“Ye can try, but she’ll be dead before ye reach me,” Nurkirk replied, raising his free hand so Edan could see the blade in it.
“All right, all right, I’m nae comin’ any closer. Just dinnae harm her, Nurkirk,” Edan said in a more conciliarity tone, palms out, backing away slightly. “If ye want me, ye can have me. Just let her go.”
“Nay, Edan, dinnae give in to the coward!” Olivia screamed, her bravery and loyalty making his heart clench with emotion.
“Dinnae worry, Olivia. I’ll nae let him hurt ye, I promise,” he told her, desperate to soothe her fear even though he did not know if he would be able to keep his promise.
“Just do as I tell ye, Byrne, and I’ll nae hurt her. Now, turn around and walk back to the castle. Go on,” Nurkirk urged, brandishing his dirk once more.
With no choice but to do as Nurkirk said, Edan turned and began walking back the way he had come, across the now deserted festival site, with Nurkirk forcing Olivia on behind him.
Sounds of fighting echoed as they got nearer to the castle, and soon Edan saw that the attack was already in full swing. A fierce battle was going on between his men and Nurkirk’s soldiers as they tried to defend the gates. But other enemy soldiers were propping up ladders against the walls, and although many were being cut down by the archers, just as many were making it over the wall.
When he looked up, he saw Zander’s face, his expression grim as he quickly took in the situation. Edan heard his friend immediately order the men to stop fighting. The defense suddenly ceased. Nurkirk bellowed an order to his men, and they did the same.
The men on both sides fell back, and the gates opened.
Edan went through them and into the courtyard. The only thing on his mind was Olivia and how he could free her. He knew that even if it cost him his life, he would make sure she was unharmed.
He figured it would be better for her to live and wed Nurkirk than for her to come to any harm.
21
Olivia’s heart was pounding with fear as she watched Edan enter the gates, his men falling back along with Nurkirk’s soldiers. Nurkirk forced her ahead of him until they were all in the courtyard, the men on both sides moving back to make space for the savage denouement they could see coming.
“Dinnae try anything,” Nurkirk whispered menacingly in her ear. Then, he shouted to Edan, “Stop right there, Byrne, and turn around slowly. Drop yer weapons on the ground.”
Olivia’s heart dropped when Edan immediately obeyed, turning around, unbuckling his sword belt, and letting it drop to the cobblestones.
“Fetch it!” Nurkirk ordered one of his men, who duly did as he was told and quickly retreated.
Seeing Edan standing there unarmed, his life in imminent danger, terrified her.
I have to save him somehow!But how?I have nay weapons.
Then, an idea came to her.
’Tis risky, but maybe it will cause enough of a distraction for Edan to do somethin’ to get out of danger.
“Down on yer knees, Byrne,” Nurkirk snarled. “Before I cut short yer worthless life, I’m goin’ to humiliate ye just like ye humiliated me. I want to see ye crawl and beg for yer life.”
While he spoke, Olivia kept her eyes on Edan’s, trying to signal to him that she was about to do something and that he should be ready. He gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head, clearly fearful for her. But she had already decided she was going to do it anyway.
’Tis the only chance of savin’ him.
“Whatever made ye think ye were worthy of a woman like Olivia? Ye should have died in battle and never come back here. She would be married to me now if ye hadnae returned…” Nurkirk droned on with his self-aggrandizing threats.
Meanwhile, Olivia put her hand to her head as though in distress. She rubbed her forehead and pushed her dishevelledhair back from her eyes, while her fingers searched surreptitiously for what she knew was hidden there.
Her heart leaped into her throat when she felt it, the tiny pearl at the end of one of the hairpins Megan had put in her hair hours ago. Pretending to wipe her brow, she pulled out the pin and concealed it in her palm before dropping her hand.
With no time to waste, she gripped the pin tightly in her hand as she widened her eyes at Edan. Then, she jabbed the hairpin with all her might into Nurkirk’s thigh.
He screamed and let her go immediately, his dirk clattering to the ground as he staggered back, clutching his thigh and shouting, “Ye wee whore, what did ye do to me!”
Olivia bolted towards Edan, who immediately bellowed an order to his men to resume the fighting. The clamor of clashing steel started up all around them, and as she reached him, he shouted, “Go to the keep!” and pushed her behind him.
She ran as fast as she could towards the keep and heard him yell, “Sword!” behind her as she reached the doorway and turned to watch. She had no intention of leaving him there without her.
