by Kara Griffin
“What is it?”
“I thought I heard voices.”
“I didn’t hear anything. Come, we’ll take a rest when the sun sets.” Katriona turned and peered into the woods, listening for sounds, but no noise came.
Lloyd started off and snapped his fingers to bring Wynn to heel. “We need to stay close and near the brush should anyone come. I don’t like this silence. It’s too quiet. None of the animals stir. Something lurks here…”
“Or someone,” she said and hurried to walk beside him. Katriona thought about the events that led her to this moment. She wished she hadn’t made the rash decision to leave Pendragon land. Since she began the journey, she got a strange aura, as if she made the worst blunder of her life. But she was humiliated by Rhyder’s followers and the way he told her she’d leave. Her spirit crushed. If only she’d waited for her father’s envoy to retrieve her.
The farther she got from Rhyder and his hamlet, the more woeful she was. And no visions came. It was as if the Gods abandoned her. If it wasn’t for Lloyd, she’d be alone. He was a true friend.
A rumble sounded a little ways off. She clutched Lloyd’s arm to stop him from moving forward. Whoever had trailed her caught up to them. She regretted not telling Lloyd that she suspected someone followed. “Do you hear that?”
Wynn growled low in his throat. At once, a rider burst through the underbrush and raced directly at them. Lloyd yelled at her to run.
Katriona rushed through the tree branches and looked back at the man who attacked. The foe reached near enough to set his bow. Arrows flew past and whizzed the air. Within minutes, three struck Lloyd, and he fell where he stood.
Katriona gasped and her breath now coming quick as she tried to make ground. Her aura burned with pain and the mark throbbed. She huffed and cried. There was no time to mourn her friend. Wynn held his ground and barked ferociously at the attackers.
An arrow struck her from behind. She turned and spotted the other foe that flanked them from the other side of the woods. The arrow embedded in her shoulder. She fell over a thick root and watched the attackers approach through tear-filled eyes. Wynn bared his teeth and yelped when one of the vile men kicked him.
Her poor sweet dog lay on the ground unmoving. Katriona’s aura ridden with tremendous pain caused her to retch on the ground. Her eyes stung with tears and dripped from her nose. She couldn’t cease a gag and moaned at the pain in her shoulder.
“I told ye we would catch up to her. Let us do the deed and be quick about it.”
Two men stood over her. Katriona tried to crawl away but her injuries did her in. She hadn’t ever seen the men before and hadn’t recognized them. Why would they want to hurt her? If she might gain her breath, she would ask, but fear seized her.
“Here, use my dagger. Once she’s dead, we’ll move her closer to Wulfar’s holding. He’ll be blamed and then the next part of our plan will destruct the kingdom. All that Pendragon cares for will be abolished once and for all.”
The larger man knelt and stabbed her leg with the dagger. She cried out as pain entrenched her and her mind a jumble of emotions. It was almost as if she envisioned the entire event, but the pain was all too real. The foe yanked the blade out of her thigh and looked apprehensively at his partner.
His comrade scowled and scoffed. “In her heart, ye damned blighter. Aye, so she’ll breathe no more. We want her dead. Do it.”
“I never killed a woman before and I’m not going to start now,” the larger man said.
Katriona huffed at the agony of her wounds. She wept and all blurred. If she let the injuries overtake her, she’d exist no more. But then, she also wouldn’t know when her end came. She fought to keep her eyes open and prayed to Woden for he was the most powerful God and likely the only one to aid her now. They meant to kill her.
“Give me the damned dagger. I’ll do it myself. I don’t have a qualm about killing a woman. The blade goes in the same way it does on a man.”
The large man handed the dagger to his lanky cohort. He gripped it and leaned to settle the blade in her.
Katriona groaned and looked him in the eyes. If he was going to kill her, she wanted the last thing he saw of her to be her look of contempt.
Horses sounded near and Katriona wasn’t sure if she should rejoice or not. If the men who neared were the foe’s brethren, she was certain to die.
“Come, let us away. Someone is coming. We should flee.”
“She’s not dead yet.”
“Look at her, she’ll be dead soon. She bleeds.”
