Then, as the Marquis scanned the various projects he had moving forward, he turned to her. He took a hard look and walked a few steps towards her position, eyebrows cocked and head tilted. He knew. She willed Philippe to slink away, but she felt him just freeze in place. The Marquis was upon them before she could even try to look like nothing was happening.
“It would seem that the lady guide’s absence does not go long unnoticed,” the Marquis said to Alex.
Alex held his gaze. She would kick him in the face if he were closer.
“I know you are here,” he said, turning his attention from her.
She felt a final, forceful slice go through the ropes before Philippe stood up to come around and face him.
“You’re a little early, Lord Philippe,” the Marquis said. “We aren’t quite ready for you, but we have numbers on our side.”
“You had numbers on your side the last time I captured your men,” Philippe said condescendingly.
“Well, their commander is here now.” The words leached from his smile. “And you seem to be the one waiting on reinforcements.” He scanned the trees. “I had hoped you would rush in foolhardy when you realized she was gone. It seems I was correct.”
“So, what do you want?” Philippe asked, not responding to the taunt.
“Right to business?” The Marquis nodded through a complacent smirk. “Then I won’t draw it out any further.” He narrowed his eyes and called out to the men behind him. Alex watched as they became aware of the situation.
The Marquis continued, “I want you to write to your father recommending the tax,” he glared potently at Philippe. “I will be the natural choice to monitor its distribution. Then you will tell him you have decided to remain in Ponce for a… vacation, perhaps? Maybe you got lost in a whorehouse.” He shrugged. “I don’t care. You will, of course, be detained. Killed, when it suits my situation best.” He grinned, malice evident. “By the time the Duke figures it out, I will have raised my army.”
“He won’t believe such a story,” Philippe replied.
“Well,” began the Marquis, “it will be your job to make him believe.”
Philippe folded his arms and leaned against the tree, studying the man. “That doesn’t sound like a very good deal, Marquis,” he said.
“I agree,” the Marquis conceded. “But if you don’t do what I ask,” he unsheathed his sword and angled it towards Alex. He pressed the tip into the depression of skin just between her collarbones. “I’ll let these savages kill her. And I’ll tell them to make it hurt.”
It wasn’t the steel to her throat that made her panic, or even the threat. It was the look on Philippe’s face that told her he was considering the Marquis’ proposition.No no no, she thought, fear forgotten, she only wanted to stand beside him and fight. Philippe had cut slack in her ropes, but she was still bound. She tugged helplessly at the bindings while she watched all the spirit drain from Philippe’s face.
“Answer me now,” the Marquis said as he pressed the point more firmly against her throat.
“If I submit, you must not hurt her,” Philippe said, his confidence shaken.
“I will give her to my wife,” the Marquis oozed. “As a pet.”
Philippe had no men behind him. He had no allies in this bunch or any chance of victory. Alex knew if it wasn’t for her, he would have a chance toget away. She was flushed with gratitude that he would give himself up for her, but then, as she watched his wrist shift to surrender his blade, Alex snapped.
They weren’t going down like this.
Summoning every ounce of strength in her being, she dug deep, through years of training and fighting, through everything that she had ever overcome or stored away because it was too painful. She became purely animal, a repressed beast brimming with willpower and grit. She bit into her gag, and with a deep and desperate growl, she ripped into her muscles and all at once tore through her remaining bindings.
The ropes coiled back like snakes against her surge of energy, startling both the men. She wasted no time and grabbed the Marquis’ blade with her bare hands. She jerked him forward and used the leverage to take out his feet. He crashed down, dumbfounded, on top of her.
But he was off her in seconds as Philippe threw him back and attacked him aggressively. She pulled frantically at the rest of the ropes as one of the Marquis’ underlings charged her. She braced herself against the tree, and just as he got close enough, she kicked his knee with her boot. She heard the snap of bone and the man crumbled before her with a scream. She dove across him and grabbed her sword. Power bolted through her as she reclaimed her weapon. She scrambled to her feet and ripped the gag from her mouth, the last of the rope falling to the dirt.
The Marquis’ men were caught off guard, and not all at once did they realize the fighting had begun. Many of them had their sword drawn in the opposite direction, looking to the trees, waiting for the attack. It would be just moments before they realized Philippe had come alone. By now, Philippe was locked in a heated battle with the Marquis, but Alex had gained enough attention to do some damage herself. A short but thick man came at her, and she put a perfect gash right across his face. Another raggedy man swung his blade at her wildly, but she ducked his sword, swinging a powerful undercut that knocked him right off his feet. He landed in the dirt and rolled to his stomach. Alex stomped across his back as she ran to Philippe’s side.
The Marquis had backed away, not having the stamina of the young lord, and Philippe was now skillfully slicing through two others at once. He dropped them both just as the rest of the men began to realize that no oneelse was coming. They approached the lord and his guide, snickering with the ease of meeting their objective. Philippe and Alex angled themselves so they were standing back to back. The Marquis caught his breath as the remaining soldiers closed in.
“Let’s give ‘em hell, eh, little fox,” Philippe said to her.
“Just what I was thinking.”
With him behind her, feeling the energy of his body, Alex felt comfort even though the odds were against them. He had come back for her, and she wished he could know just how grateful she was. She knew she was not invincible, she knew that this fight meant she would never get to say the things to him that she needed to say. But, here, she would stand her ground and she would fight with him, for him, for herself, until her very last breath.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
