Wrath turned his head suddenly, thinking he heard his name being called.
“Is that someone shouting for you?” Egot asked.
They both heard it again, clearly this time.
“Wrath! Wrath! Wrath!”
He leapt to his feet as the door burst open. A young woman, with barely a breath left in her, rushed in screaming out to him.
“Hurry! You must hurry. Your wife has collapsed.”
Chapter Eighteen
Wrath vaulted over the table and grabbed the woman’s arm. “Take me to her.” Wrath kept the woman’s steps steady as he held firm to her arm to make certain she did not collapse before they reached Verity. He propelled her through the village, people staring and some following after them.
He stopped abruptly when he saw his wife on the ground, her body lifeless. He released the woman and rushed to Verity. When those standing near caught sight of him approaching, they scurried out of his way, fearful he would trample them, his steps so forceful and determined.
Wrath dropped down beside his wife’s prone body.
“Is she with child?” Ethra asked, as if that would explain what had happened.
It would be easier and safer for Verity if Ethra and others thought that and so he said, “Yes.” He slipped his arms beneath his wife, taking her gently in his arms to hold her close against him as he got to his feet.
Ethra got to her feet as well. “I will fetch the healer.”
“There is nothing she can do. Our healer advised rest when it happened.” Wrath turned, wanting to get Verity away from curious eyes and see that she was safe.
“I will fetch other women and we will see to her,” Ethra said.
“Mind your own duties, wife, and stay where you are,” Egot ordered as he approached. “Wrath will see to his own.”
“And what do you know of such things you old fool,” Ethra admonished.
Wrath hastened his pace, leaving the two to argue. He would see to Verity, no one else.
“You are safe, wife. You are with me,” he whispered near her ear as he approached the dwelling.
Once inside, he laid her on the sleeping pallet and placed his hand against her cheek. It was cold and she looked much too pale to him. She did not make the slightest movement and if he had come upon her without any knowledge of her visions, he would have thought her dead.
Anger surged up in him at the thought and he leaned down and whispered in her ear. “I will have it no other way, wife. Return to me now!” When she did not stir, he raised his voice. “Come back to me! Open your eyes!” Again she did not stir. “You will not leave me. I forbid it!”
He grew more anxious when again she did not respond. He took her hands in his and began to rub warmth into them. “You have been gone long enough. Open your eyes.” His insides clenched and he felt something he had never felt before... helplessness.
He was a warrior accustomed to fighting foe, but this was something he could not fight. This was something he had no control over, and realizing that angered him even more.
He lowered his brow to hers and whispered, “You belong to me, Verity.” He hesitated a moment. “And I belong to you.”
He felt her stir against him and waited for her to open her eyes. When she did not, he coaxed her again with words that surprised him. “You have my heart, though I do not know when I gave it to you or perhaps you stole it when I first laid eyes on you.” He could not believe his own words. They sounded foolish to him and yet he spoke the truth. He had lost his heart to her, when and where it did not truly matter. That had seemed amazing in itself, though more so that he would even dare admit it. What he could admit without doubt was that Verity belonged to him now and he would never let her go.
“Open your eyes,” he ordered worried he would lose her when he had just found her.
Verity’s eyes shot open wide and she sat up abruptly.
Wrath saw the terror in her eyes and his arms went around her as her arms flew around him and held on tight.
“You are safe,” he assured her, holding her with a grip that no one could break, but then she clung to him just as tightly. He wanted to know what had caused such fright in her, but at the moment the only thing he felt the need to do was keep her safe in his arms.
She mumbled something in his ear again and again until finally he understood what she was saying and fear hit him like an arrow to his chest.
“He took me from you. He took me from you. He took me from you.”
“Who took you?” he demanded ready to kill whoever dared lay a hand on her.
“Ulric. He took me from you.” Her body went limp against his as if it was too much of a burden to bear.
“No one will ever take you from me. You have my word on that.” Verity eased away from him, though he would not let her out of his arms and when he saw her unshed tears ready to fall, he silently swore to make Ulric pay for the pain he had caused her. “Tell me of your vision.” He wanted to be prepared to stop it from happening.
“Ulric was dragging me away, and I was screaming out to you.” She shuddered, recalling the scene.
“Where was I?”
“I did not see you. I called out to you, but I never saw you.”
“That does not mean I was not there and I will never let anyone take you from me.”
“My visions—”
He pressed his finger to her lips. “This one was meant to warn.”
She shook her head. “My visions reveal what will be.”
“Even if Ulric somehow managed to take you, I would come for you. Never, ever, worry that I would not come after you. You belong to me and I will never let you go.”
Verity stared at him, wanting to say many things but finding no words. Or was she afraid of what his response would be? Did he intend to keep her as his wife? If so why? Did he care for her?
You have my heart.
Had she heard him say that or had she simply imagined it?
“You should rest,” he said.
She shook her head. “I am not tired.” And she did not want to sleep and dream. Sometimes her dreams could be as frightening as her visions and she wished she suffered from neither.
