Chapter Twelve
Brynja
Brynja rolled down the hill, heading straight toward the water, the stones ripping her skin in places, but she couldn’t stop herself. She closed her eyes in fear of losing her sight to a stick or a stone.
Two strong arms grabbed her, lifting her instantly, keeping her from landing in the sea. She opened her eyes and stared up at blue eyes.
“I’ve got you.” Hagen Grant.
She let out a breath, so glad to see him, but then said, “Hildi, she’s hurt.”
Hagen set her on her feet, then ran over to the shape on the shore, still not moving. He knelt down next to the body and rolled her over.
“Is it Hildi? Is she dead?”
The sound of the two men laughing as they left in their boat irked her more than anything. “I’ll kill you both someday,” she shouted. “You’ll see.” She recognized the one man, then caught a quick glance of the other one.
Could he be one of the men who’d killed her mother?
She tried to get a better look, but she was more worried about Hildi.
She couldn’t follow, but she could still curse the bastards.
“May the biggest eels from the deepest depths of the sea slither over the side of your vessel and strangle you both until your eyeballs pop out of your head!”
“Hildi, wake up,” Hagen said, gently prodding her.
Brynja tried to walk but found her ankle weak, nearly falling. “Hedgehog’s warts.”
“Do you need help?”
“Nay, I’m fine. Fix Hildi.”
“She’s not waking up. I’ll get her in the boat and get her back to Iona. I think Aunt Brenna is visiting. If not, Beatris can help her.” Hagen lifted Hildi without a struggle and carried her, handing her over to Jowell, who settled in the boat the best he could.
“I’ve no furs or extra plaids.” Jowell shrugged his shoulders.
“We can’t get to Iona from here,” Brynja said, her gaze moving to every area around her as if someone were to jump out at her. “Not in this small boat.”
Hagen said, “We’ll get her to MacQuarie Castle, then get a larger boat. It’s the only way. This is not our boat.”
Brynja sat next to Hagen and stared at her friend, tears coming to her eyes. “My dearest Hildi.”
Hagen said, “Brynja, I cannot row with you next to me. Can you sit in front of me, mayhap hold Hildi’s head on your lap?”
“I can do that.” Brynja nodded, unable to think much of anything. “Just save her. Please.”
They set off, Brynja cradling Hildi’s head. Though she continued to speak with her, the lass didn’t awaken.
“What happened?” Hagen asked once they were headed back to Mull.
“We saw the two men approaching by boat, so I crept over to the edge to identify them and to listen in on their conversation, but Hildi tripped and they heard us. The next thing I knew one of them was chasing us through the woods. When he got close, he grabbed Hildi and threw her hard against a tree, snapping her head back. Then he pushed her down the hill. I feared she would land in the water and drown. The monks are still there somewhere.”
She looked back, noticing one on the shore watching them depart. She waved to let them know she was hale.
Hildi was not.
Once they arrived on Mull and returned the boat, Hagen lifted Hildi and handed her to Paden who settled her in front of him as they headed back to the castle.
Jowell explained to Paden what had happened, while Brynja rode with Hagen.
She leaned back against him and whispered, “Do you think she’ll die? ”
Hagen said, “Nay. She’s young, she’s strong. Head injuries need time to heal. That’s what I’ve been told before.”
“How will we get back to Iona?”
“Thane MacQuarie will let us borrow a boat. I’ll leave Paden here with the horses. Jowell can travel with us.”
“Many thanks to you, Hagen. Why were you on Ulva?”
“Because I was talking with Thane when we saw the suspicious boat go by. You were right, then. Those men are looking for you.”
They rode slowly in the dark, and to her surprise, Hildi’s voice carried to her when they neared MacQuarie Castle. “Brynja, are you hale?”
She spun around to the horse behind them. “Hildi? Is that you?”
“What happened? Where are we, Brynja?”
“The bastard threw you against a tree. Hagen came along and scared the two away. Are you hale?”
“Nay, I don’t feel well.”
