“Marta believes that I am a liar like my mum, and she believes I carry another man’s child. With that so, she must believe that my mum carried another man’s child. If that holds any truth, it will mean I am not my da’s daughter.”
CHAPTER 27
Sven rushed into the solar before Bhric could respond to his wife’s remark.
“Ivan and our warriors are under attack,” Sven said, breathing heavily. “One of our warriors returned for help and he’s badly injured.”
“Gather warriors and double the sentinels. We leave right after I speak with the warrior,” Bhric ordered.
Sven gave a quick nod and left.
“You will remain in the keep and do not argue with me on this,” Bhric ordered. “The matter with Marta can wait until I return.”
Tavia would not add to his worry, though she did not know how patient she could be to find out what she believed might be true. “Be careful, husband.”
Bhric eyed her skeptically. “And you will do as you are told, wife.”
She leaned up on her toes to kiss him.
Bhric’s arm circled her waist and lifted her to kiss her with an intensity that sent a shiver of fright through her, for she felt as if he kissed her for the last time.
“You best come home to me, husband,” she said, her arms going around his neck to squeeze him tight, as if she could hold on to him forever.
“My love for you will allow nothing else,” he said and kissed her again.
“You will take Fen with you,” Tavia said when he placed her on her feet.
“Nay, he will remain with you.”
Tavia shook her head. “Please, take him, Bhric. I know he will let nothing happen to you. Besides, he probably grows tired of doing nothing but follow me around. Let him do what he was trained to do… rush in at your side in battle.”
Fen rushed to his feet upon hearing the word battle, his head up, his chest out, prepared to fight alongside his leader.
“We go to battle, Fen,” Bhric said, and the hound barked.
Tavia entered the Great Hall with her husband to find Hertha waiting there.
“Your help is needed, my lady,” Hertha said.
Bhric looked as if he was about to refuse her permission, then summoned a servant to fetch her a cloak. “Once done—”
“A warrior will escort me back here to the keep where I will wait for your return,” she said.
“Finally, I have a wife who obeys,” Bhric said and Tavia chuckled.
* * *
The warrior did his best not to moan in pain as Hume sliced away his blood-soaked shirt. The slashes on his chest bled but were not nearly as bad as the slash to his left arm.
“They came out of nowhere, my lord,” the warrior said. “Riding down on us like demons from hell, screeching and brandishing their weapons… so many of them. When I lost the use of my fighting arm and took stock of how badly we were being beaten, I knew I had to go for help. Two men tried to stop me, thinking I was done for, more fools them. You must not delay, my lord. They need you.”
The fury had risen fast in Bhric when he saw how badly his warrior had been wounded.
“You did well, Elug. I go now to save them, and you must rest and heal,” Bhric said.
“And I will fight again, my lord,” Elug said.
“That you will, Elug, that you will,” Bhric assured him and looked to Greta and grew angrier when she shrugged, letting him know she did not know if Elug would survive.