How The Warrior Fell (Falling Warriors series Book 1) (35 page)

L
EAWYN TRIED NOT
to show her urgency by running, but she did not think she succeeded. The pace of her fast walk was just a step away from a jog, as if she was a horse who wanted to sprint, straining against the bit, but its master controlled its pace.

In that moment, Leawyn vowed to herself the next time Deydrey wanted to run, she wasn’t going to hold her mare back.

Finally, Leawyn was amongst the crowd of her village and the visiting warriors who were already well on their way to being inebriated. Pushing her way through, Leawyn strained on her tiptoes to try and see over the shoulders that blocked her, but between her short structure, and the height Samaritan men seemed to be blessed with by the Gods, it was a futile attempt.

At least it was until she caught a flash of blond hair from the corner of her eye. Turning her head, Leawyn spotted Tyronian. He was talking to Namoriee in what looked like an intimate discussion. His arm was braced above her head against the wall of the hut Namoriee was leaning against as she stared up at him. Tyronian’s lips were pulled down in a slight frown, and his brows were furrowed as he dipped his head lower towards her eyes. Leawyn saw Namoriee’s lips move, and whatever she said caused Tyronian’s face to harden, and his jaw clenched as the muscle there jumped.

He looked like a wolf who was about to eat its prey, and poor Namoriee was the meal.

“Tyronian!” Leawyn called out to him as she hurriedly pushed her way through the crowd.

Tyronian snapped his head around at the sound of Leawyn’s call, his eyes scanning the crowd until they found hers. He frowned when he saw the distressed look on her face.

Tyronian met her halfway, placing his hands atop her shoulders as he looked down at her. “Leawyn?” Tyronian asked, concerned. “Are you all right?”

Leawyn felt her eyes fill with tears before she stubbornly pushed them away. “Something happened. I . . . I’m not to tell you here,” she said, glancing at the crowd around them nervously. “Xavier needs you. I am to get you and Tristan and return with you both to our hut right away. You need to come 
immediately
.”

Tyronian’s face twisted in worry, but he nodded to Leawyn, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her close in a one-armed hug.

“I will, don’t worry. I’m not sure where Tristan went, but last I saw him he was over by his hut,” Tyronian said, nodding his chin in that direction.

Tyronian’s eyes lifted up to where he left Namoriee, and his expression grew stormy when he saw she wasn’t there anymore. His lips pursed in anger and annoyance, but he returned his attention back to Leawyn.

“I’ll walk you to Tristan’s hut. We’ll get him together and head over to Xavier.”

Leawyn bit her lip, uncertainty filtering across her face. She thought about Xavier alone in the hut with Hiinex. About them fighting. Though Leawyn knew Xavier was more than capable of handling himself, she worried about him being alone.

“No,” Leawyn shook her head in disagreement. “You go to Xavier. He needs you, and I will go get Tristan.”

Tyronian looked like he was going to argue with her, but Leawyn gave him a stern glare. “Go, Tyronian.”

Tyronian blew out a frustrated breath from between his teeth, his hand running through his long blond hair and pulling at the ends. He groaned and looked back at Leawyn.

“Fine,” he conceded. “But if Tristan’s not there, you forget about him and go back to the hut.”

Leawyn nodded. She tried to give him a small smile, but it came out more of a grimace. “Please, hurry,” she whispered.

“I’m going now. Remember, if you can’t find Tristan, come straight to me.” At Leawyn’s nod, Tyronian gave her a chaste kiss on her head and quickly made his way in the direction of her hut.

She watched him go for a brief moment, then turned around and started to walk to Tristan’s hut at a brisk walk. She dodged and weaved between the crowd, many of whom were drunk, fighting, and enjoying open displays of pleasure.

Finally, Leawyn reached her brother-in-law’s hut, and without knocking, she pushed open the door and went inside.

“Tristan, Xavier needs you—”

Leawyn’s words cut off immediately, and her mouth dropped open in shock.

The naked woman straddling a naked Tristan had her head thrown back and her eyes closed in pleasure as she bounced on top of him, moaning loudly.

