“Either way we are done for,” Gordy said, hanging his head, blood dribbling down on his shirt.
Flora turned to her husband. “That was much easier than I expected.”
Kinnell turned his head away laughing, and more laughter came from the warriors and Walsh’s mercenaries and Walsh himself.
“I believe your wife would stop a battle with words alone,” Walsh said, trying to contain his laughter.
“We were warned,” Lester said. “Do not let her talk. Mordred cautioned all of us repeatedly. He warned that her words are like weapons, and she hits her mark every time.”
Torin noticed his wife’s brow scrunch, but she said nothing. Something about Lester’s words had disturbed her. He would wait until they were alone to ask her, not sure it was something she wished to share with others.
“What are you going to do with us?” Lester asked.
“You are going to lead us to Mordred, and he is going to give us even more information,” Torin said.
Gordy raised his head. “He will never talk.”
“Like you two didn’t talk?” Torin challenged.
They both shook their heads.
“They’re right,” Walsh said. “Mordred’s reputation will be ruined if he talks. No one will trust him, not that he can be trusted to begin with but news like this will finish him.”
“Simply talking with him may get us the information we need without him realizing it,” Flora said.
“She talks to Mordred, and he is doomed,” Lester said, shaking his head.
“Thank you again for letting me know he is vulnerable to questions,” Flora said, her smile turning wide.
“You never could keep your mouth shut, Lester,” Gordy said. “Always going on and on, boasting how you know things no one else does.”
“What do you know that no one knows, Lester?” Torin asked, stepping toward the man.
“Look who’s talking too much now,” Lester shouted at Gordy.
“I can tell you what he knows,” Flora said, and all eyes turned on her once again.
“You know nothing. Nothing at all,” Lester said in a panic.
“Your frantic worry just confirmed my suspicion,” Flora said.
“Now she gets more information,” Gordy said with disgust.
“This information benefits you, Gordy,” Flora said, and the man looked with surprise at her. “Lester here was told that he would get your share of the bounty if he killed you once the job was done and he had my head.”
“You bastard,” Gordy said.
“That’s not fair, Gordy,” Flora scolded, “since you were offered the same deal.”
“Damn, Gordy!” Lester said.
“That’s not all,” Flora said. “Your leader probably offered the same deal to others in your crew. He no doubt never intended to share such a sizeable bounty with any of you. That amount of coin would allow him to go anywhere in the world, never to be found.”
“Bloody hell!” the two men shouted.
“That sounds like something Mordred would do.” Walsh grinned and rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. “So, which one of you takes us to Mordred and which one dies?”
CHAPTER25