowing the more time lost in following Owen, the longer it would take to find his wife and sister. And find his wife and sister he would. They had traveled hard. The tracker had confirmed that the tracks were fresh, which meant that they were not that far behind them.
Cree felt the ground rumble and heard the faint pounding of hooves before the tracker glanced up at him with wide eyes.