Matthias stirred beside her, but his words were still heavy with sleep. “Could be anything from a coyote to a possum.”
The lead in her stomach warned it was neither, and he seemed to understand. Sir Matthias roused himself, kissed her, then climbed out of bed and tugged on his uniform. Reaching into a pocket, he withdrew a slim glass vial.
“If something is down there, break this, explain what’s happening, and rip the paper.”
“You don’t think…” Sapphire stared at the vial as he shoved it into her hands. “I’m coming with you. Papa taught me how to use a sword.”
“Then stay here and keep my family safe.”
Guilt ripped through her as the door closed behind him and his footsteps creaked down the stairs. She’d brought this danger to him, to his family. If anything happened to any of them…
Jumping out of bed, Sapphire bit back a curse as her feet hit the cold floor. She tugged on her chemise and gown, belting the thing into place when the buttons slipped through her shaking fingers. She yanked on a dressing gown and slippers, then dug to the bottom of her trunk and withdrew her father’s sword.
Sapphire hurried down the stairs.
A hand stopped her, and a scream curled in her throat.
“We heard something, too,” Leanne whispered. “Thought it might be some kids up to mischief until I saw Matthias heading downstairs with his sword drawn. Boy never draws his sword.”
Sapphire swallowed the bile in her throat. “He asked me to stay here and protect you. Is anyone else awake?”
“Most of the house.”
“I hope it’s nothing, but we should get everyone somewhere safe just in case.” But Sapphire had no idea where was safe from whatever lurked outside. Her hands trembled as she clutched the vial and prayed they wouldn’t need it, prayed her instincts were wrong.
Her prayers went unanswered as curses and clashing steel yanked her gaze to the window.
Sir Matthias’s sword lit up with the white fire of Dracor and illuminated the night.
Two men flanked him, while another two faced off against him.
Fear pooled in Sapphire’s veins as she opened the vial, explained Sir Matthias was being attacked at the Northland farm, then tore the paper. The Knights of Valor would learn what had happened, but they wouldn’t get there in time.
Celena came downstairs with her three children and stared helplessly out the window as she clutched the little ones to her.
Righteous anger burned through Sapphire.
Her grandfather had no right to pollute these people with his darkness, with his greed and fear.
She would not lose her husband, her new family, because of him.
Gripping her sword, Sapphire stormed toward the door, but Leanne stopped her. “He asked you to stay here with us. We may need you.”
Sapphire bit her lip and clutched her father’s sword as the men moved in on her husband.
Chapter 17
Sir Matthias studied the attackers, noting that they all carried swords and shields and wore padded armor. They weren’t bandits.
As the first one closed in on him, Matthias feinted back and to his left, slipping past the two men behind him.
“I’ve always wanted to kill a Knight of Valor,” the man on his right said.
Matthias ignored the taunts and concentrated on their swords. He may be better at healing, but all Knights learned to fight, and it wasn’t that long ago he’d faced off against vampires and necromancers.
Whispering a prayer to Dracor, Matthias steadied himself and waited. His sword flamed white, a brilliant fire that caused his attackers to pause. Facing a chosen of Dracor was not the same as cornering a noble’s bodyguard.
With a nod from the man on his left, the attacker on Matthias’s far right lunged. Rather than dodging backward, the Knight moved to the side, letting the blade skim past him as he sliced through the man’s thick leather armor.
Sir Matthias’s sword flamed brilliant white, and the attacker fell to the ground screaming as the flames spread across him like fire on old paper. The man tried to beat out the blaze, but it grew higher and brighter, forcing the three remaining attackers to turn away and shield their eyes.
Using the opportunity, Matthias launched himself at the next closest man and buried his sword in the mercenary’s chest.
The white light engulfed him as well, and the man dropped his sword and shield as he fell to the ground and rolled, trying to douse the flames.
Sir Matthias’s blade was still lodged in the mercenary, and he grabbed the fallen man’s blade and shield. Matthias turned to face the remaining two men as they backed away from him.
“Lost his sword. Can’t make the flames come again,” the man on the left said, but his words were uncertain.
They both took another step back from Sir Matthias as white flames shot down the Knight’s new sword. The flames had nothing to do with the sword and everything to do with the wielder’s commitment to Dracor.
Sir Matthias would not let thugs hired by Sapphire’s Rashalee-worshipping grandfather hurt her or his family.
“Kill him!” the man on the left said as he charged Matthias.
Sir Matthias blocked the blow with the shield he’d taken, and as the man stumbled back, a scythe cut him two. Matthias blinked and stared up at his father and brother. Ryland wielded the scythe as he did so often during the harvest, and Thomas was armed and equally proficient with a sickle.
The remaining bandit stared at the two farmers.
Years of training took over as Sir Matthias saw the opening and took it.
Charging, he rammed his sword into the man’s chest, and holy flames exploded through the assailant.
The white flames devoured the mercenary’s curses.
Screams from the house pierced the night, and Sir Matthias left that sword in the man’s chest as he grabbed the fallen man’s sword. He sprinted back to where he’d left Sapphire, his mother, and Celena alone and unprotected.
Sapphire gripped her father’s sword as the thug clomped down the stairs. He grinned when he reached the bottom and noticed her.
Positioning herself between the other women and the three children, Sapphire held her sword just as she’d practiced with her father. The invader was a full head taller than her, broad, and his armor was stained. He smelled of sweat and animal as he lumbered toward her.
“Right party down here.”
“We didn’t invite you,” Sapphire said.
“Your grandpappy’s not gonna be happy to hear that.” The man grinned, showing his missing teeth. “And your grandpappy’s paying me real well to make him happy.”
Sapphire felt the man’s hesitation. He was worried about something, and it wasn’t a roomful of women and children. A man willing to accept her grandfather’s coin only cared about the coin.
That and living to spend it.
“You’ll make him happy, then he’ll kill you to repay you,” Sapphire said, her tone matter-of-fact, almost businesslike.
The man paused as he appraised her.
“If you can identify him, if you know he’s the one that hired you, he’ll kill you once he has what he wants. It’s how he works. How he’s always worked.” Sapphire wasn’t certain, but she didn’t have to be. She just had to make him believe it.