Never had she seen anything more intimidating.
How could they fear her lord when these men rode the earth? Surely they were the devil incarnate.…
Her heart pounded so fiercely that she wasn’t sure how it remained in her chest.
She did her best not to let her fear show, but she had the distinct feeling that they knew anyway. Just as an animal could sense fear. She had no doubt that they could, too. That they somehow fed on it.
Soundlessly, the one all in black held his hand up and clenched his fist tight.
“Damn, Leucious, speak to the poor girl before you make her wet herself. I know you’re an arse, but still.”
The horse stomped and snorted as if indignant on his rider’s behalf while his master turned toward the knight in burgundy. Though she couldn’t see his face, she was sure he was smirking at his companion.
And before he could speak, a third rider came over the hill at a breakneck pace.
Only this one, she unfortunately knew.
Belial.
He reined his horse to a hard stop just in front of the two newcomers. Something the poor animal resented so much that it caused him to rear.
Which made the black horse prance and start forward. Luckily, the one called Leucious was skilled enough to hold him in check. But as the men faced each other, there was a tension between them that was palpable.
And it sent a chill over her.
Belial let out an evil, sinister laugh. “Well, well. To what do I owe the honor ofthis?”
The black knight unsheathed his sword and pointed it straight at Belial’s throat. “I think you know.”
Finally, she saw more of the second knight. His burgundy surcoat held the strangest crest. A white bird that was wrapped within a thorny, gray S. Oddly enough, his destrier matched the same color gray, as if it’d been done apurpose.
“Hand her over and we’ll make this painless.”
Belial laughed at the second knight’s request. “There’s only one problem with that, my brothers. If you take our sister home, her husband is going to object to it.”
CHAPTER11
Ariel sat down as Belial’s words rang in her ears. Instinctively, she reached for Valteri’s hand.
“Are they your brothers?”
She glanced at her husband and shrugged. “I know not.” And she didn’t. For her life, she had no memory of either man.
A foul curse rang out from the black knight as the second one dismounted. “What have you done, Belial?”
Belial held his hands up in surrender. “Nothing. I had no part in this.”
“Why don’t I believe that?” Leucious’s tone was filled with disgust.
The burgundy knight scoffed. “Probably because you hate that bastard almost as much as I do. And trust him even less.”
“Hey!” Belial dismounted and headed for the burgundy knight. “A little harsh, Shadow. You could try and play nice.”
“With you? Sod off.” The one called Shadow removed his helm.
Ariel actually gasped as she saw his exceptionally handsome features. Steel-blue eyes were set in a perfectly formed face. A face that she recalled, and yet couldn’t place it to any specific memory.
Somehow, she knew she knew him. She just didn’t know how they’d met, or when.
