Loki (9 page)

Chapter Ten

A few hours later, the door opened and one set of footsteps crept down the stairs. Whoever it was carried a torch in his hand since night had fallen. Loki opened one eye to look at the visitor. The earl.

“Hamish said you have questions for me. At first, I was determined not to answer, but then I decided there was no harm in it. I’ll not see you again, so ‘tis of no concern of mine if I answer your questions.” He stood outside the locked door after he set the torch in the wall holder. “You have big questions, mayhap I’ll give you big answers.”

“They are not the most revealing questions. I’d just like to know more about my mother. I have no memories of her. What was she like?”

“Your mother? That wee bitch?”

“You did not get along?” Loki knew this could be his only chance for freedom. Who knew if his sire intended to let him go if his ransom was paid? Mayhap his own father would kill him at the end of this ordeal. Escape was the only way he could guarantee his survival.

Edward Blackett sat on the stool by the staircase, settling his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together in thought. “Aye, we got along well enough, at least ‘afore she carried your sister. Then she didn’t want aught to do with me. I didn’t take kindly to that, so I let her know.”

Loki didn’t wish to hear about this man beating his mother, but he needed to keep him talking. “You let her know?”

“Aye, if she could not keep her mouth closed, I closed it for her.”

His sire’s hard gaze caught his, daring him to pass judgment on him, daring him to say aught at all about his mother. Loki could see this was not the direction he needed to go. If he wanted to accomplish anything at all, he had to use a different tactic. “I’ve been in Lochluin Abbey.”

“And why would that matter?”

“You are trying to get coin for me, and they probably are not willing to part with it. You’re wasting your time with my adopted family. I’m naught to them, but I can tell you where the riches are hidden in the abbey.”

“Then speak up, lad. Speak up and I’ll let you go.”

“I’ll not yell it to you for all to hear. There are guards outside the door, are there not?”

“Aye. But they’ll not listen.”

“And you expect me to believe that just because you say it? I’ll not give the secret entrance away to everyone.”

Silence settled between the two. Loki held his breath, hoping his sire would bite the bait so he could reel him in.

“Then come closer and they’ll not hear you.” The earl grinned, an evil grin if Loki had ever seen one.

“If you recall, I’m manacled to the wall. ‘Twould be impossible.”

“Fine. I’ll come in so you can whisper it to me. You are a bit stronger than your auld man, so I cannot set you free. But I’ll get close enough for you to speak in a low voice.”

Loki heard the key in the lock, the scraping of the metal as sweet a sound as the finest fiddle playing he’d ever heard. His palms dampened in anticipation as his sire fussed with the lock. Finally, the door released with an outward swing, and the squeak of the metal set Loki’s gut to churning. His father took two steps toward him and said, “All right. Where’s the secret entrance? Which side of the abbey? Make sure you tell me where to find it in the building. I know enough about the abbey to know if you’re lying, lad.”

Loki coughed first, but then whispered his response. “It’s on the north side, next to…” He shuffled his feet to muffle his last words.

“What?” The earl kicked Loki’s boot.

“I said, ‘tis next to the…” As soon as he started the sentence, his sire leaned in toward him.

“I cannot hear you.” His lips formed a surly line that looked familiar to Loki.

Loki lifted his head to get closer, hoping it would subconsciously cause his father to lean forward. When he mumbled an answer, his sire turned his head to lean in close to Loki’s lips, just as he’d hoped.

Loki’s boot tripped the man, forcing him to fall forward directly toward him. Freeing his hands from the broken manacles he’d worked on for the last two hours, he flipped his father face down and an arm around his neck, twisting the man’s head back and his throat forward.

“Now, you’re going to walk out of here with me.” Loki located the man’s dagger and held it against his back. It was an awkward maneuver, but he managed to stand and pull the earl up in front of him, though the stiffness in his legs was almost keen enough to make him go down again. “We understand each other? You say I’m naught to you, well, you’re naught to me. I’m walking out of here, and as we walk, you’ll instruct your men to stand back, else I’ll stick a knife in your kidney, fast and simple.”

