“I heard one say the lass had disappeared. Mayhap they were after Lia or Mora.” Thane scanned the area for any more attackers before leaving. “We can discuss this later. For now, I need to see what activity is taking shape up front. My first goal is to ascertain if Garvie is on the ship and if his intent is to come here. I’ll leave my horse. Artan, you stay back.”
“I’m coming,” Magni said.
Thane put his fingers to his lips as he moved Magni behind him, creeping along toward the coastline. He kept close to the curtain wall while Alaric and Eli followed, armed with their bows. Once they were close enough to listen and see the two ships, Thane knelt down, motioning for the others to hide in a nearby copse of bushes.
Voices carried across the water as if they were two horse-lengths away. Garvie said, “I’m going to end this slime’s life and take his castle. This location is a better place to meet boats instead of on Ulva. We can have a much larger operation. He can’t have more than a score total, and we have ten more than that. The element of surprise will be in our favor.”
“Aye, Chief,” one man said. “What about the bairns?”
“I want the yellow-haired lass. The lad disappeared, but I had a good deal for a five-winters-old who was that fine. I don’t know if she is here, but if you see her, bring her to me.”
Another asked, “Shall we look for your wife?”
“Nay. Do not bother. If she’s here, I don’t want the bitch back. I hope she’s dead by now.”
Thane closed his eyes for a second, the words he’d just heard too painful. The man was sheer evil. Raghnall Garvie only cared about himself and whatever coin he could get.
Alaric whispered to him, “We can send them back into their ships. They have paltry weapons. A few arrows will have them scampering to their boats and rowing for their lives. Men like that are not used to dealing with archers.”
Thane thought for a moment and said, “Do it. It sounds like they are after Lia and my castle. They’ll get neither one.”
Magni said, “I need a dagger. I can sneak down and stick it in his black heart, the snarly creep. He’ll not get my sister.” The lad held his fist up and waved it at the man.
“You’ll stay here. You and I will watch Eli and Alaric and hope the ships set for Ulva quickly. If we have to, we’ll assist by using our swords if any approach the castle. Until then, we will observe and listen only.”
The husband-and-wife pair put on quite a show, firing six arrows in rapid succession. The men did just what Alaric had predicted. They ran and squealed like lasses as soon as the first man took an arrow to his shoulder.
But it wasn’t Garvie they hit. He hid behind all his men the moment the first arrow landed. “Get your oars! Get in position! We must leave quickly.” The fool’s voice carried to them easily over the shouts of his men.
Magni began to giggle, and Thane put his hand over his mouth. But the more they watched, the more he giggled. Thane joined him.
After two more arrows, Alaric turned around and said to Thane, “That answers our question. When we decide to attack his men on the island, it will be over in no time. The men have no bollocks and no weapons.”
Magni giggled again. “They have no bollocks at all. They are a bunch of girls.” The last word came out in a long lilt.
Eli gave him a hard stare and whispered, “What’s wrong with girls?”
“Naught! I’m sorry. Forgive me. You know I love girls. I love Lia and Mora and you, my lady.”
“That’s better.” Eli aimed again, a small smile on her face.
Thane had to stand up for the poor lad. “The only girls he has known are his sister and mean ones. The isle doesn’t have many.”
“Those men are like rats. Ugly rats. They run away as soon as they see someone.” Magni began to laugh at his own jest. His giggle turned into a guffaw, and the boat stopped momentarily as if they’d heard the lad, but Eli fired two more arrows, then their rowing resumed.
Magni got up to head toward the castle, but Thane put a hand on him. “Not until they are nearly on Ulva. I do not trust them at all.”
Magni said, “I’ll watch for you, Chief. I can be the one who watches the shore every morning for ships and bodies both. I’ll work hard. I promise.” Magni stared across the water again. “Do you think they’ll be back?”
Thane had been considering that possibility, but he didn’t let on. “Nay, they’re afraid of archers. You never saw any on Ulva, did you?”
Magni shook his head, still watching the departing ships.
Thane turned back to Alaric and said, “What the hell do they want with the lasses?”
Magni looked up at Thane. “I have to protect Lia. Please, promise me we can stay here with you, Chief? I don’t want to be in the woods again. If we’d been in the woods together, they would have stolen her away.”
Thane nodded, taking in all their surroundings before going in through the front gates, across the bridge. “I think they’re gone for now. I will protect you and your sister, Magni. Do not worry.”
