The Sanction (26 page)

“
He demands I translate
everything you say. First, he would like you to eat and know that
you are welcomed here. No-one will harm you, if that is what you
fear.”

Brenna found her tongue, shaking though
it was. “Tell him to release me, so that I can find my own chair to
sit.”

Daagan flashed Rhys an amused glance
before he spoke. King Bjorn thundered laughter, but Rhys saw no
humor in her words. Instead he hooked his foot around a bench and
dragged it a hair’s distance away from his before obliging her.
Brenna settled quickly and nibbled the inside of her lip. The
remnants of a lavish meal were just being cleared from the table,
and Rhys summoned a shy girl and spoke to her. King Bjorn offered
his input and Daagan sat facing her on the opposite side of the
table.

“
Are you alright?” he
ventured finally, dropping his voice. She nodded her thanks,
accepted a mug of water he poured, and drank deeply before looking
around.

“
Please, thank your king and
his general from their hospitality, but it is urgent I leave at
once.”

“
My king and the general
insist you eat lady. If I tell them otherwise, they will not be
pleased.”

“
Is he dangerous
then?”

“
King Bjorn is a just man. A
fair man. He would not hurt a woman.”

“
And Rhys? Is he also fair
and just?”

Rhys spoke then, no doubt demanding to
know what was being said, and Daagan translated. He took her hand
and rubbed her fingers between his, the obvious show of affection
and warmth not unusual in the least. When he spoke, Daagan wasted
no time in responding.

“
He wishes you to trust him,
and promises you his sword arm for protection.”

She swallowed hard and frowned, and
slipped her fingers from his caress quickly. “Why would he do that?
I do not know him at all.”

Daagan smirked, his eyes holding
secrets he did not disclose. “It is clear he is quite smitten with
you. It is not hard to see why, with all that beautiful fair hair
and those stunning eyes.”

She blushed, her face as red as a plum
and turned away from is praise. Rhys rumbled something again,
something that sounded terribly like an angry snarl, and the King
who said nothing at all, took everything in at his
leisure.

“
Now I am making him jealous
it would seem.”

“
Jealous? Whatever
for?”

“
I have made you blush, I
understand you, you will tell me why you are afraid and running and
I will be the first to know before he does. If I had eyes for you,
that would make me a more feasible candidate for your attentions,
won’t it?”

“
I do not trust
you.”

Daagan’s eyes shot up. “Even though we
offer you food and warmth?”

“
Even my enemy offered me
food and warmth before they tried to kill me.”

When next he spoke it was to Rhys who
nodded and met her eyes once again. They spoke for a lengthy
moment, this time the King too responded, and when the wraith
returned, it was bearing a platter so filled food threatened to
overflow. Rhys pushed the plate in front of her and spoke. Daagan
grinned.

“
Eat. You have much to
explain when you are through. Including the bruises about you and
the injury on your arm.” His gaze fell to her sleeve covered arm
even as he frowned, asking a question he did not voice.

“
Tell your King I thank him
for his generosity. And let Rhys know that I must leave, that my
trouble is my own, and that I am more than capable of taking care
of myself.”

As Daagan chuckled and translated, she
ate greedily, not caring that the Bjorn laughed and clapped Rhys on
the shoulder, not caring that Rhys leaned back to watch her with a
mixture of frustration and amusement. He took another of her curls
to his nose and inhaled again, and when she slipped it from his
fingers, he tightened his grip and tugged gently. Her glower was
met with another smile, one she did not return while she filled her
belly. It was a long journey south. Her next meal could be days
away. She intended to eat all she could now.

“
She’s a fire-starter. I
like her.” Bjorn took another gulp from this cup and belched
unapologetically. Brenna ignored the trio as she ate. She was a
puzzle to be sure. Shy and uncertain one moment, mouthy and rude
the next. But Rhys supposed most of her fear had stemmed from the
fact that she could not be understood. He cut a hard look at Daagan
and grunted. The man was a legend with the ladies. His easy charm
and attractive features always succeeded in gaining him female
attention, and he never lacked a bed-partner because of it. Having
the man around was sure to make him growl more than he wanted to,
but Daagan knew she was about to be claimed. He was not a Were like
Bjorn, but knew their secret and would protect his king with his
very life. That did not mean he would not try to win her affection.
Rhys would see him dead before he allowed that to
happen.

“
Tell your man to stop
making calf eyes at my mate before I teach him a lesson he won’t
soon forget,” he warned.

Bjorn chuckled when Daagan grinned. “I
may have wanted her had I been the one to have found her, but as it
is, she is not worth my life.” Rhys acknowledged him with a nod.
“How do you intend to claim her when she is so determined to
leave?”

“
Has she spoken about why
she is running?”

“
No, but insists that she
must go now. There is desperation in her words.”

“
Tell her I will consider
letting her go, but only if she tells me who is hunting her and
why.”

Daagan spoke to her, his voice soft and
coaxing, and when she looked at Rhys, it was to search his eyes and
shook her head. Her words came swiftly.

“
She will not risk your life
or any within this village. That is all she will say on the matter.
Now she demands you release her.”

Rhys ground his teeth together, his
brain working like a machine. She wanted to leave to protect
innocent people, which meant that the person searching for her was
powerful enough to do just that. She would have no defense once she
was found, and with that type of resources, there was no where she
could hide for too long.

“
Who is after
her?”

Daagan pressed again. He huffed at her
snipped reply. “She said no one.”

Bjorn stroked the length of his beard
and nodded. “She is scared but is too stubborn to show it. And
honorable if she seeks to keep even me safe. Let her know she is
safe within my boarders, that none will come here to attack any
under my care.”

Still, she kept her lips pressed
together. After several more moments of coaxing, Rhys shook his
head and heaved a sigh. The thought of allowing her to walk through
the doors made his blood churn. Even as she wolfed down her food
there was a nervous energy to her that called to the predator in
him, not to mention the fact that her scent had his senses tied in
many knots. He could not think straight, nor could he focus on
anything other than keeping her as close to him as
possible.

“
She stays,” he finally said
in the silence. Daagan cocked an eyebrow particularly high but did
not respond as he waited to hear the decree. “Whoever is hunting
her will find her if they must, but she will no longer be alone.
Tell her that.”

Daagan obeyed.

As soon as the words left his mouth she
met their eyes and smiled a sad smile before speaking. Daagan
rubbed his neck and winced. “Then it grieves her to know one so
kind will be rewarded with his death for his aid.”

Brenna pushed her plate away then,
suddenly quite ill. It had been at least two days since her last
meal, and she had no trouble putting away half the overflowing
platter, but now as it seemed the man next to her refused to let
her go, the trembling started anew. It was Daagan’s next words that
made her face flush in anger.

“
He will meet it boldly for
you.”

Filled with sudden ire, she turned to
him instantly. “I am nothing to you Rhys. I will never be anything
to you. Thank you for saving my life, but I’m leaving now, so stay
away from me.”

She rose, heard Daagan hurried
translation and made it all the way to the front door when a small
snarl made her feet go stone cold. Large hands spun her around and
Rhys, who only looked at her tenderly all morning, glowered
fiercely. Her heart raced, and she pressed her lips together to
stop their quiver. When he spoke it was with clear purpose, even as
his head leaned closer to hers. What he said could not be
misunderstood for anything else – he was keeping her here, and
there wasn’t a thing she could do about it.

The Griswold Witch by Reecye Smythe
Wilder

Coming to Smashwords
soon!