The Heart's Call: Part II

It was dark, and something rough scraped against her face. Her knee slammed into something and there was an angry yell, and then someone hit her and---

In her room at Blackthorn Manor, where she'd gone to take a nap, Arista woke and sat up, rubbing her arms against the sudden chill, fully awake.

"Shane?" she called.

But there was no answer.

*********

"You're sure it was them?" Tyralor kept his eyes on the entrance to The Hook, but by the tone of voice and set of the jaw, his companion could tell the other man was not pleased at all at this turn of events.

"Och, it was them, Madoc an' Brynn, all right. Brothers froom Wales an' nae the brightest pair tha' ever came oover th' border t' seek their fortune. Th' lad's mam ran them oot o' her Archers f' a long list o' reasons, an' ye ken tha' they must hae been guid ones t' turn two Welsh bowmen oot o' her command."

Tyralor frowned in frustration. He'd sent Dhugal after Shane Blackthorn to follow him and make sure the boy found his uncles safely in order to avoid exactly this sort of complication. There were some matters that needed to be settled in The Hook and having Ian Blackthorn tearing through the district searching for his son would severely limit Tyralor's options. He took a pace or two away, then turned and looked at Dhugal. "You followed them after? Where did they take him?"

"One o' th' auld warehouses by th' burned docks. I'm thinkin' they'll try t' ransom him; if they'd planned t' kill him t' get back at his family, they'd hae slit his throat there an' then. They're too dumb t' imagine creative ways t' make him suffer. So, what are ye gang t' do aboot this? Send a message t' his da?"

Tyralor shook his head. "We aren't going to do anything. I have to deal with Grayson today. You, on the other hand, are going to extricate the young man from his predicament with as little notice as possible. We don't want the wrath of his father aroused, but we don't want it bandied about that we took a hand in this, either."

"Ah, I see. I'm t' perform a bluidy miracle, am I?"

"No, you're to use your wits and perform a bit of trickery. And this will help you to do it." McDougal produced a small brown packet from some concealed pocket and handed it to the Scotsman. "Listen, and I'll tell you how."

*********

"He's dead, Madoc! I said you hit him too hard!" The bag was yanked from his head, and despite his intention to stay still, Shane opened his eyes and squinted against the light A face loomed so close to his that the boy's nose wrinkled at the smell of onions on the other's breath. The man laughed.

"See? He's alive. Now shut your yap, Bryn, and see if there's something in the place to use to write the letter."

"Who's going to write it? I never learned letters."

"You can't write? Oh, that's just grand."

The one called Bryn hooted. "So you can't either, eh? Madoc, how we going to ask for a ransom if neither of us can write a ransom note?" He looked over at Shane. "Do know your letters, boy? Maybe we'll just have him write the note himself."

Madoc shook his head at his brother's stupidity. "And how will we know what he wrote, eh? He could say he's written what we've told him to write, and it would be something else all together. No, we need to find someone we can trust to do it. Go back to The Hook and see who is about that can do the job and keep his mouth shut. But make it quick, Bryn. Go on, and I'll keep Little Lord Blackthorn company while you are gone."

Shane watched as Bryn left the room. Where was he? His hand strayed up to feel at his ears, then fell back to his lap. While his ears were both there, so was a bump behind one of them that seemed to be the source of a headache. It hurt enough so that to concentrate enough to use magic to escape was going to be difficult. So he'd have to watch for some chance to escape without it. Meanwhile, he sat quietly and watched Madoc as the man looked out a window for his brother's return. He touched at his head gingerly once more, wondering if he had a concussion. Why else would he have heard Ari's voice a little while ago?

*********

Bryn was halfway back to The Hook when he rounded a corner and was nearly bowled over by someone walking in the opposite direction. He flung out a hand to steady himself on a nearby wall, then reached out with the other to quickly grab at the man before he walked off.

"You! I know you! I need some help, and there's some coin in it for you if you do exactly what you are told. Interested?"

"Bluidy right I am. Here's m' hand oon it!"

Then Dhugal smiled.