Gaez sneers. “What the fuck do you care? She a good tumble between the sheets?”
Suri squeaks and kicks at him, but her little feet do as much damage as a kitten’s paws.
Rian’s face darkens. “That’s a lady you’re talking about.”
Gaez guffaws, a fleck of spittle flying out to land on Suri’s cheek. “Like that ever stopped the Lord of Liars.”
An unreadable look comes over Rian’s face, and for a second, I think he’s going to throw himself at Gaez. But then, he breaks into a devilish grin. “Remember where I hid when I stole mymoney back from the executioner? The little cottage with that well-endowed washerwoman…”
Gaez barks a laugh, but it turns into a cough. “Right. I’ll meet you there.”
Rian laughs, rich and conspiratory. Then, his eyes light up as though an idea has just struck him. “Her keyring—toss it to me. I’ll set the other prisoners lose behind you. The guards will be so busy trying to catch them, it’ll buy us time.”
Rian steps forward, holding out his hand for the keys. He slips so seamlessly into his commander’s voice that Gaez obeys on instinct, fumbling in Suri’s pocket for her keyring. She clasps harder at the chain around her neck, her eyes wide and spitting fire at Rian.
“Here.”
Gaez tosses the keyring to Rian, but Rian misses, and it clatters on the floor.
Rian curses and stoops down for it?—
And grabs Suri by the ankles, jerking her in one swift tug out from Gaez’s grasp. She shrieks as she’s ripped from the man’s hands, his chain clattering as he swipes for her, but Rian already has her on the ground.
He drags her, kicking and screaming, by the feet down the hall.
“You bastard!” she screams. “Let me go!”
“I’m saving your damn life, Suri!”
Rian shoves her into a safe corner, then launches himself at Gaez. He feigns moving in for a bear-hug around Gaez’s middle, but at the last second, pivots to the side, sliding on a skid of mud around Gaez’s back.
Before Gaez can turn, Rian has hisownshackles around the man’s neck.
“Not a bad trick, thanks for the idea,” he spits. He kicks the keyring toward Suri as he strangles Gaez. “Quick. Unlock the cell.”
Suri blinks, one hand still clutching her throat, eyes still wide and wild.
“It’s okay, Suri,” I say, holding out my hand. “The keys.”
Suri crawls on her hands and knees to the keyring, her hand shaking, her throat rubbed raw.
She passes me the key with a shaking hand.
In seconds, I have the cell gate open. I tear out to where Rian has Gaez with his shackles around the man’s throat. I don’t hesitate for a second before slamming my fist into Gaez’s gut.
The air rushes from his lungs.
I grab him by the shoulders. Rian lifts the shackles from his neck, and I throw him into the cell I’ve recently vacated. One of the dungeon guards takes over with the keys, locking him in, while the other runs to sound the alarm.
It’s…done.
Suri breaths hard, still on hands and knees, her pretty dress soaked through with mud.
I whirl on Rian, who’s slumped back against the wall, catching his breath.
“You could have escaped,” I bluster, not understanding why he wouldn’t. “You realize I’m going to just drag you back to the Coffin, right?”
“Oh, I know.” He smiles between pants. “But then I’d miss having this beautiful woman owe me her life.” He tilts his head toward Suri. “At the very least, a kiss.”
