Journeyman

by Heather Atkinson

  Saskia leapt to her feet, took aim with the bow and drew back the string, aiming the lethal arrow at his heart. Only now did he realise that she’d faked being hit and he’d walked straight into her trap. The admiration he involuntarily experienced for her only fuelled his rage and he unleashed another of his fierce bellows, the cries of the night creatures responding.

  Saskia only heard the sound at the last moment and she turned with the bow. But she was too late. A massive shadow knocked into her and she involuntarily loosed the arrow, which struck the trunk of a tree. As she fell she dropped the bow. She reached for the large knife tucked into her belt but a strong hand grabbed her arm and twisted it up her back. She kicked out, there was a groan of pain and she was released. Immediately she turned and delivered a roundhouse kick, knocking her assailant backwards.

  Silas gathered his thoughts, able to study the trap now he wasn’t in imminent danger of being skewered with an arrow. The thick branch was on the verge of cracking completely. As it split, the mechanism of the trap was revealed to him. Snatching up the gun, he shot it and the trap fell apart.

  He took a moment to assess his ankle, which had just been bruised by the trap, small droplets of blood standing out where the teeth had just nicked his skin. He was fortunate his limb was still intact.

  “One Eye isn’t the only one who called in reinforcements,” said Silas as the she-wolf furiously fought his friend. He took a moment to admire her, she really was a magnificent creature. It was a shame she had to die. Silas aimed the gun at her, growling with frustration when he couldn’t get a clear shot without risk of injuring his friend. It was tempting to just shoot through him but Mathias had been a loyal ally for many years and it would be foolish of him to waste that.

  Mathias had wrapped a thick arm around the she-wolf’s neck and was attempting to strangle her. For a moment it appeared as though he was going to be triumphant, until she threw back her head, cracking him on the bridge of the nose and she managed to free herself from his grip.

  Saskia gasped when another large shadow ran at her out of the darkness. She yanked the arrow that had missed its target from the trunk of the tree and lashed out at this second figure, having lost her knife in the fight with Mathias but it was kicked from her hand and vanished into the undergrowth.

  “The hunter becomes the hunted,” Silas snarled at her. He laughed when she snatched up the dropped bow. “What are you going to do with that? You are out of arrows.”

  Saskia’s eyes gleamed wolfishly as she turned on the second figure, slipped the bow string around his neck and pulled while screaming a battle cry. She released the bow, which hit him full in the face and sent him to the ground. Ducking the second figure’s fist, who was another of Silas’s close allies called Henrik, she rolled and snatched up her knife before turning to face him.

  “Oh I have had enough of this,” said Silas, growing tired of the sport. He raised his gun to fire, dropping it when a knife embedded itself in his hand. “What is happening?” he boomed, clutching his injured limb.

  In the dark he spied a shock of red hair and a figure moving with the speed and grace of a lynx. The figure moved behind Henrik, there was an arc of red and he fell, clutching his side.

  “Come on,” Luke told Saskia, grabbing her arm and pulling her away.

  “What are you doing?” she cried, shaking him off.

  “We need to go.”

  “We can finish them. Two of them are already down.”

  “But what about them?” he said, indicating three more enormous forms tearing through the trees towards them.

  Saskia glared at them, her grip on the knife tightening and Luke feared she was going to make a very rash decision.

  “We can’t take them all on,” he told her. “Retreat for now to fight another day.”

  To his relief she nodded and they ran off together into the trees, Saskia pausing to retrieve her bow, slinging it across her back.

  “Let them go,” Silas told his men in Norwegian. He didn’t want to risk injuring them with a foolish chase in the dark. Besides, the locals could have heard that explosion, even though he’d camped some distance from the village. The last thing they needed was the police.

  “Get them on their feet,” he said, indicating Mathias and Henrik, who were groaning on the ground. “We need to find a new base camp.”

  The three uninjured men nodded and hauled their friends upright before turning and heading back the way they’d come.

  Silas took one last regretful look at his motor home, which he’d become very fond of. One Eye and the fuckers who fought for him would pay for that too.

  He followed his comrades, seething with rage, dripping blood from his injured hand.

  “Why didn’t you kill Silas?” Saskia demanded of Luke as they ran through the forest back towards the B&B.

  “Oh you’re welcome,” he retorted.

  “I didn’t need your help. I was doing fine.”

  “Didn’t look that way to me.”

  “I didn’t know the others were there,” she retorted.

  “Because you didn’t take the time to find out. You weren’t supposed to attack, your job was reconnaissance.”

  “I saw opportunity and I take it. And why you there?”

  “One Eye sent me. He was worried. It was fortunate he did too otherwise you’d be dead by now.”

  Saskia’s lips pursed. She hated it when he was right. “Why did you not kill Silas? You had chance. You could have ended this war.”

  “For your information I was aiming for his neck with the knife but it was pitch black in there. I was fortunate to hit him at all. Lucky for you I did because you’d be dead now if I’d missed.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You don’t mean that,” he snapped bad-temperedly.

  “No, I do. Thank you Luke.”

