Free The Battle Lord's Lady by Linda Mooney Page B

was lying to me. You would
never risk any of us by letting a dangerous enemy just roam
free...”
    The rest of Karv’s excuse fell on deaf ears
as the Battle Lord threw open the door to the little shop. MaGrath
said nothing as he glanced up from his patient, but the dark look
he threw at Karv was enough to make the little man step back. It
was one thing to anger the Battle Lord, but when one’s life
depended on the skills of the physician, no one dared to anger
MaGrath.
    “How is she?” Yulen demanded. It was hard to
tell from the doorway. In three long steps he was at the counter
where he could see a fine spray of blood on the wall where he knew
none had existed an hour ago.
    She seemed so small, curled up in a
protective fetal ball.
    “How is she?” Yulen repeated.
    “She’ll be lucky if she isn’t permanently
disfigured,” MaGrath spat.
    Without thinking, the Battle Lord turned on
his Second and buried his fist in the shorter man’s stomach. The
gut punch doubled the soldier over, knocking all the air out of
him. The second punch to the side of the man’s head sent him over
the edge of consciousness. Yulen watched as the Second dropped like
a rock to the hard-packed floor.
    “Mastin!”
    “Sir!” One of the sentries standing nearby
stepped forward.
    “Have Karv taken out to his horse and tie him
across the saddle. And tell the rest of the men that if anyone
touches the prisoner, I will personally bind and gag them with
their own entrails.”
    Mastin’s face turned white. “Yes, Sir!” he
replied, ordering two more men to help him with the heavy
weight.
    Yulen waited for the room to clear, then
turned back to MaGrath. “What did he do?” he asked the physician,
this time in a softer tone of voice.
    “I think he may have caused some permanent
damage. The cheekbone appears broken. Her nose definitely is.”
    “Is she in a lot of pain?”
    MaGrath’s eyes narrowed. Yulen knew this
wasn’t like him, this show of concern. In the past, if the enemy
got hurt, that was to be expected. Life was cruel, harsh, and
unforgiving. People got injured. But this... For the first time he
began to wonder if MaGrath believed his interest extended beyond
the excuse he was using to cover up his true motive.
    “I’ve given her some drops of sedative, but
when she wakes up she’ll be in agony. What provoked Karv to do
this? Do you know?”
    “He questioned her as to why she was no
longer bound, and she told him the truth. He didn’t believe her and
struck her.”
    MaGrath’s expression darkened even further.
“Then he’s lying,” he hissed. “Karv saw me coming out of the shop
after I had wrapped her wrists like you ordered. He asked me what
I’d been doing and I told him. I told him she was free of her
bonds, by your orders. I went to fetch her something to keep her
warm when I heard the scream, and Paxton came to get me.” The
physician watched as Yulen felt the blood-red cloud descended over
his face. “What are you going to do?” he asked.
    “On our journey back I want her kept by your
side or mine. Day and night. I don’t want another chance of someone
venting his hatred on her. Liam...I’m trusting you with this like
no other.”
    “But what are you going to do about Karv?”
MaGrath insisted.
    Yulen stepped back and glanced out the
window where he could finally make out the inner compound. “He’ll
be punished,” he finally said, his voice cold with finality. “This
isn’t over until I’ve settled
it.”
    Then, to MaGrath’s utter astonishment, Yulen
laid a gentle hand on the Mutah’s exposed shoulder. “Let me know
when she awakes. Until then, she’ll ride with you.”
    “You can’t seat her by herself on a horse
when she’s like this.”
    “I know,” Yulen nodded. “Tie her to you if
you have to so she won’t fall off.”
    He turned quickly on his heel and left the
store, calling out to his men as the sun slowly rose over the tops
of the trees. With his Second no longer able to