Fasta stopped at the door and turned, a command in her voice that left no doubt she was to be obeyed. “If any of you should think to follow, know that we have warriors watching. Any of them spot anyone following, and Snow dies.”

This time when Fasta turned, Tarass looked to Slatter and he gave a barely noticeable nod.

Slatter had a way of not being seen and Tarass was counting on that.

When the door closed behind Tarass, Willow pressed her brow to her husband’s and whispered, “Please, please don’t let my sister and her husband die.”

“You have my word, but promise me you will do nothing to jeopardize yourself and the bairn.”

“I promise. Worry not, be safe, and know I love you. Now go,” she said softly and kissed him quick.

Slatter didn’t hesitate and Rannock hurried out the door after him.

No one saw Thaw sneak out behind them.

Chapter 33

Tarass didn’t give Fasta the satisfaction of asking her any questions as they walked through the woods. He didn’t think she’d tell him anything anyway. She enjoyed keeping him in suspense, believing it added to his suffering. He realized with each step he took, that it was what the person responsible for this whole horrific ordeal wanted. He wanted to cause Tarass pain, cause him to suffer the worst way possible, and he had done that by taking Snow.

A shudder of fear chilled him at the thought of what might have been done to her. As long as she was alive, as long as he could hold her in his arms again, nothing else mattered.

“It was so easy to become part of your clan and have you trust me,” Fasta said.

He’d wondered when she wouldn’t be able to take the silence any longer. Or not talk about what she perceived as a victory for herself.

He struck her with words he knew would hurt the most. “You were nothing more than an insignificant servant. I barely knew you were there.”

She stopped abruptly and turned, her eyes round with fury. “We’ll see how insignificant I am.” She turned back around, her gait full of anger as she left deep tracks in the snow.

It didn’t take as long to reach their destination as Tarass feared it might. He wanted to get to his wife, hopefully find her unharmed, and see her safe as quickly as possible. Then he’d deal with the man who had dared to take Snow from him.

Fasta stopped at the edge of a clearing in the woods. “Wait here,” she ordered and walked to the other end and disappeared into the woods.

It wasn’t a far distance away, but far enough that he wouldn’t be able to reach Snow quickly if need be and that troubled him.

A man emerged a few moments later. A man Tarass didn’t recognize.