  He was so shocked he stopped in his tracks. “You sound like you mean that.”

  “I do and I did not know others were there.”

  “Alright, what’s done is done,” he said in a gentler tone. “Let’s get back to One Eye, he’ll be worried.”

  They hurried out of the tree line and across open ground to the B&B, heading around the back where One Eye was waiting for them at the kitchen door.

  “Get in,” he told them.

  Once they were inside he locked the door behind them and they tiptoed into his bedroom.

  “Well?” he demanded.

  Saskia hung her head. “I tried to kill Silas. I failed.”

  “That was not your brief Saskia. You were supposed to have a scout around, that’s all.”

  “I saw a chance. He was alone in his van. I blew it up, sending him into a trap. I would have killed him if his friends hadn’t shown up.”

  “Friends? How many friends?”

  “Five, including Mathias and Henrik.”

  “Oh hell,” sighed One Eye.

  “Luke saved my life,” she mumbled to the floor.

  “Sorry, what was that?” said One Eye, although he’d heard very well.

  She raised her head, standing tall and proud. “He saved my life.”

  “Then I’m relieved I sent him after you. To lose you Saskia would be too much.”

  Her cold eyes briefly flickered, revealing the warmth beneath.

  “Three of them - including Silas - are wounded,” said Luke.

  “Silas already look injured,” said Saskia. “He limping badly.”

  “I wonder what titan managed to do that to him,” said One Eye. “Unless he had some sort of accident.” He sighed and sank onto his bed. “And now he knows you two are here.”

  “He may already have known,” said Luke. “That’s why he called in his friends.”

  “Perhaps. Well, now he’s injured he’s going to be madder than ever. We must brace ourselves my friends because soon he will come for us and he might not care that we’re in a building full of innocent people.”

  “For now they will need to regroup and find shelter,�
�� said Saskia.

  “They already have shelter,” said Luke. “Unless you think five of them were sharing a small motor home?”

  “Well, they won’t be coming for us tonight,” said One Eye. “Get some rest.”

  They both nodded and returned to their respective rooms. One Eye sank onto his bed with a sigh, running a hand through his hair, the feeling of being trapped overtaking him. Even with Saskia and Luke it was going to be a struggle to stay alive.

  CHAPTER 21

  “What did you say?” exploded Damon.

  The man behind the post office counter paled and took a step back, the security glass doing nothing to make him feel safe. It was the following morning. At Raven’s insistence they’d started out extra early and had been on the doorstep of the small post office in Flodigarry when it had opened. They hadn’t expected to get this information here, they’d just been sticking to their plan to ask about Silas in every shop and hotel when they’d hit the jackpot. Aidan was in the shop next door, talking to the owner.

  “Damon, take it easy,” said Raven, patting his arm. She looked to the man behind the counter. “You’re sure about this?”

  “Yes,” he replied, addressing her while keeping an eye on the huge angry redheaded man. “I never forget a face and his is rather unforgettable. He was badly scarred.”

  “This man bought a car off you this morning?”

  “Yes. I put an ad in the local paper and in the shop window and he paid me the full asking price.”

  “What time?”

  “He came early, about half seven. He didn’t look too good. He was limping and his hand was bandaged.”

  “How much did he pay you?”

  “One thousand pounds cash.”

  “Did he say where he was staying?”

  “No, he just mumbled something about touring the island. I must admit, he gave me a shock when he turned up. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone so big before. He was a bit gruff and surly but he was giving me the full asking price so I wouldn’t have complained if he’d wanted to dress me up as a smurf,” he said with a nervous laugh.

  “That your thing, is it?” said Damon.

  The man’s grin fell. “No, I was just having a wee joke.”

  “Oh,” he replied, expression stony, not in the mood for jokes.

  “Was he alone?” said Raven.

  “No. He turned up with an equally huge man who looked in rough shape too. His face was bruised and swollen. He had a big plaster over his nose, like it had been broken.”

  Raven was fuelled by optimism for the first time since this trip began. It seemed One Eye was definitely alive and kicking, she couldn’t imagine anyone else managing to inflict injuries like that on Silas and one of his men. “Can you give us a description of the car and the licence plate number please?”

  “Certainly,” he said, just wanting them gone. He’d had his fill of scary people for one day and it wasn’t even lunchtime yet. “White Ford transit van.”

  As he rhymed off all the details Raven hastily scribbled them down in a small notebook she always carried around in her capacious coat pockets. “Thanks for your help,” she said before turning and leaving, Damon following.

  “One Eye’s alive,” she told her brother once they were outside on the pavement. “He did that to Silas and his friend.”

  “We don’t know that for sure,” said Damon.

  Her smile faltered. “What’s wrong?”

  “You’re assuming Dad did that to them. We don’t know that it was.”

  “Course it was. I mean, who else?”

  “Some freaky inbred local farmer who’s as big as Silas. Or maybe they got into a car accident. You’re the one always saying not to assume stuff and here you are, assuming stuff.”

  “I know it, in here,” she said, tapping her chest. “Come on Damon,” she added, wrapping an arm around him. “We’re on the final stretch, we’re almost there.”