Blackett chuckled. “Shite, you’re my son, I can tell for sure. You always were smarter than me and quicker, too. All right, I will not fight you on this. You’ve won fair and square. You can let me go. I promise to tell my guards to allow you to walk free. You’ve proven your worth to me.”

“You’re right about one thing, I’m not a fool, so I’ll not take your word for it. I’ll take you with me to the stables to find a horse, and then we’ll walk it outside the portcullis.”

Loki shoved his sire up the staircase, hesitating when they reached the door. “Instruct your guards to stand back and let us pass.” Fortunately, it was dark so his eyes would not have trouble adjusting to light.

The door opened just as his father’s first words came out. “Take ten steps back and let us pass. He’s got a dagger at my back and he’s capable of snapping my neck.” The door flew open and two guards grabbed their swords from their sheaths as they stepped back into the night. “Put your weapons down. I gave my word he could pass. The lad outsmarted me fairly.”

“Aye.” Loki recognized the guard who had spoken as Hector. A slight smirk reached the corners of the man’s mouth. “He’s proven he’s your true son then.” He returned his sword to its sheath and allowed them to pass, but followed along at a short distance.

The earl finally ordered, “Stay back. We’ll go alone. Tell the others to stay back as well.”

A pathway opened up for them in the courtyard—the few men who were still outside in the night stayed back as ordered. Loki’s eyes darted back and forth, not willing to trust his sire’s men. Aye, the earl had issued an order, but it did not mean that some fool would not try to save his master. Sweat dripped down his brow, threatening to run into his eyes and blur his vision, but he managed to keep going.

Hamish stood to one side, Loki noticed, arms crossed. When he dropped his arms to his sides, Loki expected the man’s sword arm to swing toward him, but naught happened. His heart was pounding loud enough to explode out of his chest as they continued on their way. If he failed, he’d be a dead man, and he knew it. Lack of food and movement caused his steps to be a bit unsteady—each one of them sending pain flowing through his body—but he did his best to hide his weaknesses. If he could just make it outside the gate on horseback, he could use the dark of night to escape.

Once out of range of his men, Blackett whispered, “I hope you have no one you care deeply about, Loki, because if you do, I’ll find out. I know your heart is like mine, hard and cold, but a lass can sneak inside when you least expect it.”

“Nay. ‘Tis impossible. I’m as cold-hearted as you raised me to be.”

“Best keep it that way, or I’ll find her and you’ll regret it. I want my just due, and I’ll get it one way or another. You’re my best chance for coin now.”

Rather than speak, Loki continued on toward the stables. Once outside, he yelled, “Lad, bring out one saddled horse.”

A stable lad raced out and stared at him, unsure whether to take instructions from the stranger in front of him. Loki pressed the point of his knife into Blackett’s back. “Do what he says, lad,” the earl ordered.

The lad disappeared into the building and returned a few moments later with a horse. Three other men from the stables came with him.

“Do not fret. As soon as he’s free, he’ll let me go. True, son?”

Loki nodded.

“You see. ‘Tis all right. Do not follow us.”

“I’ll set you free once I’m outside the portcullis,” Loki whispered in his ear. Then he addressed the lad. “You bring the horse, just you. Walk ahead of us.”

The lad took the reins of the horse and moved toward the portcullis. At the gate, the earl spoke again. “Let us pass. Do not do aught or he’ll kill me.”

Four guards stood with their hands on the hilts of their swords. “Tell them to raise their hands in the air. They are to leave me be once I’m on the horse.”

The earl gave crisp instructions and they passed through the gates. Loki moved a safe distance away and halted. “Let the horse go, lad, and run back to the stables.”

The boy did as he was instructed. Loki shoved the earl away and mounted the horse, flicking the reins to spur him into a gallop.