They approached the castle and Thane called out to them. “What happened?”
“Let me down,” Hildi said. Paden set her down and she fell to her knees and heaved all over the bushes. Jowell followed her and helped her back up when she finished, talking quietly to her.
Brynja hopped off Hagen’s horse and moved over to Hildi, who hugged her friend and then passed out, Jowell catching her from behind.
Thane joined them, letting out a sharp whistle. “Artan, we need you.”
Artan arrived a few moments later and said, “We need to get them both back to Ionaland. Get one of the larger boats. Beatris will take care of her.”
Thane said, “I’ll send a few men with you to row. You’ll have to hold her, Brynja.”
“I can do that. Is she going to die?”
Artan arranged for the men to ready the boat, then the group headed to the shore to climb on the boat. Artan barked orders while Brynja went from Hagen to Jowell to Paden. “Is she going to die? Will she wake up? Please tell me she’ll live.”
Hagen said, “I think she’ll be fine, but she may not awaken until the morrow. The moon is bright so we can head across the water, but don’t wake her up. She needs her sleep.” He peered out over the water. “At least it is calm. We should get there quickly.”
The large boat headed toward Iona, four men rowing. Jowell held Hildi on his lap while Brynja leaned against Hagen. She could hardly keep her eyes open. Upset that her dear friend was hurt, she held onto Hagen’s arm as if she were about to be tossed out of the boat.
Once they arrived on Iona, Hagen got out first and helped Brynja, standing her next to him. Brynja watched as Jowell and Paden got Hildi out of the boat as carefully as possible, though she did not awaken.
“Which hut, lass?” Jowell asked, lifting Hildi into his arms.
“The small one on the end belongs to Beatris and she is the healer.” They headed that way, knocking on the door quietly. Beatris answered, cracking the door just a touch. “Beatris, I think Hildi is dying.”
Beatris opened the door, clutching her night rail around her, tightening the belt. “What happened, Brynja?”
“An evil man threw her against a tree. She hit it on her front and snapped her head back before she crumpled to the ground. She woke up once, heaved all over, then she went back to sleep. Can you fix her?”
Beatris said, “Please put her down here. I see she has a bump on her forehead. That’s probably why she’s still sleeping. I need to undress her and look at all her injuries. I’ll ask you all to step out while I do that.”
Brynja nodded, squeezing Hildi’s hand before she left.
The group stepped outside and Hagen asked, “Shall we escort you back to the nunnery or do you wish to stay here?”
“Neither one.”
He frowned, but then said, “What next then?”
“I have something I must do before Hildi dies.” She gripped the front of her tunic as if it were about to fly off into a raging storm.
“What? Can we be of assistance?” Hagen asked. “We will if we are able.”
“Not long ago, we lived on Tiree until evil men came to kill both of our mothers, who were sisters. Our mothers were Norse, and they told us that if we ever found ourselves in dire need, there was something hidden for us. The instructions were simple: dig behind our cottage in a specific spot, and we would discover something meant to help us, no matter the challenge we faced. I think we need it now, whatever it may be.”
Jowell, wide-eyed, asked, “And you wish to go now, in the middle of the night, in the dark?”
“Aye, we have the rowers. The moon is bright. I have to go now. If Hildi dies, I’ll never forgive myself.
Besides, the cruel ones left and went in the opposite direction.
They are not there now. It’s the safest time.
Please. We’ve never been able to go before.
No boat and no one to help us. We need a bigger boat to get to Tiree than what the monks have. ”
Paden said, “Can’t argue with that reasoning.”
“On one condition,” Hagen said, crossing his arms.
“What?” she asked.
“You have to promise that if we take you to Tiree that you will visit Duart Castle after we return. If you can go off the isle for Tiree, you can go off the isle for Duart Castle.”
She glared at him, giving his words careful consideration. “I’ll agree, but you must help me dig.”
“We will,” Hagen said. “And you will go to Duart within a sennight.”
She thought for a moment, then whispered, “Agreed. Take me to Tiree.”