Page 80 of Bought to Break
They watched as a sword was pointed at Sorin’s chest and the agent appeared from a tent. He glanced down and, even from their position, they could see his expression change as he looked closer. He barked some orders. Sorin’s arms and legs were bound immediately and he was thrown unceremoniously into a wagon, which began to move instantly with the agent and many of the men in tow. The few remaining soldiers began to break camp.
‘What happened?’ Viktor asked.
‘I don’t know. But Sorin was Vineri’s favourite. I think the agent recognised him. He’s safe enough for now. The Collector won’t kill him outright. He’ll want to make an example of him first. Follow. I’ll get Lana and track you.’
Viktor scanned the horizon, watching the procession quickly fading from their view. ‘You won’t need to. They’re heading north to the Forge. It’s not more than a week’s ride at the edge of the mountains. The only town past that is Westport, but they’ll only go there for a ship north. There’s nothing further on that road until the spring thaw.’
‘I’ll meet you there with Lana.’
‘If they go through to Westport, I’ll leave word and follow them.’
Kane clasped his shoulder. ‘Be careful.’
Viktor looked surprised. ‘Of course, Brother, and you.’
Kane found his horse close by, just inside the treeline, and rode as fast as he could back to the witch’s house. He banged on the door as soon as he arrived.
‘Woman!’
‘Just a minute, dear, give an old woman time to –’
Kane shoved the door hard, and it opened with a crunch. He all but fell into the cottage.
The woman was stirring a pot on the hearth. ‘My door!’ she exclaimed.
‘I’ll pay for it to be fixed. Where is Lana?’
‘Kane?’ Lana sat at a table, having just finished a meal. He stopped short. She lookedwell. Better than he’d seen her.
‘Gods, it’s not as if I can have someone from the village just come and fix it for me, is it?’ she muttered indignantly from across the room.
He ignored her. ‘It worked.’
Lana grinned. ‘Yes. I’m healed.’
While willing himself not to smile stupidly at Lana, he missed the look the woman gave her that she pointedly disregarded.
‘Good. We need to go. Now.’ He threw a bag of coins on the table. ‘It’s all there.’ He spared the older woman a glance. ‘My thanks.’
Lana was looking past him, towards the door. ‘Where are Viktor and Sorin?’
He flinched. She wasn’t going to be happy when she found out what had happened. ‘Not here,’ he said shortly, hoping that would be enough to hold further questions for now.
He watched as Lana said goodbye, surprised when the older woman embraced her and whispered something. Lana nodded and he led her from the house.
He mounted his horse and lifted her up in front of him, resisting the urge to hold her in his arms. She was back in a dress, so he left both legs on one side to preserve her modesty, surprised that he would even think to do such a thing.
‘Where are Sorin and Viktor?’ she asked him again.
He said nothing until she turned her face towards his, panic plainly rising. ‘Kane. Where are Sorin and Viktor?’
Gods, she was tenacious. He sighed in resignation. ‘Sorin was captured. Viktor has followed them. We follow him.’
Lana took in a shuddering breath. ‘Captured? By whom?’
He opened his mouth to tell her.
‘You were going to go to the exchange to be led to the Collector,’ she suddenly gasped. She gripped his arm, tears pooling in her eyes. ‘Please, Kane, please tell me Sorin hasn’t been taken by him; not him.’