The two men fled. Their footsteps sounded farther away. Katriona half-dragged and half-crawled to get to Lloyd. She reached him and labored from the difficult movements. Placing a hand on his chest, she felt nothing. His eyes were closed and his face serene. Her friend was dead. Her aura hummed her ears and tensed her chest. The mark on her wrist burned with agony.
“Oh, Lloyd,” she cried and pressed her hand on his face. “I’m sorry, my friend…sorry, I dragged you to these godforsaken woods.” She wept with deep sorrow until Wynn licked her face. With her arms around his torso, she hugged him and regained her composure. “My pet, you’re unharmed. Thank you, Gods, thank you. Go on, sweet Wynn…find help. It’s all right, I will be well until you return. Go on.”
Katriona stared at Wynn as he muddled away and until she could see him no more. She closed her eyes and grimaced at the painful wounds and prayed to Tiw to give her the strength and courage to hold on until help arrived.
The next time she opened her eyes, the sky pitched. Night came and the moon not as bright as it was on previous nights. She’d likely be dead by morning light. Would her end be at the ravishing by animals? How she wished she’d told Rhyder that she loved him and explained she meant no harm to his followers. She regretted leaving his land and should’ve stood up to him. There had to be a way to force his acceptance. He was her husband and had no right to send her away.
Katriona listened to the noises which oddly returned to the woods. Night insects buzzed and flew between the tree trunks. The scurrying of animals sounded nearby. A bark came and drew nearer. She focused on the barks and voices. A woman’s voice…
Someone touched her face. Katriona opened her eyes and gasped. Surely the God, Loki, was up to his tricks and tried to confuse her, for he was the most devious of the Gods. Heloise? Her sister’s face waved before her. She wept and then faded from being.
Chapter SEVENTEEN
Rhyder wasn’t one to admit defeat, but he retreated to his chamber. He was in no mood to deal with his weeping sister or surly commander. His mood was as foul as it had ever been. How was it he’d lost all? Both his enemies wanted his alliance and since his sweet wife arrived trouble ensued. Sawyer couldn’t be right. None of the happenings was Katy’s fault.
Shrisy was a belligerent beast, and it wasn’t his wife’s doing that the dragon chose to be standoffish before she made her presence in the hamlet. Likewise, tempers were bound to flare with his neighbors. Life had been too complacent lately. Katy had nothing to do with their riffs. But she was the cause of his downtrodden heart.
Sawyer entered and paced before him. “I knew I’d find you here.”
“Be gone, Sawyer. I want to be alone. I must think and need quiet.”
“Too bad, Your Grace. You need to come out of hiding.”
“Has Katy been found? Have you sent out more searches?”
“Nay, she hasn’t been found and aye, two more search parties left the gates a short time ago.” Sawyer continued his pace.
“Then I shall stay here until she is found.” Rhyder’s fury unleashed, and he swiped his arms over the parchments, ink bottles, and candles. All fell to the floor in a heap. He sat back in his chair, sighed and pressed his burning eyes.
“I have ill tidings to speak of.”
“When do you not have ill tidings to speak of? I won’t listen. Go away.” Rhyder was beyond tired for he hadn’t slept more than a few minutes at a time since he discovere
d Katy had gone missing.
Sawyer leaned on the now empty table. “We’ve been friends a long time and I’ve never seen you like this. You care for your wife, Your Grace, but that is no reason to retreat—”
He pounded the table with his fist. “What do you care? You detest her. She’s gone as you wanted. You got your wish. Now leave me be, Sawyer, so I can contemplate what to do about Cenwahl and Wulfar.”
Sawyer shook his head vehemently. “I do not detest her. I never should have spoken of Milady that night…it was wrong of me and my own jealousy that brought forth those harsh words. She’s not to blame for any of this. We will find her.”
Rhyder wanted to believe him, but his faith waned. A sennight passed since her disappearance. “Tell me your ill tidings so I can get back to my contemplation.”
“We searched for the sentry and found four of our men slaughtered in the woods near Cenwahl’s border.”
“Who?”
Sawyer stammered the names of his soldiers killed.
