Nettle went to the bed and began cleaning Runa’s wound, talking to her the whole time.
Tarass almost hugged Nettle when Runa started talking before her eyes were even open.
“I tried to stop him.”
“Who?” Tarass demanded.
“A stranger,” she said, her eyes fighting to open.
The first words out of Willow’s mouth as she came to and before she opened her eyes were, “He took Snow?”
“Easy,” Slatter cautioned, relieved to hear his wife speak. “You have a good-size bump to your head.” Concern for the bairn had his hand going to rest on her stomach.
“No worries there,” Willow assured him.
A weak bark alerted all that Thaw was waking.
“Do you know who took her, Willow?” Tarass asked, his anger taking rein.
“No one familiar to me. He was a big man, older, gray hair. He hit me with the hilt of his dagger before I could do anything.” Tears threatened Willow’s eyes. “The sweet cakes. Someone put something in the sweetcakes that put Snow to sleep. She’ll wake and not know where she is.”
Tarass turned to Runa, and she responded before his question left his lips.
“Someone from the kitchen brought the sweet cakes.”
A commotion outside the door had Tarass headed for it when the door opened and Fasta came stumbling in, Rannock having given her a rough shove.
“We found her a short distance in the woods. She was waiting for us,” Rannock said.
It wasn’t lost to anyone there that Fasta wore the garments of her people, rough cloth, fur and animal hides. She held herself tall, her shoulders drawn back, her chin raised more than a notch, her regal stance letting them know she thought herself above them.
“Where’s my wife?” Tarass demanded.
“I’m here to take you to her. You and you alone,” Fasta emphasized. “Unless, of course, you want her dead, which will happen if you don’t come with me… alone… and without a weapon.”
Willow gripped her husband’s hand, fear for her sister and Tarass trembling it.
“Lead the way,” Tarass said and when Fasta turned, he sent a look to Rannock. He would know what to do.
Fasta stopped at the door and turned, a command in her voice that left no doubt she was to be obeyed. “If any of you should think to follow, know that we have warriors watching. Any of them spot anyone following, and Snow dies.”
This time when Fasta turned, Tarass looked to Slatter and he gave a barely noticeable nod.
Slatter had a way of not being seen and Tarass was counting on that.
When the door closed behind Tarass, Willow pressed her brow to her husband’s and whispered, “Please, please don’t let my sister and her husband die.”
“You have my word, but promise me you will do nothing to jeopardize yourself and the bairn.”
“I promise. Worry not, be safe, and know I love you. Now go,” she said softly and kissed him quick.
Slatter didn’t hesitate and Rannock hurried out the door after him.
No one saw Thaw sneak out behind them.
Chapter 33
Tarass didn’t give Fasta the satisfaction of asking her any questions as they walked through the woods. He didn’t think she’d tell him anything anyway. She enjoyed keeping him in suspense, believing it added to his suffering. He realized with each step he took, that it was what the person responsible for this whole horrific ordeal wanted. He wanted to cause Tarass pain, cause him to suffer the worst way possible, and he had done that by taking Snow.
A shudder of fear chilled him at the thought of what might have been done to her. As long as she was alive, as long as he could hold her in his arms again, nothing else mattered.
“It was so easy to become part of your clan and have you trust me,” Fasta said.
He’d wondered when she wouldn’t be able to take the silence any longer. Or not talk about what she perceived as a victory for herself.
He struck her with words he knew would hurt the most. “You were nothing more than an insignificant servant. I barely knew you were there.”
She stopped abruptly and turned, her eyes round with fury. “We’ll see how insignificant I am.” She turned back around, her gait full of anger as she left deep tracks in the snow.
It didn’t take as long to reach their destination as Tarass feared it might. He wanted to get to his wife, hopefully find her unharmed, and see her safe as quickly as possible. Then he’d deal with the man who had dared to take Snow from him.
Fasta stopped at the edge of a clearing in the woods. “Wait here,” she ordered and walked to the other end and disappeared into the woods.
It wasn’t a far distance away, but far enough that he wouldn’t be able to reach Snow quickly if need be and that troubled him.
A man emerged a few moments later. A man Tarass didn’t recognize.