Page 45 of A Wolf's Bargain
“What I had to do,” he said, picking up his pace. “What had to be done to put things as they should be.”
Cora struggled, but even as a man, Eoin was much stronger than she’d ever be. She remembered the dagger in her pocket. Thankfully, it had gotten bunched in with the rest of her skirts, so he hadn’t noticed it in all the fabric.
Eoin carried her through the castle, but he didn’t seem to be looking for an exit. Outside, the battle roared on as her father’s men valiantly fought for their home. Somehow, despiteher shouts, they hadn’t met a single other person in the castle. It occurred to her that all the staff would have fled or gone into hiding, and everyone able to fight would be outside in the courtyard. There was no one to hear her or save her.
Finally, they came to the main hall where her father met with petitioners, where she and Cillian had met with him to announce their agreement. It seemed so long ago, now, that she’d stood before her father and told him what she’d done to protect their people.
Eoin unceremoniously dropped her to the ground, snarling when she tried to scoot away. “You stay put,dallbitch! We’ll wait here, and you’ll stay still and quiet if you know what’s good for you. Said I’d bring you alive—made no promises about how bloody you’d be.”
Cora’s thoughts raced, desperately reaching for any way to get away. Eoin paced the floor in front of her, so agitated that his limbs shook. If she could just distract him enough—enough to keep him from noticing the dagger, then...
“What are we waiting for? Eoin, tell me what you’ve done. It’s not too late to make this right!”
His bark of laughter echoed off the stone of the hall. “I am making it right, you daft twig! You’re the ones who made it wrong—you and Fane. So I’m bagging two rabbits with one snare tonight. I’ll undo all this mess you’ve caused, and I’ll have the means to bring our pack back to the right way of things!”
“Cillian will never let you—”
Eoin’s laughter, cold and sharp, startled her. “Well, that won’t be a problem, now will it? Since he’ll be fucking dead!”
Cora scoffed, inching her hand toward the dagger. “If you’re thinking you’ll be the one to kill him, you’re off your head. You could never best Cillian alone!”
“Well, I suppose it’s a good thing he won’t have to, isn’t it?”
Cora’s head snapped toward the unknown voice. A man—a young man in full armor—stepped into the hall, pulling an ornate helm from his head. Cora didn’t recognize him, but his accent was easily recognizable.
“And who are you?” she spat. “One of Edwin’s lackeys come to do more of his dirty work?”
The man chuckled and shook his head. The sound sent a shiver of unease up Cora’s spine.
“No, my lady, I’m afraid not. King Edwin of England, at your service.”
Chapter 21
Cora
Cora stared in disbelief. “You... that’s not possible.”
The man—King Edwin—arched an eyebrow. “Isn’t it? This little island has become quite the problem of late. What better way to solve a problem than to resolve it myself?”
The sounds of battle outside the door rose, nearly drowning out Edwin’s quiet voice. Cora glanced toward the door that led to the courtyard, then glared at Edwin. “My father will never surrender to you. You will not have our lands.”
“I think you’ll find that I will, Lady. Assuming Lord Kilkenny isn’t already dead—not as quick as he used to be, is he—he’ll be joining us shortly. And when he hears my terms, I think he’ll be more than happy with my... generosity.”
He smiled, but it was a cruel, ugly smile that made Cora want to heave. A thousand questions ran through her mind, but she pushed them away. Now was not the time for distraction. Eoin was dangerous in his own way, but the man before her exuded power and control. Like a poisonous snake in the path, he watched her as though waiting for his opportunity to strike.
She wondered how he’d gotten in without detection. A handful of guards flanked him, but they wouldn’t have been enough to allow him to just walk through the chaos outside unscathed. Her stomach roiled as she realized how much they’d underestimated their opponent. They’d all assumed that Edwin would send his raiders as he had before. They attacked villages at random, burning and pillaging as they went with no obvious goal except destruction.
For the King of England to be here—in her father’s home—on this night spoke to a more specific goal.
Outside, the bells rang once more. Cillian would hear them, she told herself. He would come. All was not yet lost.
“What is it you want?” she asked. Perhaps if she asked the right questions, she could delay him long enough for Cillian to arrive.
Edwin scoffed. “I should think that’s quite obvious,” he said. “I intend for this land to fall under English rule. Your Irish lords have had ample time to accept that inevitability. I’ve generously offered them terms of conquest without bloodshed, but they’ve refused. So, I’m going to make my point a bit more... vividly. When the other lords see how easily Ossory fell, even with the help of the fabled wolf-men, they will submit.”
Cora’s eyes widened. “How—how did you...?”
Edwin’s eyes flicked toward the pacing luchthonn behind her. “Oh, I admit I had some small support in that matter. Quite unexpected, to be sure, but valuable nonetheless.”