Wrath’s hand went to her face, his finger going to the corner of her one eye and catching a tear that had been lingering there. Then he leaned forward and kissed her lips gently.
“You are a brave woman, wife,” he whispered and kissed her again.
She got lost in his gentle kiss. His lips did not demand or expect. He kissed her with a caring that squeezed at her heart and sent flutters through her middle.
“I will not listen to your nonsense. The lass needs a woman to look after her, not a man who has no thought to what he is doing.”
Wrath’s lips fell away from Verity’s at the sound of Ethra’s voice outside the door, and she smiled when she heard him mutter several blasphemies. It seemed he was as disappointed as she was over their kiss being interrupted.
“I will send her away,” he said more to himself than Verity. He stood as Ethra shouted out to him from the other side of the door.
“Wrath, I have come to tend your wife. She needs a woman’s care since she is with child.”
Verity’s head snapped up and she turned wide eyes on her husband.
“No one needs to know about your visions,” he said, keeping his voice low so no one heard but the two of them.
That Wrath would let everyone believe that she was with child surprised her, though she did not remark on it. She simply nodded.
Wrath opened the door.
“I tried to stop her,” Egot said from behind his wife, “but when the fool woman gets something in her head there is no stopping her.”
Ethra turned and jabbed her husband in the chest. “A man is a useless creature when a woman is with child.”
Wrath had had enough. “You call me a useless creature?”
Ethra jumped back at the force of his words, bumping into her husband.
“I tend my wife, no oth
er, now be gone or you will know why I am called Wrath!”
Egot took hold of his wife’s arm. “Ethra will disturb you no more.”
Verity had come up behind her husband and stepped around him to smile at Ethra. “I am grateful for your concern, but Wrath tends me well. I will talk with you later. I am going to rest now.”
“I am pleased and relieved to know that,” Ethra said, returning Verity’s smile. “If there is anything you need, please let me know. I look forward to seeing you after you have rested.”
“Now see what you have done, woman,” Egot said, hurrying his wife alongside him.
“I have done what I came to do. That was to make sure that Verity was well.”
“And insult her husband, commander of the King’s personal guard.”
“At this moment he is no more than a husband—”
“Who cares deeply for his wife,” Egot said. “Did you not see the worry in his eyes as he held her limp body in his arms?”
Wrath shut the door on the squabbling couple, not wanting to hear anymore. Or was it that he did not want Verity to hear?
“You will rest,” he ordered as Verity turned to face him. He slipped her cloak off and scooped her up in his arms when she went to speak. “I will hear no excuses.”
A soft smile surfaced when he placed her on the sleeping pallet. That others saw worry in his eyes for her made her wonder if he did truly care for her and simply did not want to admit it. Or perhaps he had yet to recognize it himself.
She raised her hand to rest at his cheek. “I do not mean to be a burden on you.”
He took her hand, no longer cold, and held it in his. “You are no burden and I will not hear that from you again. We will remain here an extra sunrise to make certain you are well-rested before we begin our journey home.”
Verity squeezed his hand. “No, please, I do not want to delay searching for Hemera. And I need no rest. I only told Ethra that so she would leave without worry. And I am sure the King is anxious to hear what we have learned while here.”
Wrath worried when her eyes suddenly turned wide. “What is wrong?”
“I was surprised to learn that Egot is brother to King Talon’s mother and that the King’s blood runs so deep in this land. No wonder so many wish for him to have a son.”
“Many believe his descendants were born with this land, his roots far deeper here than anyone else who sees himself fit to be King.”
“Have you discovered if there is any here who oppose the King?” Verity asked his long lean fingers slipping over her hand, wrapping around it, and gripping it as if he had no intentions of ever letting her go. And it brought her comfort.
“I am not sure what goes on here, but something does. A hunting party of five warriors, though it was meant to be six, has yet to return, though Vard assures me that no one here would ever be disloyal to the King. It seems questionable that five Ancrum warriors left here and five Ancrum warriors attacked the Raban Tribe, yet were not connected. Then there is Egot. He has changed considerably since last I saw him. He once knew his tribe well, not so much now. It seems Vard leads the tribe more than he does, and I would never have thought that Egot would grow lazy.”
“Perhaps he simply grows old,” Verity suggested.
“Pict warriors never grow old. They fight until their dying day. Those were Egot’s words to me years ago.” Wrath grew silent a moment, then shook his head as if clearing it. “Are you sure you feel up to traveling?”
She nodded, hoping he would relent and they would leave on the morrow.
“We leave early on the morrow. I want to stop at the Imray Tribe and see how things are there and if a lone woman has passed their way. I also want to know if they have had any trouble with the Ancrum. If all goes well, we should be home in three or four sunrises.”
“What if we do not find Hemera?”
“The search will not stop, though,” —he raised his hand to stop her from speaking— “you will not go on every search conducted.” Verity tried to sit up, but Wrath pressed a firm hand to her chest. “That is the way it will be.”
“How will the warriors know her?”
