Chapter One
“Where is Dawn?” Cree demanded so loudly that every warrior in the Great Hall turned silent and stared at him. He had not seen her since late last night when Sloan had come to their bedchamber to inform him that his sister Wintra had been abducted. He had ordered Dawn to bed and left before making sure she had obeyed him, something she rarely did.
He had been busy with plans to go after his sister and kill the idiot bastard who had unwisely abducted her. Thoughts of Dawn had drifted in and out of his mind throughout the night and he had imagined her tucked safely in their bed sleeping. But sunrise usually found her up and about, after they made love, which they did often, and was what he wished they were doing right now. Of course it would be a quick coupling, but no less satisfying. It never was with Dawn, even though she could not speak a word. It still amazed him that she had survived since birth, nineteen years, without being able to utter a sound. Not a peep, a squeak, or moan, could she manage. Nothing. Yet to him, he could hear her clearly in her gestures, even more clearly now that he was completely and madly in love with her—damn it.
He had never expected to fall in love. He had expected to take a wife and have her produce heirs. Love had never been a consideration. He had had no time for it. Yet this voiceless woman had stolen his heart and he didn’t want it back. It was hers to keep forever just as her heart—all of her—belonged to him. He growled low at his foolish musings. He had no time for them, though he wanted all the time he could get with Dawn, if he could find her. Where could she have gone off to? The snow was heavy on the ground and she should be careful, especially now that she was carrying their child.
“Damn,” he mumbled, a sudden thought disturbing him. What if she was in trouble and not able to call out for help? He scowled and this time shouted, “Has anyone seen Dawn?”
Heads shook, but no one spoke up.
Cree turned to Sloan. “You haven’t seen her?”
“Not since last night.”
“Find her,” Cree snapped, annoyed he had allowed so much time to pass without checking on her. He hoped that he worried needlessly and she was still abed. She could use the rest being with child, not that she would agree. She was always off somewhere, visiting, helping, disobeying him. “Find her,” he said again.
“Afraid you’ve lost her?” Sloan asked with a smile, which faded quickly when Cree’s dark eyes narrowed and his scowl deepened. Sloan turned and hurried off without saying another word. He knew Cree too well to know when to turn silent and retreat.
Cree looked over a small contingent of his warriors gathered in the Great Hall. He would take only twenty of his warriors for now, though it would be more like having fifty warriors compared to other fighting troops. His men were highly skilled, and they would follow him into hell if he asked, though they already had. Endless missions for the King had taken its toll on all of them, but at least it had not been in vein. Now, after constant toil of battle, they had what they had fought so long and hard for—a permanent home. A place they could always return to and where family and friends would welcome them back.
Now, unlike other times, he was reluctant to leave. Now he had Dawn, and she had been through her own hell with her true mother trying to kill her and, in the end, having to take her mother’s life to protect herself.
“Cree.”
The strong voice cut through his musings and had him turning his head to face Kirk McClusky, Dawn’s true father and a good man.
“We want to help,” Kirk said, “what can we do?”
“I appreciate your offer, but I would much prefer if you remained here at the keep and watched over Dawn, not an easy task I’m afraid.”
“She does have an independent nature, though as her father I don’t think that is a bad thing,” Kirk admitted with pride.
“You might want to think twice about that since she’s now carrying your grandchild,” Cree reminded.
“Good point. I’ll be sure to be extra vigilant.”
Cree was about to tell him that he would need to be when one of his warriors entered the room, stomping the snow off himself. “Snow has started falling again?” Cree asked as the warrior approached.
“Aye, my lord, and if we don’t leave soon, they’ll be no leaving today at all.”
Cree nodded. “Then we leave now.”
The warriors stood and filed out of the keep, not a one mumbling or complaining. They would do as Cree ordered and brave the winter storm to help find his sister.