“I am aware. Stay back, courtesan.” The words were clear, cold, and a bit winded. Up close, shallow cuts lined his leathers. Blood stained the shirt beneath, and sweat matted his hair.
More soldiers came down the stairs. They'd go around the long way soon, if they hadn't already.
Castien gave the assassin his space. “You need to get out while you can. I'll hold them off.”
No response. Two more soldiers fell.
“Anais is injured. They both are. You have to go.”
Between breaths, Vern said in a clipped tone, “Did you. Hurt her?”
He hesitated. “No. It wasn’t me.”
Vern moved faster. He managed to push them back slightly. “Pick up a shield.”
Some of the soldiers had shields. There was one within reach, rectangular and tall. He hauled it up.
Vern said, “Stand behind me. When I say, push them back. Do not stop.”
“Then you'll–”
“Do as I say. Now!”
Castien ducked behind the shield and pushed forward, putting his weight behind it when he met resistance. Daggers flew over him from behind. A sword thrown like a spear cut a few strands of his hair. The resistance fell away, and he struggled to stay on his feet as he trampled a soldier.
“Enough.” A hand grabbed his arm. “Run.”
Rather than resist, Castien dropped the shield and ran.
Thunk.
A crossbow bolt bounced off the wall a few steps ahead. Another thump landed where his foot had just been. He placed himself directly behind Vern. Someone shouted to “not hit the whore”. There would be no swift death for him.
They made it up the stairs to the first floor of the dungeon with only a few seconds’ lead. Vern slammed the heavy metal door shut and jammed his sword through the handle. He backed away. A loud thump rattled the door, but it held.
The soldiers didn't appear to have circled down from inside the castle yet. Castien caught his breath. “Thank you, but you need to–”
Vern rounded on him with a cold, dark look and his remaining sword raised. His voice was as flat and clipped as it had been while he was fighting.
“I promised I'd kill you if you hurt her.”
Castien opened his mouth.
The Escort flipped his blade. “I always keep my promises.”
Steel swung.
Darkness swallowed his mind.
Chapter 26
Anais
The guards pursuing her didn’t give her a moment to pick up a weapon. Sharp stabs of pain shot up her leg with each step. She needed to get that bolt out. Then she could go back for Castien.
Octavius had been right. That moment of clarity in her Escort’s eyes revealed a depth of emotion that she'd come to love. The Castien she knew was alive and fighting for her. She wouldn't abandon him. She didn't need to kill him.
The certainty in her heart overrode her physical pain – for now. She should really bandage her leg, though.
