Naked Shorts by Tina Folsom Page B

stay here.”
    “And how do you suggest we escape?”
    Leif smiled and produced the key from his palm. “With a key.”
    “That chit you arrived with - she wouldn”t have had anything to do with that?” Bjorn grinned.
    “That chit will be my wife as soon as we are home. Now, have we lost anyone?”
    Bjorn shook his head. “I don”t think so. But several men were wounded. I heard the guards say that they are in the infirmary. Including your brother.”
    Shock cursed through Leif”s veins. “Gunnar is injured?” His mother would never forgive him if his little brother died.
    “Badly, I heard.”
    “We have to get to him and the others.”
    “First things first,” Bjorn cautioned.

    Through whispers they communicated with their cellmates, and one by one they
    unlocked their cells, then handed the key to the next cell so those prisoners could do the same. A low whistle from the last cell was the sign that each cell was open.
    They pushed their cell doors open at the same time and stormed out.
    The guards didn”t know what hit them. While Leif and his men had no weapons, two
    dozen men were more than enough to fight three armed women - even armed warrior women.
    Within minutes, the three guards were relieved of their weapons and tied up.
    Bjorn looked at one of the women and gave her an appreciative look. “Mind if I take one with me?” he asked Leif.
    Leif merely shrugged his shoulders. “You”ll be responsible for her on the journey.”
    As soon as the other men heard it, two of them claimed the remaining female guards.
    “We have to find the infirmary,” Leif told his men and motioned them toward the door.
    The moment they stepped out into the night, Leif sensed somebody pressed against the wall of the building. He jumped and leveled his dagger against the person”s neck.
    “Leif,” the female voice whispered.
    He instantly dropped the dagger and wrapped her into his arms. “Selena.” He kissed her fiercely. “Why did you turn against me in there? I don”t understand. That wasn”t our plan.”
    “I had no choice. I knew as soon as the guard said they”d get my sister, there”d be no chance of escaping. I know her. She would have used my being a hostage to advance her own agenda. Aurora wouldn”t have let you free your men. It was the only way.”
    “It was risky.”
    Selena breathed deeply. “It worked.”
    “It broke my heart thinking you”d betrayed me.”

    “I”m sorry, but there was no time to warn you.”
    “And the key? How did you get it? I saw clearly that the guard had it. You couldn”t have stolen it from her.”
    Selena smiled. “That”s the advantage of being second in line for the throne. I knew where the extra key was kept.”
    “Clever girl. Now, can you lead us to the infirmary?”
    “This way. Quiet. There are guards as well.”
    Leif and his two dozen men kept close to the shadows of the buildings as they followed Selena to the infirmary. The building was another low stone building with a thatched roof. Two female guards stood outside the entrance.
    His men overwhelmed them without creating any undue noise.
    Inside, several of Leif”s warriors were stretched out on pallets, and three women tended to their wounds. The women were unarmed and surrendered when they realized they were outnumbered.
    When Leif found his brother Gunnar, relief washed through him, but the feeling was instantly replaced with worry. His little brother looked pale. Despite the smile on his face, Leif knew he was in pain. His midsection was wrapped in white linen, and a large blotch of blood had worked itself through the fabric on his left side. A sword had to have done this.
    “Took you long enough, big brother,” he jested.
    “Sorry, I had to fight off a few women first.”
    Gunnar looked at Selena. “It appears you”ve not been able to fight them all off. Won”t you introduce me to the fiery redhead by your side?”

    Leif took Selena”s hand. “Selena, this is my little brother,