Glancing down the passage, she didn’t see Hazel. Her cousin must be well on her way to safety. After taking just a moment to catch her breath, she would start down the passage herself. It would be hard going without light—she should have thought of that before sending Hazel on ahead with the only remaining torch—but she would have to find her way somehow.
Before she could take a step, however, the door at her back was suddenly thrown open. An arm snaked through the opening and grabbed her roughly, and a large man dragged her into the cellars again. It happened in a blur of movement, and no matter how hard she fought her captor, he didn’t falter as he carried her away from the promise of freedom. Almost before she knew it, she had been dragged through the cellars and back upstairs into the great hall. Throughout the ordeal, she managed to conceal the blade of her small knife against her wrist, and she grasped it beside her skirts, determined to hold onto the dagger until the opportunity to wound her captor arose.
“Ah, now let’s get a better look at you, milady.” The man, whom she suspected was a mercenary, pushed her to sit atop a table and held her upper arms in a bruising grip. She kicked and kicked, but her booted feet only connected with his armor. He wore no helmet, but he still wore full armor and chainmail. She assessed the situation and planned her method of attack, knowing she must aim for his face when the time came.
“I am Lady Claire of Diterich, widow of Lord Diterich. My brother is the duke of Leuthold. If you don’t unhand me, I assure you that you will regret it. My late husband’s family is powerful and would seek swift justice if you damage a single hair on my head, and my brother the duke would haveyourhead for even looking at me.” Though she spoke a half-truth, she infused her tone with confidence and lifted her chin. If she spoke it like she believed it, mayhap this man would unhand her.
He tightened his grip on her arms and displayed a yellow-toothed grinthat made her cringe. The heavy stench of ale on his breath turned her stomach. An unshaven savage with greasy dark hair plastered to his head, his eyes glistened with more cruelty than she’d ever witnessed from her late husband. At least Lord Diterich had been old and weak, and she’d had no trouble dodging his fists. Most of the time. This man, however, was young and strong, and sickness rose in her throat at the thought of becoming his wife. She turned the dagger around so the point faced him and clutched the handle with renewed determination.
“Ah, such a pretty girl,” the man said, his grin widening. His gaze lowered to her bosom. “I’ve always wanted a taste of a noblewoman, and now I shall have one as my wife. God has surely smiled upon me!”
He backed up to ogle her further and Claire wrenched from his grasp. She swung the knife at his face and slashed deep. His scream pierced the air and he covered his left cheek, staring at her with a look of surprise that quickly shifted to cold anger. She pointed the knife at him, holding it between both her hands. Though tremors besieged her body and her hands shook around the dagger, she put on a brave face and rose up from the table, but when she made to slip around the man, he blocked her path.
“You will let me pass,” she said, lifting the knife higher.
“No, I will not let you pass, you fucking bitch. I will make you my wife, and then, little lady, I will spend the rest of the day pounding into your noble cunt.” He struck out at her hands and knocked the knife from her grasp. The bloodied weapon clattered to the table, and she backed against the wall.
His fist flew through the air, but Claire ducked and his knuckles crunched into stone. A snarl erupted from his throat and he loomed over her with murderous intent reflecting in his dark eyes. Her blood ran cold.
He raised his fist again, but a large figure knocked him off his feet before he had the chance to swing.
* * *
Galien pushed the mercenary to the floor and stood over him with a hand hovering on the hilt of his sword.
“I saw her first,” the man spat. “She’s mine.”
“Aye, but it doesn’t look like you’re able to handle her,” Galien replied with a smirk. “Shall we fight over her?” He inched his sword halfway out of its scabbard, and the drunken mercenary’s eyes went wide with alarm. The man turned and scrambled away, leaving behind a bloody handprint on the floor.
“Thank you, sir,” the lady said, straightening her skirts. “That was chivalrous of you; however, I am quite certain I could have handled the miscreant myself.”
Galien released his hold on his sword and gave a slight bow to the lady. “You can put your knife away now, Lady Claire.”
She clutched it low at her side, eyeing him with suspicion. “I think I’ll keep it handy for now.” Her thin dark brows narrowed together. “How do you know my name?”
“I overheard you threatening the mercenary.” Galien studied the lady before him, taking in her full bosom, narrow waist, and ample hips her dress displayed in an inviting fashion. He still couldn’t believe his luck at finding Lady Claire at Hohenzollern of all places. He cleared his throat and stepped closer to her. “I am Lord Galien of Minrova.”
“Minrova? I thought Lord Galien was an old man. I did not know he had a son. Of course, there are so many lords and castles of late that it makes my head spin.”
“ThelateLord Galien was an old man. I will inherit my father’s title upon my return to the family household. After my departure to find you, I received a missive that he passed away. You may call me Lord Galien if it pleases you.” He gave her a wicked smile. “However, I would much prefer you call me husband.”
“Husband?” A crazed laugh escaped her, but when he didn’t crack a smile she fell silent and stared at him with wide eyes. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” She pointed her knife at his face and gave him a hard look. The tip of her blade shone dark with the mercenary’s blood.
“Aye, my lady, I am serious. Your brother wishes for us to be married. He deployed me to Diterich to retrieve you from your late husband’s castle. My men and I joined with the army to defeat Hohenzollern on our way south to Diterich. Imagine my surprise to find you here in this castle, so far from home.”
“My brother?” she gasped. “Whichbrother? I have six of them.”
“The duke of Leuthold, and my overlord.”
Still, the lady did not lower her weapon. He watched as her expression transformed from suspicious to astounded, and then from fearful to suspicious again. “Even if you’re telling the truth, you are wasting your time with me. I have no need of a husband, and Leuthold is a fool for thinking I do.”
He crossed his arms and regarded her, amused by her stubbornness. Her beauty also mesmerized him. When the duke had none too gently commanded him to marry his sister, he had not been pleased. Being ordered about by an overlord a decade younger than him was riling at the very least, and he had no desire to marry a woman he’d never once laid eyes on. Refusing the duke’s orders was not an option, however, so he’d assembled his men and set off for Diterich, his mood dark until the opportunity to battle Hohenzollern arose. Two and a half days of fighting had proven a fair distraction from his father’s recent passing and his impending nuptials.
Ah, but the lady’s sparkling blue eyes drew him in, especially when angerflickered forth. She had lifted her chin and clenched her jaw, emphasizing high but delicate cheekbones he longed to reach out and stroke. Her full, pink lips called to him, and images of what she might do with that pretty mouth of hers left his cock straining against his armor.
She made a sudden jabbing motion with the knife in his direction, jarring him from his salacious thoughts. He glared at her, annoyed that she viewed him as no better than the mercenary who’d been pawing at her.
“My lady, I am losing my patience with you. I would like to leave Hohenzollern soon. Daylight is fading and I prefer to travel as far as possible before dusk. If we don’t dally, we will arrive at my keep before nightfall tomorrow.” He arched an eyebrow at her and looked pointedly at the knife, silently urging her to place the weapon down. It wouldn’t take him more than an instant to disarm her, but he wanted the lady to surrender of her own free will. Trying to gain her trust after forcibly taking her dagger and hauling her out of the castle would be no small feat.
