“Princessis she?” the first of the men repeated. He grinned, fiendishly.“Perfect.”
“It’s in here, boss!”the other yelled from the bedroom. “It’s a shitload, too! I’ve never seen so much coin! Goldandcopper.”
The leader turned at that, and in the moment he looked away, Cyrus grabbed the kettle from the floor and whipped it across the man’s face. I yelled as hot water spilt from it, in perfect sync with the man’s cry. His flesh scalded terribly. He fell, clawing at his blistering cheeks, and then he thrashed to the floor, still screaming.
I puked.
“Get out of here!” Cyrus yelled at me, pulling me from where I’d bent. “Run!” He struck the man a second time, bashing the iron over his head and then again, before kicking away the sword.
The screaming stopped somewhere after the third or fourth strike, and Mr. Evergreen picked up the blade for himself. He brandished it for Geralt, who fled for the door, but when he opened it, Ser Willoughby was already there. With a loud grunt, the knight pierced through the boy’s gut. Another man appeared behind him, though, yanking him out of the cottage by the neck.
Cyrus swung his blade, and the metal clanged at the other opponent charging from his room. Terrified, I shrank to the floor and crawled toward my swordsman’s bag.
“Daniel!” I cried.
Another bandit broke through the commotion and into the house. He trampled over the footman’s body, and the torch he held glittered across the walls. He cocked his head when he saw me, then tossed the fire far into the end of the room. I leaped for Cyrus’s blade but he struck it away with his own, careening it too far to reach as he snatched me by the hair.
“Ow!”I clawed at his glove. “Stop it! Drop me! Drop me this instant! Do you know who I am?”
That narrowed his eyes. “Oh, you’re important, are you, kitten?” he asked.
Willoughby appeared. He swung at the man, who dropped me to return the favor.
They clashed swords only twice before, “A knight, eh?”
“Svana!” Cyrus called.
He tried to make it to my side but someone slashed at him, cutting through his shirt. He hopped back, striking back, and with another fancy maneuver, Mr. Evergreenpuncturedhis chest. The man dropped. Cyrus forced his blade through, all the way to its hilt. He tore it out, using his boot to release it. Then he rushed the one who had threatened me, and with a solid tackle, they all fell to the floor.
I wheezed, suddenly choking on the smoke that had become thicker in the air. I lowered myself to the ground, crawling to see, searching for anyone, anything to use. The smog grew; there were seconds left of knowing where my Cyrus was and less before I was alone in the fog. By the grace of God, and God alone, I found the handle of a dagger, stuck in something soft.
Evergreen and his opponent rolled in and out of the cloudy muck and in a tangled mess of desperation, I plunged the knifeforward as soon as I could see the bandit’s back. He cried out as it went into his skin. I stabbed him a second time and then a third until he slumped. The smoke moved with the wag of the door opening again, and through a wall of light, Miss Jocelyn appeared.
“Svana!” she called.
“Josie!” I yelled back. “I’m here!” I rose to my knees, and she barreled my way to grab my arm.
“Hurry!” she cried. She dragged me out of the fire, then Cyrus followed.
Outside, I fought for air as Mr. Evergreen and Ser Willoughby chased a straggler crook. Jocelyn pressed her hands to my arms. She asked, “Are you alright?”
But then I heardher.I heard my horse.
“Isaac,”I whispered, panicking. I searched the yard to find her.
There was a man on either side of her, one held her lead, the other a torch. Two others hovering. She kicked up into the air, again and again, and they hurled insults at her. They struck her hatefully, calling her a wild thing.
“Stop it!” I screamed, starting after.
Josie caught my arm and pulled me back. “Svana, we must go!” she said.
“No!” I snapped. I tore away, hurrying.
“Daniel will help her,” she said.
“No!” I cried, determined.
Ice howled and howled forme.She was scared! They called her names. They threatened to burn her— to make her pay for my sins. They promised to kill her and I-I stumbled. The flames glinted across the knife I held. I thought to drive it through their hearts and watch them bleed to death. Every last one of them.
