These men were idiots if they thought Toran Lir would fall into their trap.
He would not.
She had no doubt her rescue was imminent, but it would be cloaked by night and shrouded in shadows.Stealthy instead of brazen.Her husband would steal her from right under their noses.
Despite her certainty of rescue, Brunhild was not the kind of woman who sat on her hands and refused to use the tools and strengths at her disposal.
She’d escape of her own volition if she was able.
When she straightened her shoulders and put on an affronted air, the men laughed uproariously.
Cathassach’s brow was furrowed when he strode into the throne room.“You summoned me?I heard rumors but hoped they were nothing more than that.”
Tor raked his hands through his hair, dislodging the topknot in his frustration.“Aye, Cath, I summoned you.A gull showed up on my windowsill to deliver the Kraken king’s message.”
His spymaster scowled.“Then the rumors are true and your queen has been taken by that piece offal?”
“He’s foolishly asked me to ransom my kingdom, and the sacred caves, or forfeit her life.”
The sacred caves held the wealth of the each uisge kingdom and the spark of light from the ancient sea god who had created their kind.Toran and his spies hadn’t been able to discern his reasons for wanting the caves, but Tor suspected it had something to do with the king’s desire to use the godspark to claim dominion over all the wide open waters.
“You have a plan to thwart him?”
“I do.Although I harbor no doubts about her ability to fend for herself, and possibly escape from her predicament, we need to mount a rescue mission before Nidhogg decides to make an example of her.”
“From what I’ve heard of your wife, she’ll make her captors wish they’d never been born.”
Tor smiled, grim but proud.His berserker wife was a force to be reckoned with and he knew she’d do exactly that.She’d been honed by adversity and neglect in her father’s court and it had shaped her into a deadly weapon.It would take far more than an arrogant king and his delusions of grandeur to break her spirit.“She’ll ensure they suffer, and their misery will bring her great joy.And may all their gods protect them when she seeks retribution for their gall in daring to abduct her.”
Cath nodded agreeably.“I've heard of the way she wields her bow and ax, and the mercenary foot soldiers refuse to meet her in the training ring because they say she is without mercy and makes no distinction between play and war.”
Tor shrugged, because he was beginning to understand the depths of both his wife’s ferocity and loyalty.“Her life has been a testament to surviving fire and storm — even more than mine or yours.‘Tis no wonder she’s fearsome to behold.”
“So you have a plan for extricating her?Even though she’s likely to figure out how to escape on her own?”
“I do.Your man is in place, aye?”
Cath smirked.“Not man, woman.She’s posing as one of Nidhogg’s concubines.And yes, she’s in place and prepared to carry out your directive.”
“Can ye somehow get her assigned to Brunhild?”
“Aye, consider it done.”
“You trust this spy?”
“She’s one of my best.She’ll make sure we’re able to enter the fortress unseen and undetected.”
“Excellent,” Tor said as he steepled his hands over his head and sprawled more comfortably on the wooden throne.He could feel the tension in his shoulders and neck brought on by the constant worry.He’d mistakenly thought some of that burden would be eased by his alliance with the Berserker King, but instead his cares had multiplied.Despite his words to Cath, he was worried about the shield maiden, especially when he recalled the way her face had softened as she arced beneath his touch.In the glow of soft candlelight and the hiss of dripping wax, beneath the weight of the furs that cocooned his bed, she’d become an entirely different woman.He yearned for the chance to find out what else she was hiding behind her prickly exterior and shield of thorns.
“When should we make our move?”
“There’s a new moon in two nights, and there’ll be less chance of discovery.”
“I’ll get word to Lysandra that she needs to be ready.”
Tor rose from his seat.“We need to be armed to the teeth in case there’s any difficulty.”
“I’ll raid the arsenal and let you know if Donnegan needs to create anything.”