He gripped the table in sorrow at the loss. “All good dedicated soldiers.”
“Alun’s body was found in the gorge yonder. I am guilt-ridden for the way I spoke of him. He didn’t betray us and died doing his duty.”
“You shouldn’t hold guilt, Sawyer. I thought him suspicious as well. Someone killed Alun in order to leave the gate open. I should’ve suspected as much. For God’s sake, this is a fucking mess.”
“Aye, so they knew Cenwahl was coming and yet you said the king owned to having no spy in our hamlet.”
“I will ponder this matter. For now, secure the hamlet and ensure our sentry is doubled with our most trusted men. I want all protected. Have the watch report on all goings and comings. Whoever killed the sentry might return. All is quiet for now.”
Sawyer approached him and clasped his arm. “Since Cenwahl’s departure, none have returned except for the sentry that replaced those missing.”
“Call all our soldiers, every single person within the walls, to the keep on the morrow. We will bury our men and take account of who is absent. That is the only way we will find out who the traitor is. I’m grateful for your help these past days.”
“Worry not, Your Grace, we will find out who is behind these deeds. And your lady will return. If someone saw something to give us an inkling of who the traitor is, we should encourage them to come forward.”
“Aye, put the word out and they shall be rewarded.” Rhyder contemplated his commander’s words. “I might know someone who can give us a wee bit of insight. But before I go to him, I must see about a wayward dragon.”
“Are you going to Shrisy?”
“I need to make sure she’s well. I haven’t seen her since the day she came into the hamlet.”
“There’s proof she is there for all hear her yowls throughout the night. I fear none will leave their cottages. They’re too afeard of the beast now that they’ve seen her with their own eyes.”
“I’ll return shortly.” Rhyder left his home and on his walk to the gate, he stopped near his new home. He and Merrion didn’t have the will to occupy it without Katy. He regretted not taking time to explain his reason for asking Katy to ready to leave. She had to misunderstand his request. Therein lay his error. When he found her, he’d hold her tight and then yell at her for hours for leaving their home and worrying him.
Rhyder continued on and waved off several of his followers who wanted to speak with him. He didn’t want to address any of the kingdom’s issues. The gate opened for him by the two posted guards and hastily closed after he signaled with a whistle.
As he ambled onward, he thought about each of his followers. Who would have a cause to bring such grief to his lands? Sawyer acted oddly of late, but he suspected his friend’s plight wasn’t connected to his enemies. His commander couldn’t be the culprit. For one thing, if something happened to him and the council had to choose a new leader, the elders would never approve of Sawyer. For another, Sawyer wasn’t a blood relative and was found as a babe by his uncle and not born as an heir of the kingdom. The elders would only select a man whose blood ran with Pendragons.
Rhyder scoffed at his thoughts. Someone schemed to bring his demise or dethroning. Of all the men he considered, none had a reason to want his removal, but then again no reason was warranted. If someone coveted the kingdom and its wealth that would be reason enough. He needed to settle the matter immediately and his enemy would be dealt with.
On the morrow, they’d bury their dead and call the hamlet to gather. An accounting of each and every man, woman, and child would be taken. If someone was absent, then he’d know for certain who wore the face of his enemy.
He reached the steep incline and found Olor sitting upon a large rock gazing at the sea. Rhyder dipped to his knee in respect to the old man and bowed his head. “Priest—”
“My lord,” Olor greeted without turning to face him, “I’ve been expecting you.”
“I should’ve come sooner.”
“Aye, you should have. But your heart took a hit, did it not? I shall speak of your wife if you’ll allow me.” He tapped the rock next to him with his staff. “Sit and join me, will ye?”
Rhyder sat and joined the priest in gazing at the sea. “She is like you.”
Olor grinned, and his long beard lightly flapping from the sea breeze. “Took ye long enough to figure that out.”
“I suspected since the day of our wedding when she insisted on the ritualistic words uniting us.”
“There is no spirited lass in all of Britain more than she. She is more powerful than me, for she has the ability to read people’s emotions. Aye, the fairy can tell ye what ails anything be it man or…beast.”
Rhyder rubbed his face in dejection. “That cannot be. How does she know what ails a person?”
