“It's true.”
Silence followed his admission as they continued to walk through the dark forest. Alex bit back a curse, wishing he could explain his reasons for leaving, but knowing he never would. That he never could.
A gentle hand on his arm made him pause.
“It's okay, you know. Wanting something more out of your life than this. I just wish you'd told me yourself.”
The tender understanding in her gaze just about killed him. The only more he wanted out of life was more of her, but that wasn't going to happen, and there was no way he could stand by and watch her marry someone else. That really would kill him.
He opened his mouth to respond, but he was cut off by the sound of feet hitting the ground in front of them. Throwing an arm out in front of Josselyn, he pushed her back, placing himself between her and the large figure that dropped down out of the tree in front of them. It moved forward and moonlight reflected off the steel blade of a sword, its wielder looming before them, pock marked and scarred, a mad glint in his wild eyes that was only accentuated by the gap toothed grin that spread across his face as he looked them over.
“Lookee what we got here, boys. A coupla rats tryin' ta abandon ship, I'm thinkin.”
The crinkling of dry leaves pronounced the arrival of more men, and Alex's stomach sank at their number. They were surrounded by at least six men, all of them bearing the same bloodthirsty look as the man before them.
The same man let his eyes flicker past Alex and settle on Josselyn, taking her in from head to toe. His gaze lingered on her bare legs, and he licked his lips.
“Got us a pretty little pet under all that dirt, don't we, darlin? Whaddya say ya ditch yer guard dog and let me an my boys show ya what a real man tastes like? Them lips were jest made for pleasin', I can tell.”
Anger churned in Alex's stomach, and he let out a loud roar as he charged forward, lopping off the man's sword hand in one mighty blow. Screams rent the air as that man stared at the bloody stump, frozen in shock as Alex swung his sword back around, slicing through the man's neck with a spray of blood.
He swung around and grabbed Josselyn by the arm, yanking her in the direction of the body that now lay motionless on the ground as the remaining men all moved in to attack.
“Run,” he rasped, clashing blades with the closest man. When she failed to move, he growled, raising his voice in a commanding shout.
“Run, damn it! Now!”
He swung his sword to block a second attack, and felt a brief moment of relief at the sound of Josselyn's footsteps taking off in the opposite direction. Now he just had to hold them back long enough for her to lose them in the woods.
No problem.
Chapter Twelve
Blood rushed in Josselyn's ears as she sprinted through the forest, pain shooting through her feet with each step. Someone crashed through the trees behind her, but she forced herself not to look back. The image of Alex throwing himself in front of all those men flashed through her mind, and she stumbled, the rough earth tearing at the soft flesh of her hands and knees as she caught herself, her dagger sliding out in front of her as a sob slipped through her cracked lips.
“That's right, poppet, ain't no use in runnin'. Be a good gel, now, and let ol' Jak take care of ya.”
Bile burned in her already emptied stomach, and her vision blurred as she reached out to reclaim her dagger, her fingers curling around it with a ferocity that turned her knuckles white.
Father had been murdered, Edmund imprisoned, her home taken, and now Alex... he would die, and for what? A weak basket case who couldn't even protect herself?
You are not weak. You're a warrior. Now, get up off the ground and prove it.
Josselyn jerked in surprise at the sudden voice in her head, the same as the one she'd heard the other day in the gardens, warning her about the prince's necklace. There wasn't time to question who the voice belonged to, however, as her attacker came up behind her, grabbing her arm and hauling her to her feet.
With a snarl, she twisted around behind him, breaking his hold on her arm and slamming her elbow into the small of his back. Her foot kicked back, taking out his knees, before she spun around and sent her heel flying into his back, pushing him forward so that he hit the ground face first. She leaped on top of him, plunging her blade into his back again and again, her breath coming out in heaving gasps.
He's dead, leave him. You have other concerns.
Alex.
She had to reach him, had to save him.
Her legs were already moving, pushing her up and back tracking through the woods.
Fire spread through her body, flowing up her arm from the marks on her skin, burning its way across her chest until it felt as though she'd explode in a fiery pyre. She burst through the trees, her eyes locking on Alex as he fell backwards, a sword piercing his shoulder. She screamed as she felt her chest being ripped open, dark shadows pouring out and melding together to form a solid shape as they raced toward Alex's assailants.
Her vision spotted as the shadows morphed into an enormous, black hellcat. The beast leaped over Alex, its sharp claws slicing through the man leaning over him like a knife through butter. The other men fell back in terror. They turned to run, and the beast pounced, slamming two of them down with its huge paws. It held them pressed into the earth, ripping out each of their throats in turn. The last two men ran for the trees, dropping their swords in their haste to be gone. The beast sprang forward, clamping its jaws
