Immortal Warrior by Lisa Hendrix

Author:Lisa Hendrix [Warrior, Immortal]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Fiction, Paranormal, General, Vikings, Historical, Love stories, Historical fiction, Blessing and cursing
ISBN: 9780425224540
Publisher: Penguin
Published: 2008-11-04T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 15

“BASTARD KING.” IVO ground Ari’s note into the mud in disgust.

“Is there another kind?” asked Brand, chuckling as he bent to check Kraken’s hoof. “What did this one do?”

“He sent one of his men to check on me. Robert de Jeune and a dozen of his knights sit in my hall as we speak. They arrived after Nones today.”

“Balls,” said Brand, every trace of amusement gone. “How will we come and go if your hall is full of the king’s men?”

“We won’t. Ari told everyone I left today for Durham on sudden business. We can’t return until they leave.”

“’Tis poor timing, with your lady due back tomorrow.”

“Aye, but there’s worse. One of the men riding with de Jeune is that mongrel Neville.”

“The oily one we had to throw out when we first came? See? You should have let me gut him.” Brand sliced a phantom sword out and up, and Neville’s guts spilled invisibly onto the leaves at his feet. “That’s what you get for turning Norman. What do we do?”

“Stay out of sight. Ari will have to deal with them unless I think of something.”

Brand looked over at the raven perched on a nearby snag, feathers fluffed against the misting rain that had hung in the air all day. “And how will he stay out of their way?”

“I don’t know, but he says he can. It helps that everyone thinks he goes off whoring every night.”

“You could send a message for him to join us in Durham,” suggested Brand. “Provided he isn’t caught first . . . If he is, it will mean the end of your time at Alnwick.”

Anger bubbled up again, bitter as wormwood. Ivo whipped out his sword and in one stroke took off a nearby sapling, the closest substitute for William’s thick neck. “Bastard king.” Feeling slightly better, he shook off the tingle in his palm. “Come. If we must lurk in the woods, we’ll need that gear we cached.”

Out of habit, they had hidden extra supplies deep in the woods against the sudden need to escape. Now they could use them to stay comfortable while they lay low.

“I have a better idea,” said Brand. “I was going to visit Merewyn this evening anyway, to give her a mortar and pestle I picked up off that tinker yesterday, and we—”

“What are you doing buying her a mortar and pestle?” asked Ivo.

“Who said I bought it? You’re the rich man. I thought this would be a way to pay her without violating the terms of that pledge of hers.”

“Fine.” He eyed Brand over Fax’s back. “You’re not getting sweet on the woman, are you?”

Brand snorted. “As I said, I was going to take her the mortar. If you come, too, we can pass the evening in her warm little cottage instead of out here in the rain.”

“We’re supposed to be in Durham, remember? If word gets to de Jeune that we’re near, he’ll have me strung up by the thumbs, and then it’ll be over for certain.

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