Rolling onto her back, she saw Hróarr at the edge, glaring down.He had pushed her in.
“Hróarr?”Brynn croaked, gasping as betrayal lanced through her.Brynn cast about, searching for a way out, but there was none.It seemed that the only way out was to have a rope lowered down and Hróarr had just shoved her in.
Guin let off a howl of protest.She barked at Hróarr, lunging for his boots.The puppy attacked him with a vengeance, snarling and biting.
The mercenary backed away from the edge, out of sight.He cursed at the puppy, trying to get her off him from the sound of it.
Brynn wanted to yell after him, but she didn’t have the breath.She had risked her life to save him from the monsters, and this was how he repaid her?
“Hróarr!”a familiar voice cried.He spoke in hurried Valdari.Was that…?
Other voices came from overhead.From theka,there seemed to be a crowd of people headed this way, but they were outside Brynn’s line of sight.
Brynn pushed herself onto her elbows.“Cenric?”Her cry was lost in the cacophony chattering above.“Cenric…” Brynn was tired and aching and felt like a fool.Everything had gone wrong and even the things that had gone right had bitten her in the back after all.
Several warriors appeared, dragging two bloodied and battered men between them.From their clothes, the two captives must be important.Their silver arm rings, embroidered clothing, and fur-trimmed mantles hinted at wealth.One was older with scars slashing through his beard and one was younger and taller.The two men were hurled headlong into the pit.
The unfortunate prisoners had even harder landings than Brynn.The older man seemed to splatter into the ground and laid still.Was he dead?The younger rolled onto his side in the mud, groaning and speaking in stilted Valdari.
Brynn was now trapped with the two criminals.Fear spiked through her.She could probably defend herself from these strangers but to be trapped down here with them?For Eponine knew how long?“Cenric!”Brynn wasn’t even sure what she hoped he would do.All she knew was that she needed him.
Faces appeared over the edge of the pit.Young men with arm rings and braided beards.Warriors from Ovrek’s household.They spat down, but not at her, at the two captives.
Brynn wondered if she had imagined Cenric’s voice.Or, worse, if he had ignored her.
Then his outline came into view overheard.Even with the sun at his back, she recognized his silhouette.“Brynn!”He scrambled to the edge of the pit, crouching down.
Brynn took in the sight of him, relief flooding her chest.At least he was safe.
The next instant, Cenric whirled away from her.“Hróarr!”he roared, followed by a string of furious Valdari.
14
Cenric
“Youputherinthe thrall pit?”Cenric demanded as he barreled toward his cousin.
“I’m keeping her from running away again,” Hróarr answered with a shrug.“That’s what the pit is for.”
Cenric closed on his cousin, fists clenched.
Ovrek stepped between them like a master breaking apart two hounds.“Hróarr.It is good to see you found the sorceress.”
Cenric rounded on Ovrek.He had just saved the king’s life.Surely his old mentor wouldn’t keep his wife imprisoned with the same traitors Cenric had just thwarted?It was hardly just.Ovrek had lost a concubine, but Cenric had saved a king.It seemed the debt, if there had been any, was paid.
At their feet, Brynn’s puppy snarled at Hróarr.For once, she’d found someone she hated more than Cenric.
Hróarr bowed to the king.The man’s tunic was torn, blood caked his temple, and he was covered in mud from head to foot.
“Did she put up a fight?”Ovrek asked, gesturing to the blood on Hróarr’s face.
Hróarr shook his head.“The bitch—”
Cenric’s fist flew, smacking square into Hróarr’s jaw, knocking his cousin back.“You are inferior to her in every way!”
If Hróarr couldn’t remember that, Cenric would pound it into his skull.
Cenric hurt Hróarr!Snapper made a whining sound.Bad Cenric.
