Page 131 of The Rebel and the Rose
There was a kerfuffle, the weight of the carriage shifting as the postmaster climbed down from his perch.
No.
No.
‘What do we have here?’ Andreas’s face appeared at the window, graced with a frown as gruesome as the bodies swaying from his arch. ‘Three gutless turncoats about to ruin my fucking day.’
The door swung open.
Val pounced like a wildcat, throwing herself at the prince. He reeled backwards, and they fell in a heap on the ground. Theo went next, grabbing one of the prince’s mercenaries by the throat. Sera dived to the right, running for the closest corpse. She pulled its sword free, swinging just as the second mercenary advanced on her.
A wide gash sliced through his right shoulder. Clutching at it, he stumbled backwards, allowing her to gather her wits. With the postmaster cowering behind his wagon, it appeared to be three on three.
Val was holding her own with the prince, spitting and clawing and kicking for her life. Theo was still swinging from his mercenary’s neck. Sera’s assailant stalked towards her now, drawing his own sword.
‘Do not dare harm my saint-maker!’ Andreas yelled from the ground, before Val landed another punch. She earned two in return, the force knocking her head backwards.
Sera raised her sword, sensing the odds shift in her favour.Her friends were fair game, but right here, in this moment, she was untouchable. She swung again, wild and fast and violent. In place of any kind of innate skill, she went for momentum. And complete recklessness. Running full tilt at the nearest mercenary, she slashed at his arms, his legs, bringing him to his knees. She reached the other just as he managed to dislodge Theo from around his neck.
When he drew his sword, she met it with her own, shoving her blade against his. She was slighter, weaker and completely outmatched, but the magic simmering inside her meant her thoughts were still her own, and the poor bastard had been enthralled not to hurt her. Which meant she could be both a weapon and a shield.
She could save Theo’s ass.
‘Go!’ she hissed, over her shoulder.
Her opponent dropped his sword, breaking the tension between their weapons. She stumbled into his chest, her blade biting into the hard leather of his vest. It fell away, leaving him free to grab onto her shoulders. Anchoring herself onto his beefy arms, she drew her knee up, sharp and fast, catching him between his legs.
Huffing out a curse, he fell to his knees. But when she turned to help Val, he grabbed her collar, dragging her back to him. Those massive arms circled her chest, creating a steel trap.Shit. No matter how she bucked or kicked, she couldn’t get free.
Still struggling against her captor, she could only watch as Andreas pinned Val to the ground. Choking her with one hand, he used the other to reach inside her collar and yank hernecklace free. Holding it up to the dying light, his eyes grew in understanding.
A cruel smirk curled his lips. ‘And here I was afraid my power was waning.’ He smashed the bead of Lightfire beside Val’s head, causing a quick flash of golden light.
Hinging upwards, Val spat in his face.
He backhanded her.
‘STOP!’ Sera screamed. ‘If you lay one more finger on her, I swear I’ll—’
‘What?’ he hissed, turning on her. ‘Run away like a frightened rat? Throw my kindness back in my face? Spit on the future of this kingdom because you’re a gutless coward who can’t handle the weight of her own destiny?’ Grabbing Val’s jaw, he dragged her nose right up to his. ‘And as for you, you feral little bitch, you will not harm me again. You will not run from me again. When I tell you to do something, you’ll do it. Understood?’
Val went eerily still. Eyes misting, she nodded rigidly.
Sera’s heart sank.
It was no trick this time.
Satisfied, Andreas peeled himself off her friend and stood up. His brows knotted as he looked around. ‘Where the fuck is the other one?’
It was then that Sera noticed the fading thrum of hoofbeats. When she looked over her shoulder, she caught the silvered glint of Theo’s hair, riding fast and far away from Marvale. A giddy laugh gathered in her chest. She swallowed it back.
Palming his sword, Andreas came to stand over her. ‘Do you think you’ve won, Saint-maker?’ he sneered.
Looking up at him, she said, in all honesty, ‘I don’t think either of us has won, Andreas.’
His eyes darkened. ‘Not yet.’
Behind him, Val sat up in a daze. ‘There’s a worm in my head,’ she groaned. ‘Ithurts.’