The last thing he heard was his sire’s voice saying, “This is not over, lad. You’ll see me again.”

***

Arabella shivered and tugged her mantle around her shoulders. Even in lad’s clothing, she was absolutely frigid after having ridden in the wind and the cold of the night.

Her sister’s betrothed owned a large horse farm, so it had been a simple matter to steal a horse without anyone noticing. Someday she would return it to her sister. She only hoped Morna would forgive her one day. Her father would never forgive her, but she was not concerned about that in the least. Had he supported their marriage, this would never have happened.

She reached the edge of the royal burgh, surprised to find that she needed to pay a toll. Praying she would pass as a lad, she tucked her mantle around her as tight as she could.

“We need a coin to allow you to pass, lad.”

Bella’s hands shook as she reached into her sporran and pulled out a coin. The man frowned and gave her a glance, but he was swaying on his feet. Fortunately, he appeared to be half-sotted. “Do not know where you’re headed, but be careful. The roads of Ayr are not always safe for a young lad. Travel carefully, but be on with you.” He waved his hand into the air, so Bella flicked her reins and moved forward.

Where did she go from here? She headed down the path at a canter, hoping to find somewhere to sleep for an hour or two. A thin sheet of ice covered the stones, probably due to the cold rain that had started about an hour ago. Would she dare try the stables in the middle of the night? Mayhap if she asked at the town stable, she could find information about Logan Ramsay or Loki. Logan had to be known here since he worked for the crown.

Shivering in the rain, she huddled closer to her beautiful horse, hoping to gain some heat from the beast. When that did not warm her enough, she tugged her hood up and rested her head down for just a moment, closing her eyes against the wind that had whipped up out of nowhere. If she could just sleep for a wee bit, she’d be sure to find Logan in the morning. Loki had been kidnapped, so she would not find him, but she must find Logan Ramsay. He was her only chance.

If she could just close her eyes for a wee moment…the scent of the horse reminded her of Loki, such a soothing aroma…

The next thing she knew, she was sliding off her horse, headed straight for the ground. She squealed and grasped for her horse’s mane, but to no avail. The air whooshed out of her when she landed on her back, stealing away her breath. Frantic, she glanced around for someone to help her, but no one was there.

A young laddie appeared in front of her, cursing under his breath. “Devil take it, have you lost your mind, lad? You cannot ride until you fall off.”

She reached for him, still unable to speak, desperate for air in her lungs. “I cannot…I cannot…” She could get no more words out.

The boy tugged on the hood from her mantle and slid her across the layer of ice on the path. When he stopped, she noticed they were behind a tavern under two old oak trees, the thick branches protecting them from the sheeting rain. She glanced at her young savior in surprise. “Many thanks.” Still gasping for air, she noticed her breathing had improved. “My horse? My satchel?”

The lad said, “I’ll tie it up and get your satchel, but you’ll owe me a coin, come morning.”

She nodded as the lad took off around the tavern. Pushing herself to a sitting position, she glanced around at the items connected beneath the tree. A tarp had been arranged beneath the branches to protect them from the rain. The three crates that sat nearby had to be where the lad slept. Leaning back against the tree, she fought the liquid welling in her eyes, feeling quite foolish at what she had attempted. How the devil would she ever find Logan Ramsay when she had no idea where to go?

The lad returned and stood in front of her, his hands on his hips now. “Hey, you are no’ a lad. Lads do no’ cry. You’re a lass. What brought you out here alone and in a lad’s clothing, besides?”

Bella did her best to squelch her tears, especially once she felt them freeze on her skin. She swiped it away with an indignant huff. “I’m looking for someone. Please be quiet.”

“Who are you lookin’ for? I know everyone in this town.”

“What’s your name?”

“Kenzie. And this is my spot you are in, so dinna think to steal aught from me.”

She scowled at him. “Why would I steal something from a lad who sleeps under a tree? You cannot have much of value.”