WolfeStrike (De Wolfe Pack Generations #2) - Kathryn Le Veque Page 0,13

will. He will not compromise my sister and get away with it, and the alliance with de Royans be damned.”

They all turned to him. Ronan was a quiet one and had a somewhat gentle nature, but the young man was fearless. Positively fearless. He very much had his father in him in that respect and they could all see that their decision was made.

Thomas put his hand on Ronan’s shoulder.

“Then this is not just about a broken betrothal,” he said quietly.

Ronan shook his head. “Nay,” he said. “My father wants Steffan to marry my sister or he wants his head on a platter. That is why he sent me. If he had come, he would kill Steffan. So I have come in his stead so there would be no killing. I am only here to capture Steffan and nothing more. But my father said that if Steffan does not return willingly to Castle Questing, then we are to return him to his father and demand compensation for Steffan’s actions.”

“That is the demand?”

“That is the demand.”

Thomas resigned himself to that. “Then you will go into the tavern,” he said. “Confront Steffan and give him that choice. If he balks, or if the de Royans knights he is with make a move against you, then we will destroy them. We will be waiting at every window, every door, watching to see what occurs. Will you do this?”

Ronan nodded firmly. “Gladly.”

With that, he pushed past the group and headed for the entry door just as Jeremy and Nathaniel rejoined the group. The de Vesci knights could also be seen down the street, heading in their direction.

It was time to move.

With Ronan heading in through the front door, Thomas issued swift orders to everyone, including Alec and Nat. Alec went to the entry door while Nat ran around to the rear with Jeremy. Young Nathaniel and Alexander went to two big windows overlooking the front of the tavern while Tor and Thomas went to the front door with Alec.

The door was propped open to air out the stuffy and smelly tavern, the scent of unwashed bodies and vomit heavy in the air. Before Thomas could stop him, Tor slipped into the tavern and immediately lost himself in the crowd near the table that held several de Royans knights.

They were identifiable by their tunics. There was no mistaking six heavily armed men sitting at a table near an open window to the south side of the hearth. The window right above the table was wide open and as he took up a seat that he had stolen from a nearby table, he could see the tops of two heads just outside that window. Knowing that Nat and Jeremy had gone to the rear of the tavern, he suspected they might have stopped by that window when they caught sight the de Royans knights.

From his position in the shadows, Tor could see Ronan approach the table. As he watched, Steffan rose to his feet as Ronan stopped at the end of the table. Words were exchanged, but Tor couldn’t hear what was being said. Whatever it was, they were being quiet and civil about it. With his sister’s honor at stake, Ronan was being calm about the situation, far calmer than his uncles had been.

That calm demeanor impressed Tor. He, too, had a calm manner and was often the one sent to negotiate in difficult situations because he wouldn’t become angry or aggressive no matter how stupid or insulting the circumstances would be. That was also part of the reason he had been sent to Blackpool Castle. With an easy, likable manner about him, he was perfect for dealing with the hotheaded Scots.

As Ronan was speaking to Steffan, Tor was watching the men at the table, preparing to move if they drew their weapons. They were all heavily armed, but none of them had moved for their weapons. Ronan was young, but he was seasoned, and it wasn’t the fact that he could not defend himself in a fight. He could. This may have been his fight because it was his sister who had been slandered, but Thomas has been absolutely right – it was the entire family whose honor was at stake.

They were all ready to clobber de Featherstone.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t Steffan who drew his weapon first. It was Ronan. Apparently, Steffan was refusing to move and Ronan intended to force him. When Ronan drew his sword, two of the de Royans knights stood up