But she might not know that.
He had become too complacent. In the end, she was his slave—and she had likely seized the chance for her freedom. He could not allow her to destroy his plans for vengeance. Not after he’d come this far. He turned to Styr. ‘I need a horse.’
Styr barked a command to one of his men, and soon, one returned with a gelding. ‘Alarr.’
He turned back and met the leader’s gaze. ‘What is it?’
‘Caragh doesn’t think she ran away. She believes Breanne was taken.’
He stilled at that, and his anger hardened into resolve. If another man had dared to take her away, Alarr would bury his blade into the man’s heart. Instinct roared within him that she belonged to him.
And yet, she didn’t. She had never been his, though he had bought her. Breanne had remained fiercely independent, and he had been attracted to her proud spirit. But if someone had dared to take her, Alarr would not ignore the threat. He would track down her assailant and punish him for what he’d done.
Styr added, ‘It happened so fast, Caragh didn’t see them. One moment Breanne was helping them with the apples, and then the next, she wasn’t there.’
Who could have taken her? Was it one of Feann’s men? Or had his earlier instincts been correct, that she had run away? It hardly mattered now—the only thing of importance was getting her back again.
Alarr mounted the animal and rode hard towards the gates. Within seconds, four other men joined him, Styr among them. He realised, too late, that he should have questioned Caragh further about what she had seen. Instead, they would have to track Breanne, hoping that there was some trace left behind. Though she was his hostage, he could not stop the flare of worry. An unprotected woman could easily become another man’s prey.
Alarr rode hard towards the small grove of apple trees further inland. The trees grew in a clearing surrounded by a deeper forest that stretched across the western side of the peninsula. His emotions knotted, but he shut them down, focusing all his efforts on finding Breanne. When he reached the trees, he dismounted and searched for signs that she had separated from the group of women. He examined the grasses, even the slightest bent twig for a clue to discover where she’d gone.
There. He saw a footprint on the edge of the clearing, close to the stream. It disappeared, and he guessed that she had crossed the water and gone into the wood. Though he would have preferred to go on horseback, the woods were so thick, it was not possible. He turned back to the other men. ‘Will you take the opposite side and search for her? I will look among the trees.’
Styr gave the orders to split up, and it was then that Alarr realised his brother Rurik was not among the men. He frowned, trying to think when he had seen Rurik last. Yestereve, possibly. Had Rurik gone in search of Breanne?
He tried to hasten his step, but his right leg was unsteady as he tried to run. His left leg was more stable, since the blade had not cut as deeply. But as he continued to limp through the woods, it soon became clear that no one had come this way. He returned to his horse, frustrated that there was no sign of either Breanne or his brother.
Alarr continued to search all afternoon but came up with nothing. He expelled a curse, wondering how he would ever find them.
Breanne glared at her captor, seething at this turn of events. ‘Let me go,’ she demanded.
‘No.’ Rurik led her deep into the woods, and branches scratched at her arms as it grew darker. ‘Let him believe you ran away.’
‘You were supposed to take me home,’ she insisted. ‘It’s why I didn’t run away.’ She jerked back from him and spat. ‘At least I showed honour. You have none.’ It infuriated her that Rurik would do something like this. She wasn’t afraid of him, and yet, she knew not what his intentions were.
‘My brother is going to get himself killed. And you’re not worth the cost of his life,’ Rurik said. He seized the ropes and pulled hard. ‘I am taking you back before he begins a war.’
What did he mean by that? ‘Alarr isn’t starting any kind of war,’ she muttered. ‘He wants a ransom, that’s all.’
Rurik’s face twisted. ‘Is that what you think?’ He let out a sound of exasperation and forced her to continue walking.
Breanne recalled Caragh’s warning that Alarr had no need of silver. It sounded as if it were true, now. ‘Well, what else am I to think? It’s all he’s ever told me.’
‘And why would he tell you the truth?’ Rurik continued his dogged path, and his words cut her down. She had the sense that he was hiding a great deal, and she pressed the point.
‘Then what is the truth, Rurik?’
He would not say but forced her to duck beneath a thick oak branch. ‘Keep walking, Breanne.’
Did he truly believe she would stay silent and obey? Her own frustration mounted higher. ‘And what if I don’t want to? I know you even less than I know Alarr. What if you are lying and your intention is to sell me back into slavery?’
At that, he shoved her back against a tree. His blue eyes gleamed with fury. ‘My intention is to save his miserable life. And yours.’
‘I don’t trust you,’ she shot back. ‘You’ve dragged me out into the middle of nowhere, and everyone is searching for us. And you can only claim that you’re trying to save him.’ She raised her chin. ‘Why would you need to save him? Why would you think Alarr is going to do something foolish?’
He stared hard at her, as if
