Page 93 of Blood Ties

I turned towards the hall, then stopped when the iron at his throat tightened. “Can you reach the gate?”

“I can reach anyone who crosses it.” His attention stayed on the widening split. “The collar gives me room around the spring, so I’ll draw them there. If the gate opens while you’re in the suite, stay behind the silver line until you know where I am. Don’t run into the garden because you hear fighting.”

“I’m coming back for you and Lenora.”

“Then keep the sword between you and anyone who gets past me. Adrian won’t send a guard under orders to frighten you.”

“I know. I’ll come straight back.”

The order had a purpose, so I ran.

Harrowmere opened the garden door before I reached it. The lower hall remained empty, although a red flash moved across the raven set into the floor. Adrian’s attack had left enough damage for him to push at the court again.

I entered the bedroom, grabbed the short sword from the mattress and returned with the blade already drawn. The gate had gained another split while I was gone. Stellan stood farther back now, pulling his collar chain into the open space around the spring.

“Why are you moving away from it?” I asked.

“The passage is too narrow. I need room to fight, and the collar will stay loose here.”

I reached him as the cutting stopped. Silence filled the garden for a breath, followed by a woman’s scream from the other side.

“Lenora.” I ran towards the gate.

Stellan caught the back of my jumper before I reached the wall. “Wait until you can see her. Adrian may be using her voice.”

“She helped us. I’m not leaving her out there because he might be setting another trap.”

“You won’t. You’ll make certain you pull Lenora through instead of Adrian.”

The damaged gate bent inwards. A black-gloved hand appeared in the opening, followed by Lenora’s shoulder. Blood covered the torn side of her armour. She drove the blade against the metal once more and forced the gap wide enough for her body.

Someone struck her from behind.

Lenora came through the opening and hit the garden path hard. The blade fell from her hand. A boot caught in the damaged gate, and the vampire wearing it shoved at the iron until the gap widened.

“Now,” Stellan said.

I reached Lenora and caught the straps across her shoulders. She was heavier than I expected, and the armour dragged against the stone. I pulled while Stellan kept his body between us and the gate.

Lenora groaned and pushed with one leg. The other left a smear of blood across the path.

“Help me,” I said. “The low wall near the spring is close.”

“Don’t waste strength lifting me. Drag the armour.” She gripped the front straps and hauled herself backwards. “Adrian brought the outer guard when the captain’s seal failed. They refused to attack the recognised heir, so he used his authority as regent and forced the order into them. They know what they’re doing, but they can’t stop their bodies.”

The gate opened another inch. A man in black guard armour forced his head and one shoulder into the gap. Red lines covered his throat and continued under his jaw. His eyes found Stellan, although fear tightened his face.

“Is he acting for Adrian?” I asked.

“He can’t refuse him,” Lenora said. “They’ll hear every order we give them and attack anyway. Don’t expect them to hesitate because they recognise Stellan.”

The man shoved harder. Iron tore through the sleeve of his coat, but the injury didn’t slow him.

“Can we break the control?”

“Not while Adrian holds the regent’s authority. Don’t hesitate because they look frightened. He’ll make them use every chance you give them, and he’ll keep pushing until their bodies fail.”

Stellan looked over his shoulder. “Get Lenora behind the spring wall and stay with her. If anyone passes me, take the throat.”