“You have no idea why?” Cree asked.
Rem shrugged. “Who knows why madmen kill innocents?”
“You tell me since you were about to kill an innocent.”
“A goodly sum tempts even the most honorable man,” Rem said.
“True honor is never tempted.”
“Honor does not fill an empty belly.”
“So you do this to feed yourself or your family?” Cree asked.
“I am alone and care for no one.”
“I have more questions for you but they can wait for another day.” Cree turned to leave.
“Going to rut with your whore?” Rem shouted and every servant in the room froze.
Cree swung around and Sloan jumped up.
“I wish I had had more time with her. I would have given her a good poke before I sliced her throat and watched her slowly bleed to death.
Cree lunged at the man his fist slamming into his face and knocking him to the ground.
“Take him outside. I want all to see what happens to someone who dares to speak to me that way,” Cree ordered.
Rem was dragged outside, his arms tied tightly behind his back. People were already gathering, the servants having spread the news fast that one of the prisoners were being punished.
A block of wood was set up and Rem’s head smashed down on it. And all wondered if the man would have his head chopped off. Then two warriors forced a metal cage type device in his mouth and one took a pair of long metal tongs and grabbed hold of the man’s tongue. They all knew then what would happen. He would have his tongue cut out.
~~~
“Wake up, hurry, Dawn, wake up.”
Dawn opened her eyes, not sure where she was at first and then smiled realizing she was home. But what was Old Mary doing in her place? Then she remembered that this was no longer her home.
“Get up. Get up,” the old woman urged. “The devil is about to punish one of the prisoners and everyone is gathering to watch.”
Dawn had been forced to watch too many punishments. She did not want to see this one whether he deserved it or not.
But Old Mary forced her out of bed and shoved her cloak at her. “The devil is going to cut out the prisoner’s tongue.”
Dawn paled, dropped her cloak to the ground and without thought to her actions rushed out the door. Neil could barely keep up with her, she ran so fast. She saw the crowd gathered, heard Cree’s voice announce that no one will threaten anyone who belongs to him.
She froze when she heard whispers that he meant Dawn. That this man’s tongue was being cut out because of something he had said about her. She knew then it was the prisoner who had taken her into the woods to kill her, but it didn’t matter. If Cree wanted to punish him let him do it a different way, but cut out his tongue?
Dawn pushed her way through the crowd and as she burst through to the front she almost got sick at what she say and without hesitation she ran forward and threw herself over the man as Cree brought his blade down.
Chapter Thirty-one
Cree swung the blade away but he didn’t have enough time to avoid missing her completely and caught the edge of her shoulder. Blood immediately poured from the rip in her blouse and began to seep into the linen. He hurried to yank her off Rem and when he saw her pained expression he let out a roar that had the people running in fright.
“Finish this,” he ordered Sloan and went to scoop up Dawn and rush her to Elsa, but she slapped him away and began to gesture.
Cree was relieved when Lila appeared since he was having difficulty understanding Dawn. He was more concerned with the way her sleeve was getting soaked with blood.
“My lord,” Lila said respectfully.
“Tell me what she says,” he ordered anxiously.
Lila turned to Dawn. “My God, Dawn, your bleeding badly, you must go to the healer.”
Dawn shook her head.
Lila spoke as Dawn gestured. “She refuses to go anyway until you give her your word that you will not cut this man’s tongue out. If he needs to be punished—punish him—but she begs you not to cut his tongue out.”
Cree glared at Dawn furious that she stood here arguing with him when her wound needed tending. He was also furious that she had dared to interfere with his command. He understood why she had objected to the punishment, but her actions had left him in a difficult situation. It would be a sign of weakness if he showed mercy, showed that he allowed a woman to sway his decision. He could not let that happen.
He stepped toward her and her hands began gesturing again.
Lila was about to interpret when Cree said, “It matters not what she says; my word is law.” He then scooped her up into his arms and when she tried to struggle, he whispered in her ear, “Fight me and he’ll suffer for it.”