“You will detail her features and give them a message that Hemera would know could only come from you.”
A yawn escaped her mouth before any words could.
“No more talk. You will rest,” he ordered and reluctantly released her hand as he stood.
Verity thought to argue with him, but stopped. She had wanted to continue to talk with him, but something told her to wait, and so she did.
Wrath took the blanket bunched at the bottom of the sleeping pallet and spread it over her. “Rest for as long as you need. I will see you later.” He leaned down and kissed her brow, not trusting himself to settle his lips on hers since one taste of her would want him seeking more.
Verity was relieved when the door closed behind him, but she was also disappointed. Nothing was going as planned. If she did not find Hemera, the King’s warriors might, and then there was Ulric here on Pict soil. And of course there were her feelings for Wrath, which had changed everything.
The more thought she gave, the more she realized that she did not want to leave Wrath. She had found something with him that she did not believe she would ever find with anyone else. And after years of not being able to do as she pleased, she wanted that choice now. She wanted Wrath.
She wondered what Hemera would do if she knew all that had taken place since their arrival here. She did know Hemera would tell her to do as she wanted, but then what of Hemera?
Hemera was never one to act quickly or rush to respond. Verity smiled, thinking how she would not be surprised if that was what Hemera was doing now, not rushing, but taking her time in deciding her next step. She would not worry over Verity as much as Verity worried over her. She would expect Verity to survive as best she could until they were reunited. And she would be right. There was nothing that could be decided upon until they were together again.
Things had changed and she and Hemera would need to decide what was best for them to do from this point on. Her only thought should be of finding Hemera.
Another yawn let her know that her vision had left her tired, whether she thought so or not. She would rest, gather her strength, and do all she could to see Hemera was found and kept safe. Fate would deal with her and Wrath, as it had since she first saw Wrath in a vision.
~~~
Wrath talked with Tilden, letting him know they would take their leave at sunrise and the route they would take. Tilden got busy informing the men and seeing that all was made ready for departure.
Wrath sat by the fire heavy in thought. There was much to report to Talon, though he wondered if he would just confirm what Talon already knew. Talon was a wise King and kept watch over his people. He was aware of what went on throughout the land even if he did not seem like he did. Talon had close friends and allies, no one was aware of, that kept him advised on all that went on throughout Pictland and beyond.
It was one of the reasons he had granted Paine and Anin permission to visit with her family. Paine would form allies with the Wyse Tribe for him and learn of any unrest in the surrounding area.
What news would he bring to Talon? Five Ancrum warriors had turned against the King? Or had someone within the Ancrum Tribe caused unrest? Much would depend on what else he uncovered. He had seen that one of his warriors followed Vard to the Raban Tribe. The warrior would report his findings to Wrath.
Talon would not be happy learning that two Northmen had been found on Pict soil. He wanted no war with them and Haggard wanted no war with the Picts. Or had that been a ruse?
Wrath snapped the slim stick in his hand in two and tossed the pieces into the flames. Anger simmered inside him at the thought that Ulric would attempt to take Verity away from him. She belonged to him now and he intended to make that clear to Ulric when he saw him. And if Ulric disagreed, Wrath would beat him senseless and enjoy doing it for all the suffering he had caused Verity.
Tilden interrupted Wrath’s musings along with another warrior.
“John has learned something you should hear,” Tilden said.
Wrath nodded for the warrior to speak.
“An Ancrum woman took a fancy to me and we have been talking. She told me that she had seen Vard speaking with a stranger not too long ago. He was a large man with light-colored hair. She came upon them in the woods, though she was not close enough for her to hear what they were saying. And she was too fearful of making herself known, since she felt the meeting was a private one. She never saw the man again after that.”
“You did well, John,” Wrath said, “though make no mention of it to anyone. It is only for the King to know.”
“As you say,” John said with a nod.
After the two men walked away, Wrath stood and was eager to return to the stronghold and let King Talon know that Egot’s right-hand man could very well be conspiring with the Northmen.
Chapter Nineteen
The sun rose briefly over the land the next morn, enough to begin melting the snow and lessening the burden on the tree branches, before gray clouds blotted it out not long after departure. Verity rode with Wrath pleased they were once again on their way and searching for Hemera. She looked over the land, watching to see if anything looked familiar from her visions or for any signs Hemera may have left for her to find. This time she would be vigilant and not miss a thing.
Wrath watched how intently Verity gazed over the land and how, when something caught her attention, it would bring a smile to her lovely face. He noticed that there was now a slight fullness to her face since he had found her. She had been eating well and he was glad for that. He also noticed how her hand remained resting on his arm and that her body lay against his with ease. It had not taken her long to grow comfortable with him. It was as if she had already been familiar with him before meeting him. It also had not taken him long to become familiar with her and feel at ease with her as well.
It was the feeling that he did not want to be parted from her that was unfamiliar to him. He had never felt that way about any woman he had ever joined with, and he had yet to join with Verity. What then would it be like? Would he feel even stronger about being separated from her? Or would it satisfy him enough to let her go?
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