  He forced a smile. “Yeah.” His green eyes met hers. “If Silas has done anything to Dad I’m not leaving until he’s fucking dead.”

  “Me neither.”

  There was a cough and they turned to see Aidan standing there, frowning at them.

  “What’s this then?” he said.

  Raven released Damon. “We’ve had a positive ID on Silas,” she told him before relating what the man in the post office had said.

  When she’d finished he nodded. “That fits in with what the woman in the convenience store told me. Two big, beat up men came in and bought up the supply of bacon, biscuits and beer.”

  “We won’t need to bother killing them,” said Raven. “Their diets should do the job for us.”

  “From what she overheard they’re staying in the immediate area, although she doesn’t know where.”

  “That confirms it,” she said. “If they’re here then One Eye is here. We’re so close.”

  “Maybe,” mumbled Damon.

  Raven and Aidan glanced at each other. This was so contrary to Damon’s usually loud and exuberant nature that they weren’t quite sure what to do.

  “So do we keep tracking Silas or look for One Eye?” said Aidan.

  “If we find one we find the other,” said Raven. “What do you think Damon?”

  He shrugged his huge shoulders. “Dunno.”

  “Come on Damon,” she said. “Where’s all that fire of yours?”

  “My fire’s gone out.”

  “Then stoke it,” said Aidan. He nodded across the road. “There’s a couple of cyclists over there.”

  Damon’s head snapped up, eyes blazing as he homed in on the two men standing by their bikes, clad head to toe in lycra, sipping from water bottles.

  “No brawling in the street,” said Raven, grabbing Damon’s arm when he moved to cross the road. “Stay focused. We know what vehicle Silas is using and we know he’s in the area.”

  “What if he got that van to leave?” countered Damon.

  “Or maybe they want something more inconspicuous to move about the island? The police are searching for Silas and his motor home.”

  “Maybe,” he sighed, kicking a pebble.

  “And it shows Silas has more men with him,” she continued. “That bastard loves his big muscle cars. He’d only buy a van because he needs the space to transport his friends about.”

  “Jesus, how many of them are there?” said Damon. “Not even Dad would stand a chance.”

  “One Eye has to be around here somewhere,” said Aidan. “Silas wouldn’t buy supplies if he was leaving.”

  “He could be buying them for the trip home,” said Damon.

  “You can’t cook bacon in a van.”

  Damon visibly brightened. “Good point. Well let’s not stand around here talking about junk food, let’s get after the bastards.”

  “Where?” said Aidan.

  Raven glanced at the paper in her hands. “It’s a pity I don’t have any police contacts up here, I could have given them Silas’s licence plate number.” She sighed. “We need to stick to what we’re doing. We’re getting close.”

  As they crossed back across the road the cyclists were just about to set off, their backs to them. Damon kicked the back tyre of the rear cyclist, laughing when he wobbled before toppling off sideways. His oblivious friend set off down the street, leaving him flailing on the ground.

  “There, that cheered me up,” he grinned.

  Aidan was unable to resist a smile.

  “Saskia, what happened?” said Alan, eyes full of concern when she came down to breakfast.

  “Oh I fall in night,” she replied with a dismissive wave of the hand. She was the first in the dining room, she was always up at the crack of dawn. There was a large bruise on the left side of her face from the fight last night.

  “How did you fall?”

  “I get up to use bathroom in dark and I trip over. I bang face on wall.”

  “My God, are you alright?” he said, taking the seat opposite her.

  “Fine.
I am strong.”

  “You certainly are,” he replied with an appreciative smile. “Can I get you anything?”

  “I will have full Scottish breakfast.”

  “You can manage that with your sore face?”

  “Yes,” she frowned. “Why not?”

  “No reason,” he said, patting her hand. “I’ll make your breakfast immediately. Would you like anything to drink?”

  “Water with ice.”

  “Coming right up.”

  “Alan,” said Cherie, entering the room carrying a pile of tablecloths. “Can you help me with…” She frowned to see her husband once again fawning over the beautiful Scandinavian woman. As she hadn’t expected any guests to be up so early her hair was still in curlers and she wore no make-up. Saskia wore no make-up either but she didn’t need to, a fact that made Cherie dislike her even more. “I need some help with these,” she snapped, throwing the tablecloths to the floor before storming out, slamming the door shut behind her.

  “What’s wrong with her?” said Alan.

  “She jealous,” said Saskia. “She think you like me.”

  Ignoring the tablecloths he turned back to face her. “If I said I do like you Saskia, what would you say?”

  She shrugged. “What do you want me to say?”

  “That you want me to take you to bed.” His eyes widened, shocked by his own words.

  “What about your wife with the strange hair?”

  “For years I’ve put up with her affairs and flirting with every man who comes through here. I didn’t say anything because she was my wife and I loved her. I’ve never in all the years we’ve been together looked at another woman. Then you came along Saskia, looking like some Norse goddess and I wanted to fall to my knees before you. I can’t stop thinking about you, it’s driving me mad. I want to go to bed with you not because I want to get back at Cherie for her affairs but because I bloody well want to.”