Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 103370 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103370 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Naturally, curiosity and instinct had become her constant companions over the years since both were necessities to survival. Now more than ever she depended on them both and both had her wondering if the two were scheming something.
She remained where she was, leaning on the side of a cottage, waiting for Brod. She had sent him after Wolf when she had spotted him walking toward the woods. She intended to keep a good eye on her husband to make certain she and her men were safe. Her husband might say he was an honorable man but until she could see that for herself, she would take no chances.
Raven smiled hearing a grumbling yawn behind her, though she didn’t turn. She knew who approached.
“So your old bones are tired are they?” she asked with a slight chuckle.
Clive shook his head as he stepped to her side. “Do I complain about my old bones that much that you know what I will say before I say it?”
“Aye, endlessly,” she said and laughed again.
“I tell you, age is a trickster. It sneaks up on you and settles in your bones to attack at the least provocation,” Clive said, his glance following where she looked. “Wolf must have sent word to Trevor while we were still at your home.”
Raven lowered her voice as Clive had done when speaking about Wolf. “Wolf’s sister did not join her husband.”
Clive let his opinion be known. “Perhaps Trevor ordered his wife to remain home. It is cold and though the snow stopped, it will return and probably soon.”
“Or his sister wasn’t invited, the talk being for men alone,” Raven said. “Is Brod about?”
“I imagine he’ll appear any moment now since his task is complete. Iver is already busy getting to know the woods. Fyn is busy getting to know Greta to see what he can learn from her.” Clive grinned. “And it’s no toiling task, since his eyes light when he’s around her.”
“Remind him that she could be there to do the same as him and also what I told all of you about people coming and going since she’s a healer. It’s a good guise for them to keep an eye on all of you,” Raven warned. “And what of George?”
“Once Iver told him the carvings on many of the posts and numerous other things were the Northmen language and they told a tale, George got busy committing them to memory so he can draw them in the dirt with the expectation of Iver translating them for him. He intends to learn the tales and see if they tell us anything.”
“It’s good the men keep busy and alert,” she said.
“Always.” Clive lowered his voice to a whisper. “You wanted to talk with us about something.”
“I do, but I fear if the six of us gather we will call unwanted attention to us. I will talk with you and Brod and you will share it with the others.”
“I am ready to listen.”
Both Clive and Raven jumped, not having heard Brod approach.
“Quit sneaking up on us,” Clive scolded.
Raven smiled and shook her head. “I still have not mastered your skill of how silently you move about.”
“You do well for the time you’ve had to learn,” Brod praised.
“Brod is right,” Clive agreed. “For the limited time you had to acquire several skills, you’ve done exceptionally well. Now let’s go to my cottage and talk.”
“In whispers,” Brod advised. “We are being watched.”
Raven huddled close with the two, her voice barely a whisper. “You were followed?”
“No. I spotted who watched—three—and avoided them, but we all need to be aware that eyes are on us all the time,” Brod whispered.
“You both will make sure the others know,” Raven ordered and followed along with the two to Brod’s cottage.
“First, tell me what you learned?” Raven said after they settled in the confines of the small cottage.
Brod spoke in the same cautious whisper that Raven had, detailing the conversation between Trevor and Wolf.
So the Beast didn’t think her difficult to look at. Raven shook her head. What difference should that make to her? What was important is that he mentioned again that she had been the one to approach with a proposal.
“That is the very thing I wanted to discuss—his reference to me instigating the proposal, and this is the second time now he mentioned it. I was told the Beast requested it.”
“You could have waited, not accepted the proposal. We were close to having what was needed to free your brothers,” Clive said.
“Another two years is not close and in that time I could have lost one or both of my brothers. And what of Oria? She could have been sent across the North Sea to her family never to see Royden again. And Purity had to be protected.” Raven shook her head. “No. Time had run out. I gladly agreed to the offer. Only now, I wonder if neither I nor Wolf proposed it, then who conceived the offer, and why?”