“Or beast,” Olor asserted. “She has the awen, and it courses through her blood, an ancient life force that gives her the ability to sense what ails or what one’s thoughts are. She is marked by the Gods and blessed.”
“How can I find her? She mistook my words and left my lands.” Rhyder hoped Olor might give him insight on her whereabouts. “Has she returned home? I sent a missive, but haven’t heard back.”
“I am not certain, my lord, for she is afar now. Aye, she’s gone and mayhap too far for I lost the sense of her aura days ago. She is either a great distance from me or she exists no longer.”
Rhyder jumped to his feet and gripped his hair, tormented by the priest’s assuage. “Nay, I won’t believe she’s dead. She can’t be.”
“I feel her not. Mayhap I am wrong. Och, ye need to find the fairy and return her to your lands for only she can bring ye the peace you seek.”
“I don’t know where she is.”
Olor pulled his staff and settled it on his lap. “There is someone who might convey where she dwells. The fairy and the beast are kindred spirits and are joined in their auras. I have not the power to tune into her location, but the dragon—”
“This is unbelievable. Even if my wife had such powers, why wouldn’t she tell me of it?”
Olor raised a brow. “Like ye told her of Shrisy? The fairy didn’t want to bring despair to ye and withheld herself to appease your people. Their acceptance was important to her. Why she cared is beyond me, but there it is.”
Rhyder groaned. “Why would she care what they think? I wouldn’t disown her because of their beliefs, just as I wouldn’t disown my followers for theirs.”
Olor shook his head. “Ye didn’t tell her that. If she’d known, she might’ve reconsidered leaving.”
He continued to pace in front of the priest. “I will see Shrisy. Do you deem she’ll help me find Katy?”
“There is only one way to find out, my lord.” Olor rose and set a hand on Rhyder’s head. “If you are blessed, your wife will be returned to ye. That is your main duty, my lord, to find your prosperity before it is too late.” He ambled away without another word.
Rhyder peered below and carefully t
rod the rocks until he reached the sandy beach. It was serene near the waters of the sea. For the first time since Katy’s absence, a sense of calm came to him. He meandered nearer the caves and gazed up at the dark crevices of rock and cliff side. With a high-pitched whistle, he called and trusted Shrisy would come. As loud as he could, he signaled with his call repeatedly and hoped Shrisy discerned it over the sound of the wind and waves. He waited.
After numerous whistles and calls, he considered the quest useless. His dragon wasn’t coming. Rhyder turned away from the cliffs and started toward the incline. Darkness swathed the land and a great shadow blocked the afternoon sun.
He turned back and gazed to the sky. Shrisy flapped her huge wings until she landed next to him. He was always cautious of the dragon for her temperament was brash. She could cause his demise with the lightest of blows. If what Olor said was true, he had no reason to fear her.
“There you are.” He held out his hand. “Come, Shrisy, my pet.” Rhyder maintained a soft tone and smiled to assert he meant no harm.
Shrisy stepped closer.
“I’m sorry, my pet, that I didn’t come until now. But here I am.”
Shrisy lowered her head and bumped him.
He ran a hand over the scales of her face. “I am full of woe.”
She purred and lay upon the sand.
“I suppose you can’t help me. My lady is missing and I long to find her. All else is not as beguiling as Katy’s absence, not even your appearance in the hamlet or my neighbor’s disputes.”
Shrisy rolled onto her side and thumped her massive tail in the sand.
He was awed by her strength and size for he’d never realized how large the beast was. Had she gotten bigger? “That is my greatest difficulty, not being able to be near Katy.”
Shrisy screeched and flopped to her other side. It was unlike her to be playful and if he didn’t know better, he suspected she teased him. He slid his hand over her leg and slipped to the ground and sat beside her.
“You don’t understand what it’s like to love…to care for someone as I do. Am I not the most senseless king of all the kingdoms in Britain? Don’t answer that.” Rhyder chuckled to himself. Perhaps he was maddened by all the perplexing situations he’d had to deal with of late. He sat before his dragon and she blew a great breath at him. The air moved his hair and forced him to shift his body.