Rhys was impressed that she should ask. “At the moment it is, though I do not know for how long, so we must hurry.”
Heather did just that, taking the last few rungs as quickly as possible, Rhys taking hold of her hand and helping her through the opening. She looked around and saw that it was a single-room cottage that had fallen into disrepair. Dark gray clouds drifted by the gaping hole in the thatched roof, though thankfully no rain fell.
Rhys kept his voice low when he spoke. “I ran across this cottage when I first explored this land. We are a distance into the woods that runs along the side of the keep. Once the warriors who are posted in this area spot us, they will hurry to guard us. We must move fast, the closer to the keep, the more guards.”
“If you think danger awaits us, why not wait here for your warriors?”
“Fife died a short time after I learned that he was a loyal servant to Haidar, which means Haidar has watchful eyes on us at all times. If he learns of what is going on, there is no telling what he may do. And while we wait here for the warriors who follow us, we could be greeted by an unstoppable force ofHaidar’s warriors when we finally do leave. It is better we make haste now.” He dropped the torch down the opening. “My warriors will know to follow.” He took her hand. “You will stay in front of me at all times and if by chance we are separated, you are to run screaming as fast and as loud as you can so my warriors will hear you.”
Heather nodded.
Rhys took hold of her chin. “I can see in your eyes that you have no intentions of leaving me no matter what happens. There are times when we must do what we do not want to. This is one of those times. You will leave me if necessary.”
“And will you leave me if necessary? And do not bother to tell me that that is different, for if you will not leave me, then I will not leave you.”
“We have no time to argue this.”
“Then we best leave now and be done with it.”
Rhys shook his head. “When I get you back to the keep?—”
“Do not remind me, for I grow wet just thinking about how I am going to touch every inch of you,” she said and headed to the door that hung half open.
He hurried over to her to let her know it would be quite different if he got his hands on her first when he heard it and so did Heather.
“It is too silent,” Heather whispered, just realizing how eerily silent it had suddenly got. “Noanimals run or birds sing. Something disturbs them.”
“They sense something evil lies in wait,” he said.
“Then we best hurry and make haste.”
Rhys’ brow narrowed. “It is too late. Haidar is here.”
CHAPTER 25
Rhys blocked the partially open door with his body.
“I am not leaving you,” Heather said, though her blood ran cold with fear, knowing how evil Haidar could be.
There was no time to argue with her. Rhys scooped her up, carried her to the hole and dropped her down into it, hoping the fall caused her no harm. He then quickly snatched the ladder up out of the hole and shut the trap door. Then he went to face his nemesis.
Heather recalled the dangling rope just in time and swung her hand out hoping to grab hold of it, and she did. Pain ripped through her shoulder, but she did her best to ignore it. She swung around so that she could brace her feet against the wood plank wall as she pulled herself, with some difficulty, higher up along the rope. She lowered her feet once her hand touched the trap door. She let herself hang there a moment, regaining her strength, and then she used her shoulder, gratefully not the sore one, to push open the door.
It was a struggle once the door was open to work her way through it and when she finally did, she lay on the floor breathless, though not for long. She forced herself to her feet, remaining crouched down as best she could so as not to be seen and tooka moment to shove the ladder back down the hole in hopes that Rhys’ warriors would soon arrive.
Remaining crouched down, she worked her way to a hole in the wall behind the partially open door and peered through it.
She was able to see her husband and the man he faced. While Rhys stood alone, his enemy did not and fear gripped her heart when she saw the many warriors standing behind Haidar. He was nothing like Heather expected. But then what was a man who was capable of such horrifying evil and enslaving so many supposed to look like? He was a head shorter than Rhys and his body was thick in the waist. His hair was dark and long and drawn back and he wore a full beard. His features were not unattractive, but then neither were they memorable. He wore dark garments with a sash around his tunic and he held himself in a regal manner.
It was when she focused on his dark eyes and heard him speak, his accent foreign to her that a shiver ran through her. It was as if the devil himself spoke and this time Heather quivered with fear.
“You disappoint me, Rhys,” Haidar said. “And you know how I repay those who disappoint me.”
“You no longer rule over me, Haidar, so have your say and take your leave.”
Haidar’s voice took on a threatening tone that would shiver the bravest of men. “Not until I get what I have come to this barbaric country for...revenge for taking my wife and unborn child.And please do not bother to deny it. It took some time, but imagine my disappointment, my pain, and my anger when I discovered that you had taken Anala. I do not think you want to know how I felt when I learned that she died giving birth,” —he paused— “to my only son and that he died along with her.”
Rhys continued to remain silent.
