Ian dropped the letter as he turned and punched a tree. It hurt him more than it did the tree, but thanks to the gloves he had not taken off, the skin on his hand remained intact. Mikail had been watching Ian and thinking that he had a letter from Mora so he had given him privacy. When he saw Ian hit the tree, he could not imagine what Mora could possibly have said to make Ian act that out of character and ran to his aid.
"Ian what is wrong?" he asked urgently. Ian picked up the letter, handed it to Mikail, and rubbed the hand he had used to attack the tree. He looked up at Ian in confusion.
"You idiot!" Ian began, "if it hadn’t been for your pride being wounded she would have told you when she was leaving and you would have had
Chapter 17 Mikail’s MeetingSylvia was thinking of Mikail, too, as she silently crept through the secret passages of the old castle where The Five resided. They always took the noon meal together in private if they were present, so she did not have much time left to get to the room. The door, the only door anyone knew about, would be locked and barred from the inside so they could plot without being overheard.Whoever had created this passage was clever. They had hid the opening behind a por
Summer quickly gave way to autumn and autumn turned to winter without them losing their resolve. As news of The Five’s death spread, so did the rumors about the assassin who killed them and the enemy troops who surrendered without so much as being hunted. They would often walk into Tane’s camps with their arms above theirs heads and weapons tightly secured. Mikail found himself often waking in the night with her name on his lips and within a day or so, a note would be found from her telling him one way or another to leave her alone.Retribution consistently walked through their traps as though it were child’s play and sightings of her danced around their camps. She rubbed their noses in the fact they had not caught her by carrying Victor’s blade as well as Veritás lately.At length, Mikail and Ian came up with another plan. The
"Captain?" she questioned."I am here on business, Arden, and you must not breathe a word of it even in your sleep," he said quietly. She nodded. "For your co-operation, I will return to you your freedom from this hell if you will make me one other promise.""What would you have of me?" the look on her face was almost hopeful."You must promise that you will never again sell yourself into such slavery. Find a job as a cook, marry for love, and raise children whom you will devote your life to.""I promise I will never again sell my body in such a manner," she replied to him breathlessly. Her bosom almost did jump from between her laces before he pulled them back together. It startled her, but only for a split second. Then she startled him by hugging him. She stepped
Chapter 18 Arden’s WeddingAlmost every soldier in the inn went running at top speed to the rooms of the innkeeper and his family. The innkeeper was the first to arrive at his daughter’s side and was busy holding her and trying to explain what had happened when Mikail and Ian arrived and went to Arden’s side. Upon the captain’s arrival, Arden seemed to decide that last night’s events had indeed not been a dream and she calmed down and listened to Ian a
"Apparently a hunter was out looking for fresh meat and found a pack of wolves around the body," answered Ian. Mikail winced. He could barely find the strength to ask what he desperately wanted to know."Ian ... How did they identify the body if the wolves had torn - ?" he broke off thinking of Sylvia’s body being torn and wondering what could have killed her."By the sword protruding from the chest of Victor’s clothes – the last things he was known to be wearing." Ian watched as Mikail tried to digest what he had heard."Then it could not have been her that they found," he said slowly. Ian shook his head with a slight smile. "What are we waiting for, Ian get this place moving!" He turned to Arden, "I think it would be a good idea if you come with us and settle in another town."
Chapter 19 The TrapRetribution had a meeting with a peculiar, but rich client who wanted nothing more than proof whether or not her husband was cheating on her. She said that if he were, she could divorce him and retain her honor, along with all of her family wealth, but if not she would never doubt him again. This fine lady had told Retribution how to find her husband, where he would be, and what he always wore when he claimed to be going to the military meetings where she suspected his fidelity. It was in the town just across the border, it would only take a few hours
She called to him and when he did not come to her, she went to him. Her kiss was intoxicating. He lost himself in her arms. When she said to him that she would eagerly become his lover and make certain that no one would ever know about their rendezvous, he stopped dead."That is what honoris,Sylvia, doing what is right even when no one would ever know the difference," he told her, "Put your clothes back on properly." She backed up slowly and started to pull her laces in full view as he wondered to himself if his honor would lead to his demise. His only consolation was that he hoped to make her his wife. "May I die a chaste man before taking any woman to my bed outside of the bonds of marriage," he said to himself. He refused dinner. Listening to her talk about what they could do or what she would do to him if he would let her was causing more pain than he thought any
Chapter 22 MidnightThey were close to Tshen and decided to go first thing in the morning. Mora was still visiting with the cousin who had helped Mikail with the lock and Ian decided to send for her to take a room at one of the inns in Tshen. The night after they arrived, Mikail spotted a familiar face wondering amongst the people closing the marketplace for the night, and he followed it. Her long, blonde tresses hung sensuously around her and spilled over the hood of a summer cloak that had been left hanging behind her.She went into a small alehouse and seemed to disappear. He spotted her again sitting next to Kollin with her hood pulled up and her cloak wrapped around her. They were in a