Tristan had his hands on her wide hips, seeming to guide her up and down his shaft. His eyes cut to Leawyn’s shocked ones, and Leawyn noticed surprise there for a moment before they cooled, and he gave her a smirk. Tristan slid his hands down to the woman’s bare bottom and gripped, spreading her cheeks.

When he pulled out and started to guide his erection into her ass, Leawyn quickly left the hut, slamming the door behind her.

Leawyn slumped against the door, trying to process what she just witnessed. Tristan just lay there and looked at her, almost as if he were daring her. Daring her to do 
what 
exactly, Leawyn didn’t know. And when he started to guide himself into her . . . into
there—

Leawyn shook her head to rid herself of the unwelcome thoughts and images that burned into her memory.

She needed to get back to her hut and check on Xavier.

Leawyn stilled.

Xavier said to get Tristan 
or 
Tyronian. Technically, Leawyn mused, she didn’t actually have to get Tristan now, but. . . . she had come all this way. Sudden anger coursed through her. Xavier needed help, and as his brother and Xavier’s second in command, he had responsibilities to this tribe.

Leawyn steeled her spine, cheeks flushing with anger, and turned right back around and barged back into Tristan’s hut. They were still going at it, but this time Leawyn did not shy away. No. This time she marched right up the bed and stood before it.

“Get out,” Leawyn said first to the woman. “Get dressed,” she said next, looking at Tristan.

They both froze, the woman’s eyes opening in shock to Leawyn’s, her expression a bit startled. Leawyn didn’t waste much time surveying the women, and only gave her a quick glance to see it was Kassia, the tribe’s whore.

Leawyn turned her attention back to Tristan. “I need you to come with me. Right now.”

Tristan gave her a bland look and resumed giving his attention to Kassia, his hips thrusting up into her with a soft slap.

“Go away, sister, I’m busy,” Tristan dismissed.

Kassia looked from Tristan to Leawyn, and Leawyn could see the exact moment she decided to give her the same dismissal as her brother-in-law. Leawyn bristled.

“I’m not going to say this again—get up, and get 
dressed.”

They both froze at the tone of her voice—Leawyn herself was a bit surprised at the ferocity of it—and looked back up to her. At the look on her face, Kassia grew nervous, glancing back at Tristan as if to ask what to do.

Leawyn narrowed her eyes at her.

“I am the lady chief of this tribe, and I’m in charge. You 
do not 
look to him for answers,” Leawyn hissed angrily. “You do exactly what I tell you, 
when 
I tell you, and I’m telling you to 
Get. Out!
”

The last sentence was said in a yell, and they both blinked at Leawyn with shock. Kassia seemed to snap out of it and quickly got off Tristan. Leawyn stepped out of the way so Kassia could gather her clothes. Throwing them on quickly, Kassia hurried to the door.

When the soft thud of the door closed behind her, Leawyn looked to Tristan, who was glaring up at her.

“Get dressed, Tristan,” she growled angrily at him. Leawyn turned her back to avoid looking at something she had no desire to see again when he stood up.

“This better be good,” Tristan growled out in annoyance. “What’s this about?”

Leawyn gritted her teeth, listening to the sounds of Tristan getting dressed. “I was held against my will in my hut, and Xavier was attacked—”

Leawyn was spun around, and suddenly she was looking up at Tristan who held her tight. “What do you mean you were held against your will in your hut?” Tristan yelled.

Leawyn shrugged herself out of Tristan’s hold on her arm and glared up at him.

“Exactly what I just said. Xavier defeated him, of course, and now he’s holding him captive. He told me to come get you and Tyronian and then come straight back.”

Tristan yelled out a curse in their native tongue suddenly, and Leawyn jumped. “Who else knows about this?” Tristan asked, his voice vibrating with anger.

“No one. Xavier told me not to speak to anyone and just come get you and Tyronian. I think . . .” Leawyn hesitated, her voice trailing off as she looked down. Tristan gripped her shoulders again and looked down to her.

“Tell me, Leawyn,” Tristan asked softly, “what do you think?”

