King of the Seditious
Forcing My Hand

He rounded to the back of the alehouse and saw Dimurah crossing the floating dock. Her green skirt flying as she drew near the back wall. Mounting her gelding near, the fortress’s back wall.

She’d had someone ready her horse before she even stopped me. Savage’s eyes narrowed on her.

The dark dress of the woman who ran behind her whipped in the wind. Dimurah pulling her arm to lead her.

Dimurah smoothly mounted her gelding and pulled the other woman up behind her. That one turned to look back at him through eyes which turned black with a sparking orange rim.

Demon eyes.

There was another crash as the back door of Winter Haven slammed again.

Dimurah’s bodyguards were pouring out the door behind her. Running for the front-gate.

Two other men ran from the alehouse.

She’d obviously summoned them all to help her.

They’re going to meet her somewhere. But he didn’t have time to follow them.

I need to get her away from the Firoque woman. Before the barmaid takes her straight to Radix, the Demon Master.

Dimurah gave the big gray gelding heel.

Savage crossed the bailey at an inhuman run and Dimurah just managed to get past him as his fingers skimmed her cloak. Not quite able to grab enough to catch a grip.

Dammit!

Stop!

“Murah!” He shouted.

“No! Go away!” She heeled the gelding toward the fortress’s back escape.

An entrance I only showed her.

Don’t show the cimmerii that! But it was too late.

Dimurah drove the horse against the gate. The gate snapped open, and she took the hard turn between the fortress and the stone face. Scratching both her arm and that of the Firoque woman. And nearly injuring her horse.

The one I gave her.

“Murah!” He shouted after her.

Savage gave two whooping whistles. His big black stallion charged out of his tent. The white slash marking its forehead as it ducked its head to approach them.

“Delcourt!” He shouted. Letting the stallion know where to run.

Savage met it in the courtyard and hopped on. Following the route Dimurah had taken. But his more agile beast ducked the gate and swirled the turn without so much as bumping a rock.

His bigger stallion huffing like a machine, cut the distance behind the gray gelding.

“Murah. Get that woman off your horse!”

“Go away, Savage! Leave her alone.” She shouted over her shoulder. Red hair tossing over her green dress as she steered the rein.

Heading where?

The black-eyed woman twisted to smile at him. Revealing pointed triangular teeth. Black veins appearing on her face from around her lips and trailing up toward her eyes. Her expression threatening. She looked at Murah’s exposed shoulder, revealed by the drooping shoulder of her green dress.

Not her! He heeled Delcourt. Forcing him to a breakneck pace.

They entered the Merwood surrounding the Blue Lark. It was dark.

Too dark for her to see.

And the trees were thick. Closely crowded with huge leaves hanging in their faces. Dimurah swatted them away.

But Savage’s eyes flashed gold and he could see in the pitch darkness. Guiding his horse more expertly through the woods.

Sensing he was closing in, Dimurah dismounted. Taking the smaller woman’s hand and tucking her behind Dimurah protectively.

She doesn’t need your protection! He willed Dimurah to stop.

Dread filling him when he saw her kneel. Don’t do it!

He slid off Delcourt and ran at her on foot.

But it was too late.

Dimurah met his look. Pretty blue eyes blinking fearfully as she crouched and put a palm to the ground.

No.

“Don’t!” He shouted.

He heard thudding hoofbeats and saw her bodyguards forming a line behind her. This is where she told them to meet her.

This is where she intended to draw the line.

Dimurah surged her energy through her hand. The ground rumbled underneath her hand in a boom that sent dirt billowing up around them and dust tossing into the trees. The ground shivered before cracking open. Pulling apart until there was a deep crevice separating, he and her.

Fool woman.

“Dimurah!” He roared. Eyes gold with fury. He lifted his hand to point at the woman cowering behind her. “You’re not protecting her from me!”

I will kill her.

“Yes, I am!” She shouted back.

Savage’s hand dropped as he shook his head at her. Don’t make me do this.

His eyes roved over the men standing behind her. Landing on one of the men she didn’t know well.

That one tilted his head in question.

His gaze lingered on that one a moment before falling in a single nod.

She brought this on herself.

He turned on his heel and left the clearing.

Dimurah had rolled out the blanket Marcus brought her. She was asleep in no time.

She didn’t hear when the woman next to her woke and saw Savage crouched over her in the dark.

Libby lurched up hissing. Black eyes flaring orange and red. Her mouth gaping in a black hole with a long slithering tongue. Her human guise melting away when she was threatened. “You’re too late!” She rasped. “They’re already here.”

“They were.” He took the long onyx-blade dagger and pushed it against her chest. Leaning into the hilt to force it through her chest cavity. The bones crunched and gave, and he sunk it in to the handle.

Libby’s eyes barely had time to adjust to see he was completely coated in dark black blood. Handprints marked his face. Running over his neck and shoulders where the Firoque had tried to grab onto him while he killed them.

One by one.

Like Chavias taught me to. There had been twelve of them. And they had been closing in on Dimurah’s camp.

They wanted to kill her.

Badly.

Why does Radix want her? To hurt me? Or because she’s special?

Or both? He sighed. Looking at her as she slept. Red curls framed her pale face. Dark lashes swept her cheeks. And crimson lips were relaxed in sleep. Inviting.

She won’t soon forgive me.