“Willow suffered a wound to her arm. She tends it now and will let me know how she fares as soon as she’s done. Tarass was aware of Sterling’s plan?”

“Not of the plan itself,” James said, removing his cloak and joining Slatter at the table. “He told me he didn’t trust the man and that he’d had enough lies and wanted the truth. He had his trackers ready to follow you. He received word not long after you departed that you were separated from the troop and went after you while sending me after the troop. They’re camped not far from here, waiting for Lord Sterling’s return. Did Tarass learn the truth for himself?”

“He did and he returns the culprit here along with the two men who harmed my grandmother,” Slatter said, anger in his words.

“Those men can certainly be made to pay for their crimes, but Lord Sterling is another matter,” James said, anger in his tone as well.

The door opened then and the men they had been discussing, except for Tyler, entered the room, Lord Tarass and Devin as well as four of Tarass’s warriors escorting them.

Sterling held his head high, his jaw swollen and a deep purple bruise spreading. Dunn was also a bit bruised and battered, the fool probably having tried to escape Tarass’s men.

“I demand you free me and get this brute away from me,” Sterling ordered, trying to yank his arm free of the firm grasp.

“Devin. The name is Devin,” he said, sticking his face in front of Sterling’s.

Sterling turned away from him and gave a nod to Slatter. “He plotted and planned all this. I did what was necessary to protect myself.” He turned to Dunn and cast a quick glance around. “Where is Tyler? He was with us when we entered the village.”

“Dunn told me, in exchange for my word that I wouldn’t kill him, that it was Tyler who waited for my loyal warrior Rhodes and killed him. Tyler cursed him out so I knew it was no lie. I turned him over to my warriors. He should be near death by now since I ordered them to make sure he suffered some before he died,” Tarass said without an ounce of emotion and looked to Slatter. “I’m sure you want revenge for what was done to your grandmother, so I left Dunn for you.”

“You gave your word,” Dunn said all color draining from his face.

“And I kept it. I will not kill you… Slatter will.”

Tarass walked over to the table where Slatter sat, poured himself a tankard of ale, took a good gulp, then looked at Sterling. “You are an idiot. You don’t think I watched and listened and learned the truth for myself? You actually think I would believe a fool like you?”

Slatter kept his eyes on Sterling and watched his brow begin to sweat, his skin pale, and his eyes dart frantically around the room, the realization that his lies would no longer serve him finally dawning on him.