“Where is my wife?” Rhys asked before Henry could say a word.
“I sent her to stay in the keep. We needed all hands to fight this thing, or we would have lost the entire village and possibly the keep.”
Rhys turned to Pitt. “Go make sure she is there.”
Pitt hurried off.
“We need to keep on the flames until there is nothing left for them to claim,” Henry said. “We got the animals out safely, so it is just the barn we lost.”
“What happened?”
“I do not know,” Henry said, shaking his head. “Most everyone was asleep. I have yet to find out who rang the bell and to alert us.”
The little black pup with the one white paw ran toward Rhys at the same time Pitt did, but the pup reached him first and yapped repeatedly, too young yet for a full bark, while he jumped against his leg.
“She is not in the keep,” Pitt yelled as he approached.
Rhys looked down at the pup that was now backing away from him as he continued to yap as loud as he could. “Where is she?”
The pup ran, then stopped to see if Rhys followed and when he saw that Rhys was right behind him, he kept running. The pup kept his distance from the burning barn as he led Rhys, Pitt, and Henry to the woods behind the back of the barn. He ran to a spot and grabbed something with his tiny teeth, though he could not keep hold of it as he tried to bring it to Rhys.
Rhys stopped as soon as he saw what the pup was trying to show him—his wife’s boots.
He stared at them and fear, like he had not felt in years rose up to nearly choke him. Then he did what he did years ago...he let the Dragon loose.
He snatched up her boots and shouted an order to Pitt, “Get my warriors; we ride into battle.”
CHAPTER 28
Show no fear. Rhys will come for you. Show no fear. Rhys will come for you. Show no fear. Rhys will come for you.
Heather kept repeating the words in her head, though the thought of what would happen to her before Rhys could reach her scared her to death. Haidar wanted revenge and she was the weapon he would use against Rhys to get it.
She cringed and stumbled as her one foot stepped on a rock hidden beneath leaves and she went down hard? How many times had she fallen? She had lost count after seven times. She had wanted to cry out when they yanked her boots off, knowing what lay ahead, just as she did now. She hurried to stand, not an easy chore with her feet paining her so badly and her wrists tied together. She had learned quickly that if she lay there she would get kicked until she stood.
She made it to her knees when the warrior that held her wrist rope kicked her in the thigh and she could not help but wince.
“Up! Up!” he ordered and kicked her again.
She got to her feet, though she did not know how and once again followed behind the warrior. He kept a fast pace and Heather feared she would not be able to keep up with him much longer.Besides, the further away from the keep they got; the longer it would take Rhys to get to her.
Rhys had suffered far worse than what she was suffering and for far too many years. If he could do it for as long as he did, then she could survive until he came for her. And she had no doubt he would come.
She refused to linger on what she would have to endure until he found her. She would do whatever it took to survive, whatever it took to be with Rhys again, and whatever it took to see her family again.
She bit her tongue against the pain in her feet. They had to be cut and bleeding by now. If only it was morning. She could at least see where she stepped and could avoid the forest debris that stabbed at her feet with every step.
It seemed like they walked for hours. Any minute Heather expected, more so hoped, to see the sun rise, but it did not happen, and she wondered if sunrise was further off than she thought. They walked until Heather could barely feel her feet and her legs felt as if they were on fire, her muscles burned so badly. Then suddenly the pace slowed, and Heather noticed a flicker of light just up ahead.
They had reached a camp and she wanted to cry with relief.
After entering the campsite and being brought closer to the fire, the man holding her rope gave it a hard yank. Heather stumbled and fought to stay on her feet and as soon as she regained herbalance, the man kicked her legs out from under her. She raised her arms to cushion her face from the fall, her body smacking the ground hard. This time the breath was knocked out of her.
Fear gripped her as she tried to remain calm and breathe, and she silently prayed for Rhys to hurry and come for her. She could not wait to feel his strong arms around her, and the thought helped her finally breathe easy.
“Knees,” the man ordered sharply.
She struggled to get to them, her legs ached so badly. When she finally did, the man slapped a strong hand on her shoulder, anchoring her to the spot and fear fluttered in her stomach.
