That was why it was easy to see that Owen hadn’t exactly blended well with the Kellmara troops. His campsite was shoddy in comparison as were his men.
Torr voiced Cree’s thoughts. “It seems that Owen sits on the outskirts of the Kellmara camp. Not exactly welcomed or accepted.”
“What then is Owen doing with them?” Cree asked.
Torr wondered the same himself. “Owen seems tolerated by the Kellmara warriors, but why?”
“There can be only one answer to that—need,” Cree said. “Owen knows or has something they need. And it has to do with my sister.”
“You have no idea of what it could be?”
“None,” Cree said frustration evident in his curt reply.
“I dislike going into a fight blind,” Torr said. “It leaves one too vulnerable.”
“That is why I sent some of my warriors to gather what information they can. And why we are here to talk with Owen.”
“No one is taking my wife from me,” Torr reminded adamantly.
“So you have said often.”
“And I will continue to say it, shout it if I must, do whatever it takes to make anyone and everyone realize it,” Torr said with resolve.
“Let us see if Owen is going to need reminding of that,” Cree said as the Kellmara warriors drifted off, after reaching Owen’s campsite.
Cree and Torr dismounted and approached Owen who stood by a campfire that looked as if it was in dire need of tending. Two of Owen’s warriors stood guard directly behind him, though neither looked intimidating.
“What do you want of me?” Owen demanded.
Cree thought the man foolish before, but even more so now for being under the assumption that he was well protected with the impressive presence of Kellmara warriors. The fool did not realize that the Kellmara men cared naught what happened to him. And they had proved that to Cree when they had drifted off once they neared Owen’s camp. It was almost as if they announced aloud to do as you will, we will not stop you.
Torr answered. “What we want you are not capable of giving—the truth.”
“The truth?” Owen laughed. “You do not know the truth, but you will soon enough, and I shall be rewarded.”
“For being a fool?” Torr asked.
Owen’s nostril’s flared and his eyes glared with anger at Torr. “We will see who the fool is.”
“Why did you send two of your men to abduct my sister?” Cree said as he took a quick step toward Owen.
Not only did Owen jump back, but the two men did as well.
“I did no such thing,” Owen claimed. “If any of my men did that, then they did so of their own accord. Return them to me and I shall punish them.”
“Why would they do such a thing on their own?” Torr challenged.
“The McBride Clan is mostly comprised of farmers and a few craftsmen. They require nothing more than a simple, boring life. The poor simpletons probably thought that if they brought Wintra here that all would be ended and we then could return home.”
“So you deny any part in the attempted abductions?” Torr asked.
“Of course, I do,” he snapped. “I would not be so foolish as to send a farmer to do a warrior’s job.”
“You were foolish enough to think you could take my wife from me,” Torr spat. “Are you still foolish enough to think that?”
“It will not be me who takes Wintra from you, though it will be me who is there to claim her when she is taken from you.”
He sounded much too confident to Torr’s liking. “What game do you play?”
“A game in which I will be the victor,” Owen sneered.
Cree had his hand around Owen’s neck before he realized what had happened. “Leave us,” Cree ordered with such force at the two guards that they fell over each other as they hurried to obey.
Owen clawed at Cree’s hands to no avail.
“Fight me and I’ll tighten my hold,” Cree snapped and squeezed tighter.
Owen immediately stilled.
“I have had enough of your foolish games. You will tell me what I want to know or suffer the consequences.” Cree squeezed at his neck tighter in warning.
Owen nodded as he struggled to breathe.
Cree loosened his hold just enough so that Owen could answer him. “You sent for Kellmara?”
“No, he was already on his way.”
“Why?”
“I cannot say. He has sworn me to secrecy. It is for him to tell, not me.”
“It has to do with Wintra?”
Owen nodded.
“What is your connection to Kellmara?” Cree demanded.
“I provided information he had been searching for.”
“How did you come by this information?”
“Through the previous laird of the Clan McBride,” Owen said coughing to take another labored breath.
Cree released Owen, giving him a shove away from him that sent him stumbling as he walked over to Torr.
“Why not just beat the information out of him?” Torr asked annoyed. This was about his wife and he wanted all the information right now at this moment. He did not want to wait another minute.