Christian glanced at Raven, met Sage’s eyes, and then turned to Willow.
Sage looked around desperately, hopelessly searching for an escape. But there was no way out. She clenched her jaw and gritted her teeth, refusing to surrender the parchment. They were badly outnumbered, perhaps five to one. What had their father told them about being outnumbered? Sage couldn’t remember because her mind continued to lament the idea of handing over the parchment.
“Fine,” Willow said and sheathed her sword before sitting in a chair. She locked eyes with Raven.
There were too many men. Sage and her sisters were good, but not that good. Even with the help of their men.
Willow’s stare shifted to Sage. Sage felt every hair stand up as Willow’s piercing gaze settled on her. A chill rushed over her as she realized Willow was scheming something. What was Willow up to? Something foolish, Sage was sure.
Willow lifted her leg and put it across her other one. “You know, I never got over the time when I slipped into that pond.” She tugged her boot off. “Raven had to leap in after me. To save my life.”
Sage remembered the moment. Yet she still wasn’t certain what Willow was doing.
Willow looked at Raven. “You were furious. Even though I didn’t do it on purpose. I always got the feeling you were angry because you didn’t want to take care of me.”
Part of that was true. Raven was the eldest, and she accepted her role of guardian without complaint.
“I think you wished I had drowned in that pond,” Willow added.
Raven stepped forward with her weapon clutched tightly in her right hand. “How can you say that?”
“Then you would have had one less sister to tag along after you. One less sister you would have to care for.”
Raven’s jaw clenched. “You always were a pain in the arse.”
Sage’s mouth dropped open in shock.
“I knew it!” Willow shot to her feet. “You only thought of me as a burden. Never as family. Never as someone other than a responsibility.”
Christian moved before Willow and held out his hands in a calming gesture. “Will—”
“Maybe if you had helped out,” Raven chastised angrily. “I always cleaned up the messes you got into. Hid them from Father so you wouldn’t get in trouble—sowewouldn’t get in trouble.” Raven took another step closer to Willow.
Willow moved around Christian and stood her ground before Raven. “I did help out. But all you wanted us to do was practice. You were nothing more than a mini-Father.”
Sage scowled. This was so unlike Willow. They each knew their place and depended on the other. Why was Willow attacking Raven?
“This is so typical of you,” Raven growled. “Here we are surrounded by all these men, and all you want them to do is look at you.”
Willow’s jaw slackened in disbelief, and she glanced at Sage, who shared her astonishment.
Raven’s expression had hardened into a mask of determination as she gave a final, authoritative look at her younger sister before slipping her blade back into its scabbard and turning away.
Willow shoved Raven from behind.
Raven whirled and lunged at Willow, catching her shoulders and slamming her backward.
Sage stared, aghast, at the sight of Raven and Willow tumbling around the room, rolling like thunderclouds across a stormy sky. The soldiers around her stood transfixed, with some showing gleeful delight and others fully amused.
The realization came over her suddenly—no one was watching her.
Willow had remembered what their father had taught them, what Sage couldn’t remember.
All eyes were on her sisters. Sage eased behind Marcus and bent down, sliding her hand into her boot.
Sage suddenly remembered their father telling them how to escape when they were hopelessly outnumbered with no way out.
The only way to escape was to use a distraction.
