The Silken Cord by Leigh Bale Page B

Wading through the water, he carried her to shore. She stared
into his dark eyes. No words were spoken as he splashed through the
sea, but his look spoke volumes. He’d made his ownership plain to
all and the Welsh watched with narrowed eyes and grim mouths.
    Ariana was conscious of the heavy cords of
muscle along Wulfgar’s throat and shoulders. She felt his hard arms
around her, filled with strength and warmth, and was reminded of
how he’d protected her on the island. It had been an almost idyllic
time and she wished they could forget their troubles and return.
But dark times called for action and she would never shirk her
duty.
    Suddenly Ariana couldn’t stand his
nearness.
    “Put me down,” she demanded.
    A few more steps to dry land and Wulfgar did
as asked, placing her on her feet. Ariana glanced at Jenkin, who
had watched them with open fury. Normally, Jenkin was a calm man,
noted for his patience, wisdom, and loyalty. Right now, his face
looked white with rage.
    “Jenkin,” she called in a sweet voice.
    Looking her way, his tensed shoulders
relaxed as he nodded with respect. “Aye, princess?”
    “You’ll direct the way and take us to our
people. We’ll find rest here. On the morrow, we’ll continue our
journey to Cynan.”
    “As you wish.”
    Ariana stood back while Jenkin passed
between her and Wulfgar to take the lead. In so many words, Ariana
had expressed her confidence in Jenkin. She couldn’t help pursing
her lips with disapproval as she turned to look at the Norman
slave. In the next moment, her mouth dropped open with surprise.
Wulfgar wore an amused expression, his mouth spread wide in a
smile. He didn’t appear the least bit upset by her dismissal.
    He turned to follow after the other men.
Shifting her feet upon the pebbled beach, Ariana stared after him.
She fumed as she watched his broad back.
    Slowly she followed after them, with Ifor
and Cwrig bringing up the rear. They climbed the steep incline to
the hilltop Pen Dinas, where a massive fortified hillfort had been
built by another clan of her people. As they approached, Ariana was
surprised no one came out to greet them. But no welcoming horns
blared their arrival.
    Where were the watchmen?
    The wind shifted and she caught a horrid
whiff of burned flesh. Her gaze darted up the hill and she saw the
blackened remnants of the fort.
    She froze.
    The tall palisade gates had been burned and
torn down on the south side. Where the outbuildings had once stood,
now there was nothing but burnt rubble. She stared with wide,
disbelieving eyes at the charred form of a body lying on the ground
by the rock wall. More bodies littered the ditches and terraced
defenses. The great hall inside the compound was now a gaping maw.
Clasping a hand to her mouth, Ariana silenced a scream. Her
imagination ran wild. Her heart stopped beating and she gave a
half-whimper.
    Aunt Frida and little Rhodri. Were they
inside?
    “No!”
    She ran toward the fort, all reason lost
except finding her loved ones. Her aunt and cousin. Her
friends.
    Her people.
    Wulfgar grabbed her around the waist,
swinging her about as he pulled her back down the hill. She kicked
and screamed all the way. “Let me go. Let me go.”
    “Hush, woman. You’ll not go up there.”
    She pounded his chest with her fists and
tried to pull away. She must go to them. She must.
    Wulfgar stood, holding her to him, muttering
words of condolence. “Shh, sweeting. Not now. I’ll not let your
eyes view what is there until we know it’s safe.”
    She clung to his arms, sobbing like a babe.
Tears ran down her cheeks blinding her, her mind a riot of fear.
“Let me go. I must help them.”
    “You can’t help them now. What is done is
done.” He reasoned with her but she didn’t hear as she thrashed
against him.
    Still he would not release her. He held her
with shear strength, his arms like bands of steel. Ah, why couldn’t
she have been born with the physical strength of a man? Struggling,
she almost won