His eyes burned with lethal rage, fixed on Bryce.
"Let.Her.Go."Boyd's voice was deadly quiet.
Behind him, Thamas and several guards emerged from the trees, weapons drawn, fanning out to surround Bryce's men.They found themselves encircled, MacKinnon steel gleaming in the afternoon sun.
"Disarm them," Thamas ordered quietly.The guards moved swiftly, efficiently stripping weapons from Bryce's men and forcing them to their knees.
Bryce laughed, though it sounded forced."Or what?Ye'll kill me?I dinnae think so, Monk."
"I'll do worse than kill ye."Boyd took a step forward, his focus entirely on Bryce."I'll make ye wish ye'd remained in the king's dungeon where ye belonged."
Bryce's eyes darted around, seeing his men subdued and disarmed.But desperation made him bold.
He pulled a knife and pressed it to Bella's throat.
"Stay back!"Bryce shouted."Just annul the marriage.Ye dinnae even want my sister.I ken the king forced ye and—"
"The king did not force me to wed her.I requested your sister as my reward!"
Bella gasped in surprise.Her eyes meeting Boyd's.
"Aye, 'tis true, love.Ye're all I've ever wanted.The king was willing to give me anything I asked for.I only wanted ye."
The expression of Bella's eyes softened at his words.
"So ye kenned about her inheritance?Ye only wanted her for the money!"Bryce chided.
Boyd replied, "I kenned about Bella's inheritance only recently.I ken that her inheritance was held in trust until she wed, but if she did not marry before her thirtieth birthday the funds would transfer to ye."
Bella looked surprised then.
"So ye married her for the money!"Bryce spat.
"No, we were married before I even knew.But I also ken that the steward warned ye that ye had no claim over any of it.That money belongs to my wife, and she alone will decide how to spend it."
Bella was stunned at the information she had gleaned.She believed Boyd completely.She knew he loved her.She trusted in their love enough not to let any doubt set in.So, she simply nodded once.
Boyd stepped closer."Bryce, let go of my wife or it will not end well for ye."
Bryce shouted, "Stay back or I swear I'll—"
Bella did not give him a chance to finish.She drove her heel down on his instep with all her strength, then threw her head back into his face.His nose crunched.The knife clattered away.
She spun, brought her knee up into his groin, and as he doubled over, she tried to kick the knife away from him.
But Bryce was faster than she expected.His hand shot out and grabbed the blade, his fingers closing around the hilt.Blood dripped from his broken nose as he staggered upright, his eyes wild with madness.
"If she's dead, I might get the inheritance!"he screamed, his voice raw and crazed.
He lunged at Bella.
She tried to dodge, but her bound wrists threw off her balance.She stumbled backward, her feet catching on a tree root, and went down hard.The impact knocked the breath from her lungs.
Bryce loomed over her, raising the knife high above his head with both hands, his face twisted with insanity.
"Die, sister!"
Bella tried to roll away, but her movements were impeded by the ropes binding her wrists.She could see the blade descending toward her heart in horrifying slow motion.Death was coming for her, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
