Meanwhile, two of the attackers had uncovered the chest, and with shouts of triumph, they began to wrestle it out of the cart.
Several of the attackers began to grin, pleased with the imminent payday.
Rafe shook his head. So much for making a fresh start. No one would hire them for another job like this. Apparently, Simon had come to the same conclusion, watching in chagrin as the chest was hauled up to be taken away.
“Oh, no you don’t,” Simon muttered. Without warning, the younger man whipped a small dagger through the air at one of the men carrying the chest. Simon’s aim was true, and the blade sank into the man’s hamstring.
He howled with pain, and his whole body jerked. He didn’t just lose his grip on the chest. He flung his arm upward, driven by a sudden rush of energy in reaction to the pain. The chest half flew out of his hands.
The other handler lost control as the weight all shifted to him. He cried out, jumping away before the heavy chest could fall and crush his feet.
A fraction of a second later, the chest was loose, spinning oddly. It hovered in the air for a breathless moment.
Everyone watched, mesmerized.
Then the chest fell, hit the rocky ground, and cracked open with a sound of splintering wood. Time seemed to slow as they all waited for the inevitable scattering of gold and silver on the earth. Then it would be chaos as all the men looked out for themselves and scrambled to take what they could.
The chest rotated once more, one corner hitting the ground. The lid separated from the chest, and the contents spilled out. Rafe heard the shout of one of the soldiers.
But there was no glint of metal. Only strange dull pebbles flew through the air. Then Rafe gasped, realizing that was exactly what they were. Ordinary pebbles, stones scooped up from the dirt.
They had been guarding worthless rocks. There wasn’t an ounce of gold in the chest.
Chapter 13
Angelet stared at the messon the ground, utterly confounded.
Then everyone around her started to mutter.
“What in hell,” someone said.
“This is wrong,” came another voice, stunned by what he saw…or rather didn’t see. “Where is it? Where’s the gold gone?”
“Men! Get ready.” Rafe’s voice came clear to her ears. She saw him about thirty or forty feet away. He tightened his grip on his sword, ready for what was to come.
The big man near her suddenly let out a roar, his voice ringing out over the whole company. “Where thefuckis our gold?”
Someone else growled, “This was a set-up! A trick.”
Angelet felt the mood shift. The attackers had been fierce but confident before. They’d had a goal. Now rage ruled them, and they might do anything. And she had foolishly put herself in the middle of them.
Just as the big man lunged for her, she heard someone howl, “Sir Rafe! Look to the lady!”
She dimly recognized Simon’s voice as her attacker grabbed her and dragged her a few feet away from the carriage. His meaty arm curled around her neck, and she clawed at his forearm with both hands, trying to free herself.
She stilled when the big man angled his blade into her neck.
Then Rafe was there, his sword out and ready to strike a killing blow.
“Hurt her, and you’ll lose the ransom she’s worth.” Rafe faced the man. “You’ve already lost the money.” He took two steps toward the attacker.
“We don’t want her for ransom,” he hissed. Then he yelled as Angelet raised one hand to his face, raking her nails across his skin. The move was desperate, but it worked. The man loosened his chokehold just long enough for her to drop to the ground and scramble a few feet away, against the carriage.
The man made a grab to retrieve her, but Rafe was already moving. He rushed the man, and just as the other swung back, his blade raised, Rafe shifted his attack slightly, compensating for his opponent’s moves.
Rafe straightened his sword arm, aiming for the heart.
“Angelet, stay back,” he yelled.
