secrets. But it was not his own execution that sprang to mind.
Haldor chose that moment to appear, and Conor couldn’t help but think the delay had been calculated to make him nervous. He stiffened on the bench, preparing himself, but the big warrior simply regarded him expectantly. “What have you decided?”
Inspiration struck. “I will accept your offer. On one condition.”
“What makes you think I’m interested in your condition?”
“Because you want what I can offer more than you want to execute me.”
“What is it, then?”
“Send word to the other settlements about my wife immediately, and if they have her, ensure her release. I don’t want her spending any more time imprisoned than necessary.”
“You think more of my influence than you should. I have no control over what the other settlements do.”
Conor studied Haldor. The brooch that held his cloak on one shoulder was silver, studded with precious gems. The hilt of his sword was elaborately carved ivory. Taken with his educated speech, Haldor must have been an important man back in Klasjvic. Besides, his men had thought Conor was a spy. That meant Haldor had enemies, and men only had enemies when they had influence.
“No. You’re someone important. I would stake my life on it.”
“Easy to say when your life is already in my hands. How do I know you will still tell me what I want to know once she’s safe?”
“How do I know you will ensure her release?” Conor countered. “Are we men of our word? If not, you might as well kill me now.”
Haldor considered and then gave him a single nod. He looked to the guard. “Unbind him.”
The guard reluctantly unknotted the ropes. Conor flexed hishands but otherwise didn’t move. Gaining Haldor’s trust was the key to getting what he wanted.
“Leave us,” Haldor said to the guard. The man obeyed wordlessly.
“Tell me, Conor with no clan name, why did you make this decision?”
Conor remembered the last thing he had said to his wife. You are my world, Aine. Never forget that.
“Because I value my wife’s safety above my own,” he said finally. “Besides, Seare is under the control of a despicable man. I wouldn’t mind him being occupied with you instead of my countrymen for a while.”
Haldor laughed. “I like you, Conor. You keep your end of the bargain, and I’ll keep mine. I’ll send my messengers today. Come tomorrow morning after breakfast.”
Talfryn looked unsurprised to see Conor that night in the prison hut. “You made your decision, then.”
“You don’t approve?”
“I think anything that saves your life and buys you time is a sound decision. I just hope you have a plan. When Haldor gets what he wants, he’ll have no more reason to keep you around.”
Conor nodded solemnly. He had bargained for Haldor’s help in finding Aine. His own life hadn’t much entered into the decision.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Shortly after dawn the next morning, two guards appeared at the door of their prison and roused them with a shout. Conor groaned and pushed himself into a sitting position, shaking off the grogginess of another restless, nightmare-filled night. The other men automatically lined up at the door, expressionless.
Talfryn nudged Conor. “Up, quickly. You don’t get in line, you don’t eat.”
With difficulty, Conor made his stiff limbs obey and fell into line behind the Gwynn warrior. He moved toward the dim light of the door, but one of the guards stopped him with the haft of a spear.
“Hands,” he said in Norin.
Conor obeyed and held out his wrists to be bound. The guard also knotted a rope around his ankles, leaving just enough slack for him to walk in small, shuffling steps. He would have been flattered if the whole idea were not so ludicrous. Were he really capable of escape, a length of rope would hardly be a deterrent.
He hurried forward to catch up with the others, helped along by the occasional jab of a spear point between his shoulder
Haldor chose that moment to appear, and Conor couldn’t help but think the delay had been calculated to make him nervous. He stiffened on the bench, preparing himself, but the big warrior simply regarded him expectantly. “What have you decided?”
Inspiration struck. “I will accept your offer. On one condition.”
“What makes you think I’m interested in your condition?”
“Because you want what I can offer more than you want to execute me.”
“What is it, then?”
“Send word to the other settlements about my wife immediately, and if they have her, ensure her release. I don’t want her spending any more time imprisoned than necessary.”
“You think more of my influence than you should. I have no control over what the other settlements do.”
Conor studied Haldor. The brooch that held his cloak on one shoulder was silver, studded with precious gems. The hilt of his sword was elaborately carved ivory. Taken with his educated speech, Haldor must have been an important man back in Klasjvic. Besides, his men had thought Conor was a spy. That meant Haldor had enemies, and men only had enemies when they had influence.
“No. You’re someone important. I would stake my life on it.”
“Easy to say when your life is already in my hands. How do I know you will still tell me what I want to know once she’s safe?”
“How do I know you will ensure her release?” Conor countered. “Are we men of our word? If not, you might as well kill me now.”
Haldor considered and then gave him a single nod. He looked to the guard. “Unbind him.”
The guard reluctantly unknotted the ropes. Conor flexed hishands but otherwise didn’t move. Gaining Haldor’s trust was the key to getting what he wanted.
“Leave us,” Haldor said to the guard. The man obeyed wordlessly.
“Tell me, Conor with no clan name, why did you make this decision?”
Conor remembered the last thing he had said to his wife. You are my world, Aine. Never forget that.
“Because I value my wife’s safety above my own,” he said finally. “Besides, Seare is under the control of a despicable man. I wouldn’t mind him being occupied with you instead of my countrymen for a while.”
Haldor laughed. “I like you, Conor. You keep your end of the bargain, and I’ll keep mine. I’ll send my messengers today. Come tomorrow morning after breakfast.”
Talfryn looked unsurprised to see Conor that night in the prison hut. “You made your decision, then.”
“You don’t approve?”
“I think anything that saves your life and buys you time is a sound decision. I just hope you have a plan. When Haldor gets what he wants, he’ll have no more reason to keep you around.”
Conor nodded solemnly. He had bargained for Haldor’s help in finding Aine. His own life hadn’t much entered into the decision.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Shortly after dawn the next morning, two guards appeared at the door of their prison and roused them with a shout. Conor groaned and pushed himself into a sitting position, shaking off the grogginess of another restless, nightmare-filled night. The other men automatically lined up at the door, expressionless.
Talfryn nudged Conor. “Up, quickly. You don’t get in line, you don’t eat.”
With difficulty, Conor made his stiff limbs obey and fell into line behind the Gwynn warrior. He moved toward the dim light of the door, but one of the guards stopped him with the haft of a spear.
“Hands,” he said in Norin.
Conor obeyed and held out his wrists to be bound. The guard also knotted a rope around his ankles, leaving just enough slack for him to walk in small, shuffling steps. He would have been flattered if the whole idea were not so ludicrous. Were he really capable of escape, a length of rope would hardly be a deterrent.
He hurried forward to catch up with the others, helped along by the occasional jab of a spear point between his shoulder
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