Leawyn bit her lip uncertainly, her eyes sad and vulnerable when she looked up at him. “I think there’s a traitor in our tribe . . . and I think Xavier thinks so too,” Leawyn finally whispered.

Tristan scowled darkly, but didn’t disagree with her, which made Leawyn even more fearful. He grabbed Leawyn’s arm, urging them to the door of his hut. He paused and jerked open the door.

“Let’s go,” he said shortly and dragged her through. They set a brisk pace back to Leawyn’s hut.

Leawyn couldn’t resist.

“So, this is important enough for you?”

Tristan’s grunt assured her he was not at all amused with her sass.

“Anything?” Xavier asked as he entered the small hut and stopped beside his brother, staring at the spectacle in front of them.

Tristan’s lips were pursed in a thin, angry line as he glared out in front of him. The room echoed with the wet smacking sounds made from flesh meeting flesh, pain-filled grunts, and air pushed harshly out of abused lungs.

Xavier narrowed his eyes, his fists clenching. He watched impassively as his cousin continued to rain blows on their prisoner. The cracking sound that assured a broken rib after a particularly hard jab caused a low, painful moan to leave the split and bloody lips of the man who was currently suspended with his arms high above his head.

“I’ll ask again,” Tyronian said lowly as he made a circle around his hostage. “Who sent you?”

Hiinex spit blood out of his mouth and coughed out a short laugh. “I don’ hafta tell ye somethin’ you already know,” Hiinex wheezed. He lifted his head to meet Tyronian’s hard glare.

Hiinex’s left eye was swollen shut, the right eye looked to be following close behind, and his face was swollen with a collage of dark bruises. He had to blink against the blood the cut above his eyebrow gushed out in a steady stream.

“Who me am isn’t important,” Hiinex gasped, giving Tyronian a blood-filled grin. “What matters is your interrogation skills. ‘Cause if this is all ye got . . . I’ma hafta wonder how you’re going to protect your wee lass I saw you with earlier tonight.”

Xavier and Tristan tensed along with Tyronian. He’d been watching them.

“A bit too ripe for me, but she is a beauty, so I’m sure she’ll be sweet enough. Tell me, is she as pure as she looks? Or can I just dive in and taste her crea—”

Hiinex never got to finish his sentence. With a rage-filled yell, Tyronian charged him once again. In rapid succession, Tyronian’s tightly closed fists met Hiinex’s stomach and sides. The force behind the blows caused his body to sway against the ropes binding him.

“You don’t talk about her, you bastard!”

When another 
crack
 sounded, Xavier stepped forward.

“Enough.”

Tyronian paused with his fist raised. His broad shoulders heaved as he panted against his anger. With much difficultly, Tyronian stepped away when Xavier stepped forward to take his place. His murderous glare never left Hiinex.

Xavier looked at Hiinex with a cold expression. “Why are you here?”

Hiinex closed his eyes, breathing harshly. The slight wheezing sound he made when he took a breath assured that multiple ribs were broken and it was a struggle to breathe.

“Answer me!” Xavier barked out, kicking Hiinex with his foot. Hiinex gasped in pain.

“You have . . . something . . . we want,” Hiinex gasped. His words choked out of him as he coughed until blood pooled inside his mouth. Tyronian and Tristan stepped forward, sharing a glance with each other. This was the most informative thing they’d gotten out of Hiinex in days. Xavier’s eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching as he took another step toward him. Xavier reached up and stilled Hiinex’s swinging body by his neck.

“What do we have?”

Hiinex shook his head weakly, refusing to say more. Xavier growled low in his throat.

“WHAT. DO. WE. HAVE?” Xavier roared, shaking Hiinex in his impatience. When he continued to say nothing, Xavier sneered in disgust and pushed Hiinex away from him.

“Kill him,” Xavier ordered as he turned away to leave. “He knows nothing.”

“Why don’t you ask your wife?”

Xavier drew to a sudden halt; everything about him was tense when he slowly turned around to face Hiinex.

“What did you say?” Xavier breathed, his voice dark with a deadly combination of warning, disbelief, and fury.

Hiinex let out a humorless chuckle, which cut off into a coughing fit. He winced at the pain the action caused his broken ribs