She hadn’t killed him. ’Twould seem it takes much more strength than she realized to tear through clothing and then flesh and muscle.
Her legs were strong and she’d run from thieves before. She bounded over roots and bramble, and disappeared in the thick trees.
She held her hand over her mouth to keep him from hearing her labored breathing and hid behind a tree. She heard him stumbling through the snow, cursing her. He left no trail of blood. His wound was not deep and likely not fatal.
She was still, careful not to even think too loud. She heard the sound of horses in the distance. Nicholas?
Phillip heard it too and raced to their horse. He leaped up into the saddle and rode away.
Alone, Julianna crept out of her hiding place. She listened. What if it wasn’t Nicholas but a band of thieves? She was weary from running. Where would she run if it wasn’t him? She heard nothing. Not a sound, and then the crunch of snow behind her.
Phillip! She turned just as his bloody hand reached for her. His bandage had come off. He was missing two fingers.
“Not a sound, Jules,” he whispered close to her. Too close. “I knew you would come out if you thought I left.” He held his bloody dagger to her belly. “Come back to my horse with me or I will kill you where you stand.”
He tried to drag her by her hair. It was the only thing he could grab with his wounded hand.
She wanted to fight him and escape, but the tip of his blade had torn through her clothes and was sharp against her flesh.
A moment of complete clarity came over her. She would let him kill her rather than go back with himifshe had not found Nicholas. She wanted her future with him. She wanted to be Elias’ mother and be there when he cried. So, as much as she hated to do it, she spoke softly, meekly and kept her head down. “Your blade is hurting me.”
He grunted and pulled her harder but moved the blade away from her. Her next breath came a bit easier.
Her head was down so she didn’t see the force that sped by and snatched Phillip away as if he’d been caught in a whirlwind.
At the same time, she felt a hand on her shoulder and spun around to see Torin’s large green eyes on her…and then on the fight just beyond her.
She followed his gaze to Nicholas on top of Phillip, punching him in the face. Battered and bloodied, Phillip reached for something in his boot. A dagger! He lifted it behind Nicholas’ back and Julianna opened her mouth to scream.
Torin tore away from her and leaped at them. He caught Phillip’s wrist and twisted it until the dagger fell. He picked it up and held it over his head, ready to bring it down on his brother’s enemy.
“No, Torin!” Nicholas shouted. “He is Berengaria’s son!”
Torin stared at him, dagger in hand. “Who in the blazes in Berengaria?”
“My mother,” Nicholas told him. “She raised me, Torin. I ask you for her sake.”
Torin nodded and stood up, carrying the knife away. “We have much to talk about, Brother.”
Nicholas pulled Phillip up to his feet and handed him over to the guards.
He turned and strode to Julianna. She watched him for a moment, taking in all his fine lines, his powerful gait. She couldn’t wait and ran to him.
She leaped into Nicholas’ arms and wrapped herself around him while he held her with the perfect mixture of tenderness and strength. He whispered her name through her curls. “Are you hurt, my love?”
“No,” she shook her head. Oh, she couldn’t wait to be with him alone. She would refuse to think of Torin until tomorrow. “I knew you would come for me.”
“I would move the world to get to you, Julianna,” he replied huskily.
She smiled and held him and kissed him, thankful to be returned to him yet again.
Torin’s men returned Phillip to Edlingham’s dungeon while Torin and the others rode on in a separate group.
They each had a horse to ride and as they went, Julianna kept hers close to Nicholas’.
“I was afraid that you would think I left with him of my own accord.”
He smiled and it pulled at her heart until she thought it would burst from her chest and fly into his lap.
