Arnaldo howled.
Lifting the iron rod, Astria struck him, twice, before he managed to get a grip on it. Bleeding, with a dagger sticking out of his right shoulder blade, he was still stronger than she was. He yanked on the rod, tossing her around as she held on for dear life, before finally managing to get it free. Astria tumbled to the floor, immediately ducking under the heavy table as Arnaldo beat on it with the rod.
“You little bitch,” he snarled. “When I get my hands on you, you can join my father in hell!”
Astria came out from underneath the table on the other side of it. As she watched, Arnaldo reached around behind him andwas able to get his hand on the hilt of the dagger. Yanking it free, he roared with agony, but now he had a weapon.
And he was going to use it.
Astria didn’t panic. She remained cool, as cool as she could, trying to calculate how she could get out of that chamber. Unfortunately, she had backed herself into a corner and there was only one way in, one way out. She couldn’t even look to see where Maude was because she knew the woman would help her if she could, which meant Maude was fighting her own battles, life or death, against her own son. Therefore, she picked up a chair to use as both a shield and a weapon, waiting for Arnaldo to come flying over the table at her.
She was ready for him.
And, predictably, he came.
Astria swung the chair at him, as hard as she could, and it crashed over his right shoulder. He wasn’t able to move his arm very well because of the knife wound, which only served to enrage him. She scooted away from him as he barreled after her, but as she got to the doorway, an old sailor she recognized appeared.
His name was Blue Death, or Blue. He’d answer to either. He’d served the San Miguel empire for forty years and Armand had considered him a friend. He was old and nearly senile, but he was still strong. He rather liked his young mistress and even served with her shipboard for a few years. The one thing he did possess, however, was a distinct hatred for Arnaldo because he, too, had heard the rumors that the son had murdered the father. And he had liked the father. Therefore, when Blue peered inside the Black Cock and saw the fight between Arnaldo and Astria, he came in to help.
And he was armed.
“Ye young pups are all alike,” he growled, holding up a heavy sword with a sharp blade. “All ye want are things that belong taeothers. Like yer father. I heard ye killed him, lad. And now ye’re trying to kill his wife.”
Arnaldo came to a halt. He knew Blue. The man could be terrifying. Whenever they boarded an enemy vessel, Blue was the first one on the ship, cutting men’s throats and taking what he wanted. Frankly, Arnaldo was surprised to see him defending Astria.
“Take her a prisoner,” he said, pointing to her. “She’s an outlaw and a thief and she must face my justice. Do it!”
Blue looked at Astria, standing next to him with courage in her eyes. That was all he’d ever seen from the young duchess—courage and a sense of fairness to the men. He’d liked serving her.
But he definitely didn’t like serving Arnaldo.
“I dunna take commands from ye, not no more,” he said. “Come any closer tae her and I’ll kill ye.”
Astria, realizing the old salt was on her side, could do nothing more than stay back or risk injury.
“Have it your way,” Arnaldo said. “But I’ll be back, and when I see you, I’ll punish you, too. Don’t you know she’s not worth saving?”
Blue looked at Astria, instinctively, which was his mistake. In that moment, Arnaldo flew at him, dagger in hand, and stabbed the man in the chest. Astria darted away, but not before she managed to pick up the sword that Blue had dropped. As she whirled around, planning to fight her way out of the Black Cock, she ran headlong into Declan, who used the butt of his sword to knock her, hard, on the forehead.
Astria fell to the floor, unconscious.
Maude, who had been behind Astria fighting her own battle, lurched forward to grab one of Astria’s arms, trying to pull her to safety, but Arnaldo was there. He grabbed Astria’s torso and picked her up, creating a macabre tug-of-war with Maude. Therewas so much turmoil and destruction in the common room, with so many men fighting, that Maude lost her grip on Astria when Arnaldo pulled too hard.
Now he had Astria, free and clear.
In a flash, he disappeared into the crowd of fighting men, emerging outside where the fighting was more spread out. As he heaved Astria over his shoulder like a sack of grain, it occurred to him that there were more men out here than he’d originally remembered.
Hundreds more.
Where did they come from?
“I believe that is my wife ye’re holding.”
The statement came from someone off to his left, and he turned to see a very big man standing there.
The Earl of Lismore, and his Blackchurch brethren, had made an appearance.
*
