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His lips twitched, but I wasn’t sure if he was amused by me or annoyed, which led to the question: what was he doing there? I belatedly recalled that I was probably being watched and followed. I should have paid better attention after I left the apothecary.
“It’s a nice time for a stroll,” he informed, lips parting to reveal large teeth.
My mouth open, preparing a retort, but before I could speak, a shadow moved down the hallway that led to my bedroom. Suspicious, I glanced the way I had come, and sure enough, a shadow shifted, drawing closer. Returning my attention to the Captain, I couldn’t help but notice his triumphant expression.
He had planned this encounter and had brought reinforcements with him this time. I was flattered but also felt incredibly ill prepared. Reaching for me, his hand grabbed my arm, his large fingers wrapping around me tightly. It wasn’t painful but only just.
“Walk with me?” he asked, towering over me, and I felt rather than saw the other two coming even closer to me.
“I’m so sorry…” I faked a yawn and continued talking through it. “I really should turn in for the night. My lady-in-waiting was expecting me a while ago, and she’s sure to be worried. I wouldn’t want her to sound the alarm.”
“I assure you, she won’t.” He leaned down, his hot breath raking against my ear. “Neither will your cousin.”
A chill skittered down my spine. He was bluffing. I’d left him ten minutes ago, with Brex promising to look after him while I was away. They couldn’t have gotten to him so quickly, could they? Had the information that Brex overheard been a ruse, a trick?
Dread dropped from my chest to my stomach like a stone sinking in water. This wasn’t at all what I was expecting, but instead of letting panic cloud my mind, I pushed it aside and tried to think rationally. There was a chance he was bluffing, and I thought that more likely than the alternative.
“Oh, did you see him in the kitchen? We like to sneak down and raid the dessert cupboard,” I answered, watching his face closely.
The Bruralian was well trained, but even then, it was impossible to hide every facial expression. His eyes widened then returned to normal within a millisecond, narrowing on me. The brute had indeed been bluffing. Will was still safe with Brex, and this was a setup to get me to go with him. Part of me was tempted to go along with him, so I could find out what exactly was going on here. Sneaking and spying through Brex was one thing, finding hard proof was another. If I had the time, I would, but I had only hours to get Will out of the castle and to safety. I couldn’t waste time.
Captain Rekker had captured my arm, but it left my right arm free to slip into the secret slit I had Brex sew into all my dresses. A lady couldn’t discreetly reach for a dagger strapped to her thigh, not with all the heavy skirts on top. However, a slit just below my hip made the dagger accessible without hiking up fabric and flashing my underthings to everyone.
My fingers wrapped around the hilt of the dagger while Captain Rekker tugged me into the passageway behind him. I let him, using the movement to hide the motion of my arm as I withdrew my weapon. He had severely underestimated me.
Halting, I pulled the arm he was grasping, bringing him closer. He wasn’t expecting the movement, so he didn’t fight it, thinking I wouldn’t try anything. After all, what sort of lady fought back? Once he was beside me, I stepped forward, anchoring my feet and using his forward momentum to pull my arm free.
If it was anyone else, I would have walked away, letting go of what happened. They’d talk, surely, but we both knew the real truth. Not this time though. I was facing a much deadlier foe than some handsy lord.
Rekker whirled, his face showing the exact emotion he was named after. Squaring my shoulders, I raised my dagger. This was a fight from which I would not be walking away. These people had messed with the wrong lady.
The shadow on Rekker’s left broke away and rushed me, arms outstretched. I side stepped, letting him rush past me. When he turned around to confront me again, I was already moving. I jumped at the wall, using my feet to push off of it twisting in the air. My palm connected with the back of his head while pushing off the wall. We both fell, but unlucky for him, he landed face first right into the stone wall of the passageway. A sick, crunching sound reverberated, and I knew he had at least broken his nose, and at most, his whole face.
Crouching over his crumpled body, dagger still in my hand, I glared at the others. Both Rekker and the other guy stared at me with a calculative gleam in their eyes, instead of admiration—what a pity.
Rekker’s chin jerked toward me, a clear command to the other man to attack. He didn’t hesitate, for which I had to give him credit. These were hardened warriors facing off a scrawny, high-born lady, who in their mind didn’t have any business fighting.
The second guy came toward me much slower than the first, yet I swiped at him a couple times, forcing him to keep his distance. He dodged them easily, but I wasn’t trying very hard. Truth was, I wanted him to find an opening. I was small and couldn’t muster much leverage on my own, so I used my environment as much as possible.
Lifting my dagger, I tried to stab in a downward motion. The man saw it coming, his meaty hand grabbing my wrist and stopping my attack. Before he could attempt to disarm me, I twisted and ducked under his arm, pulling him forward where he met my hips.
Without hesitation, I flipped him over, managing to wrench my wrist out of his grasp. He hit the floor with a loud grunt and a whoosh as all the air left his lungs. Dagger in hand, I turned, punching him squarely in the jaw then again in the temple. He took the first hit without reaction but the second one caused his eyelids to flutter and his body to slump.
I straightened quickly, ready for the next attack, but all I found was Captain Rekker staring at me with a new emotion on his face, appreciation.
“I thought you were adept with a bow,” he remarked, observing me and my ready stance.
“I prefer the bow, it doesn’t mean I don’t know how to use other weapons,” I retorted, grinning and knowing he had underestimated me.
“I see,” he mused, eyes lightening and sharpening in the shadowy hallway. “I’m impressed. I had no idea there were ones such as you here in Thimmeria.”
“Underestimating your foe, will get you killed.”
“A mistake I won’t be making again,” he agreed, just before he rushed toward me.
I jumped, twisting to place my feet on the opposite wall then pushed off of it, managing to flip over him. My landing was harsh. My knee buckled under me, so I reached out, placing a hand on the wall. I had only ever done that in the forest, with lots of space and soft grasses under me to cushion my fall. Stone walls and floors were unforgiving.
My chest rose and fell with heavy pants. My knee was tender but supported my weight. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t be able to use the walls again. He’d be expecting it.
