Just as Astin reached for the dagger strapped to his calf, another defender appeared behind their attacker, shooting him in the back. The man slowed, feet clumsy suddenly and eyes wide. Astin stepped up to him and kicked the weapon from his hand, sending it clattering to the floor. He cut the man’s throat to spare him a worse fate than if he were to survive.
‘Make sure no one comes through that door,’ he instructed the defender. Then, turning back to the room, he asked, ‘Is everyone all right?’
There was no reply from the guests. Even Lady Henley seemed to have momentarily lost her tongue.
‘Another merchant?’ the king asked, moving out from behind Stanford.
Astin looked down at Lyndal, who was crouched under the table holding her shaking cousin in her arms. She was completely still as she stared at the man bleeding out at his feet. ‘Looks that way.’
Lyndal flinched at the sound of his voice, then met his eyes. He saw no fear in them, only heartbreak.
Walking over to the table, Astin picked up one of the linen napkins and wiped it over the blade of his sword before sheathing it. ‘No one moves until the castle is secure.’
With that, he headed for the door.
Chapter 9
‘How am I supposed to sleep after witnessing such… such grotesque violence?’ Kendra asked Lyndal as she stared up at the roof. ‘Every time I close my eyes, it is all I can see.’
Lyndal sat on the edge of the bed, having tucked her cousin in like one does a child. ‘You won’t be alone. I shall sleep at the end of your bed like a loyal dog.’
Kendra reached out and took hold of her hand. ‘Thank you. What would I do without you here?’
‘I’m certain someone else would have eventually dragged you under that table.’
Kendra pressed her eyes shut. ‘I simply froze. My legs would not work.’
‘That’s a common response to fear.’
‘Surely you must have been afraid also.’
Lyndal tucked Kendra’s hand beneath the blanket and brushed hair back from her face. ‘I’m a merchant. It’s rarely an advantage, but living with fear is what we do best.’
A loud knock at the door made Lyndal jump and Kendra shoot up in bed.
‘What if it is another intruder?’ Kendra asked, voice cracking. ‘What if they did not catch them all?’
‘I doubt very much that they would knock before entering.’ Lyndal rose from the bed and wandered over to the door. ‘Who is it?’ she called, hand on the door.
‘It’s Fletcher.’
Relief filled Lyndal. She had not seen him since he left the hall, and her mind had imagined all kinds of terrible outcomes. Glancing over her shoulder, she said, ‘Go to sleep. I’ll be back in a moment.’
She stepped out into the dimly lit corridor and pulled the door closed behind her, hugging herself against the cold. ‘What are you doing pounding the door down in the middle of the night? I’m trying to calm Kendra down so she sleeps.’
Astin ran a hand down his blood-spattered face. ‘I knocked onyourdoor, but you didn’t answer, despite clear instructions not to leave your bedchamber.’
Lyndal scowled up at him. Then, registering the exhaustion on his face, her expression softened. ‘Well, I’m quite safe, as you can see. What about you? Are you hurt?’
His head dipped slightly. ‘No.’
‘How many intruders were there in the end?’
‘Four.’
‘All merchants?’
He nodded, went to speak, then stopped at the sound of footsteps. He had his sword drawn and his tall frame parked in front of her before the figure even came into view. Lyndal peered around him and saw the warden, Shapur Wright, come to a stop. Astin immediately sheathed his weapon and stepped aside.
