“He doesn’t feed you?” Willow asked.
“Barely,” Maddie said and gratefully accepted another piece of bread from Willow.
“Tell me what happened, Slatter wants to know,” Willow urged.
“I think Beck was in cahoots with Lord Sterling, but double-crossed him, something Beck was known for. Beck wasn’t surprised when he arrived the one day. What Beck didn’t expect was the warriors that poured out of the woods and descended on us. It was over before it got started. Unfortunately, not for Beck. Lord Sterling tortured him. It was during that torture that he revealed that you and Slatter weren’t truly wed.”
“Then it’s true, we aren’t wed?” Willow asked, not ready for the answer.
“I can’t say for sure. Beck barely was able to turn his head, but he did and looked at me and told me to make sure I told Slatter that he won, he got him good.” She wiped a tear away. “Slatter. You tell Slatter that I got him good.” He repeated it several times and I got the feeling it was a message for Slatter. That’s why I didn’t repeat what he said in front of everyone.”
“I’ll make sure I tell Slatter what Beck said,” Willow assured her. “Where is your husband?”
“Sterling is camped on the outskirts of Lord Tarass’s keep. Kevin and the few others that survived are being held there in a pen… like animals.” A tear slipped from her eye. “Kevin suffered a beating by Sterling and I worry that he will die from his injures. Sterling wears two faces. When he first arrived he was pleasant and smiling as he spoke with Beck, then it was like he became a different man, an evil man who took pleasure in hurting others.”
“We’ll do our best to free you and the others,” Snow said to her sister’s surprise.
Willow did agree with her, though. Her husband wouldn’t let Maddie and Kevin suffer or the others. He would do something, but how did she keep him from suffering the same fate?
Once Willow finished tending Maddie’s wounds, which there were more than could be seen, and made sure she was well fed, the women returned with her reluctantly to the Great Hall. Willow wished Maddie didn’t have to be made to go with Sterling, but she also knew Maddie, fearful as she was, wanted to return to her husband and try to keep him from further harm.
“Eleanor,” Willow said when they entered the Great Hall and she saw it empty. “Take Maddie and go have the cook put together a small sack of food that can be hidden beneath her shift. And tell her to make certain it has no strong scents so no one can smell it on her, and hurry.”
“Bless you, Willow. I knew you were a good woman when I first laid eyes on you and I knew you were the perfect woman for Slatter. It is good fate brought you two together.”
Eleanor and Maddie rushed off at the sound of Sterling’s bellowing voice.
“I will not suffer delays in seeing Slatter hung.” Sterling strode into the Great Hall followed by James, Slatter, and Tarass.
Willow didn’t like that Slatter walked between her brother and Lord Tarass as if a prisoner.
“And I will not see an innocent man hung,” James said more firmly than she had ever heard him speak.
Willow wondered then if it was perhaps more for Slatter’s protection that James kept him between him and Tarass.
“And you, Lord Tarass,” Sterling said, looking to him. “Do you not want to see the man hung who killed your warrior?”
Tarass turned a slow smile on Sterling. “Make no mistake, Sterling, I will see the man who killed Rhodes suffer… suffer greatly.”
“If this matter isn’t settled soon, I will deal with it myself,” Sterling warned.
“That would be very unwise,” Tarass threatened.
“I don’t fear the likes of you,” Sterling said with bravado and a look of distaste on his face, “a half-barbarian.”
Tarass approached the man, not a sign of anger or scorn to be seen, nothing at all. He stopped in front of him. “That is a mistake you’re going to regret.”
“I think not, though I do regret seeking your help with this matter. I assumed you being a titled man would assist another titled man without question. I should have realized a half-barbarian would never understand the decorum of nobles.”
Tarass stepped closer to the man. “When this is finished I’m going to show you the decorum of a barbarian to those who insult them.” Tarass’s hand shot up in Sterling’s face when he went to speak. “Not another word or you’ll lose your ignorant tongue. My men will escort you to your campsite and there is where you will remain until I say otherwise.” Sterling went to speak again and Tarass was quick to warn. “I enjoy tongue prepared raw.”
Sterling paled.
Tarass pointed to the door. “My warriors wait to carry out my orders. Don’t keep them waiting.”