FOREVER KNIGHTS: #13 Salvaging Souls

She paused.

She knows that’ll be the loss of her castle.

“Don’t!” Alazar’s urgent whisper was too late.

“Prepare the oil cauldrons! We fight until they’re all dead.” She called boldly.

Risky. How do you know I won’t kill you right here?

She doesn’t. He realized when he felt her body tremble.

The boy ran off. Feet slapping.

He leaned so close she felt the muscle in his jaw ticking furiously next to her cheek. “That was very stupid Little Queen. Brave, but stupid.” He yanked her to the stairs. Giving a quick look down them and seeing no one he hauled her up and over his shoulder. As he took the stair metal armor peeled around his limbs and clanged into place in layers over his torso. He raised her so it could mold over his shoulder. And when he dropped her weight back down over the metal, she whoofed as the air was knocked from her. Armor now rattled every step he took.

When she regained her breath she was kicking and flailing against him. Seeing he wound his way down to the main floor she hissed at him. “They’ll never let you leave this castle with me!”

The Hell they won’t!

“Why wouldn’t they?” He asked tonelessly. Staring forward as he crossed the bailey with her squealing over his shoulder and pounding his back with her fists.

Not much good with the armor on. She’ll hurt her hands long before she annoys me.

“My Captain of the Guard will stop you in your tracks!”

“Will he?”

He definitely will not.

“Yes!” She cried triumphantly.

He grunted. “Riaura have you ever noticed the Night Shield on my armor?”

“Yes. And?” She twisted to query impudently.

He shrugged. As they strode to the gate the men on the wall peered down at him incredulously.

“I demand to speak to the Captain of the Guard! This man is trying to remove me from the Keep!”

Jacob stepped forward amidst the two bloodied men remaining near the gate tower.

Perilously few compared to the hoard that would normally stand.

But Alazareth was happy to see Jacob was among the survivors. Not surprising though. I had great faith in his skill with a sword.

And he’d given Garix Jacob’s description in the hopes he’d spare him if possible. He’d make a hell of a Captain of the Guard one day.

“You have him!” Jacob held the flag bar above him to lean out and shout down to her as he gestured.

Riaura turned to stare at Alazareth in horror.

Absent the helmet, it was easy for her to see his grin flash over his shoulder.

“Surely not!”

“Perhaps you should know more about the operations of your own castle.” He drawled.

She sputtered, florid with rage.

“Cap, what are you doing with ’er?” Jacob called.

“She refuses to leave here the backway and the Rebels are likely to return tonight. It is of upmost importance we keep her safe until word from the council. I’m removing her to an alternate location.”

“My council?” She gasped.

Jacob peered down at him suspiciously but after hesitating a long while he nodded slowly and lifted his arm in a signal for the Gate Guard to drop the bridge.

And out we go.

“You must be jesting!” She proclaimed. Leaning up to point at the wall guards as they crossed the bridge. “He’s a traitor! I’ll have all your heads.” She pointed down the line of them. “Every one of you for allowing this betrayal!”

“You’ll do no such thing.” He gave her rump a hard swat as they stepped from the bridge onto the meadow and it was clear that her defiance was quickly coming to an end.

She unleashed a tirade of epithets that would’ve had Lucien’s pirates blushing.

Alazareth laughed and when she lurched up to give him an earful, he flicked his fingertips over his shoulder toward her. Dusting her face with silver flakes which made her collapse limply along his back.

And blessed silence, finally…