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Of course, swoop wasn’t the best word for the short distance the dragon covered — more of a hop for a creature that big and powerful — but it might as well have been soaring to the humans witnessing it. Those closest to the gallows screamed and ran for cover as the dragon approached, creating an open space in the crowded square. He landed there, held his wings wide in a protective shield for Robynne and Willa, then whirled to face the archers.
I dare you to shoot, his roar said, backed up by long plumes of fire. I dare you to make me even more angry.
I was too busy rushing toward Marian to look up, but an arrow plonked off the stonework near my side. It hadn’t been shot, just dropped. So, yes — the archers were terrified.
An eagle dive-bombed them for good measure — Alan, finally arriving to help.
All good news, but two targets remained exposed: Marian and Bess’s family. The latter was still huddled below Lady Thornton and that blazing torch.
I sprinted, only steps from that madwoman now. She whirled and held the torch over Bess’s whimpering family.
“Stop, or they’ll burn alive!” she screamed.
I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. Each of us had his or her assigned task, and mine was to free Marian. I had to focus on that and trust others to accomplish their jobs.
But, yikes. That scared me to death, because Bess’s fate rested in the hands of our weakest link.
I roared, launching myself at Lady Thornton. Her eyes went wide in shock, and her voice turned to a vengeful howl.
“If I die, they die,” she screamed, dropping the torch.
I flinched as it disappeared over the wall, mentally preparing myself for agonized screams to erupt. But none came. Even Lady Thornton did a double take, peering over the wall.
Bess crouched, hands over her head, children clutched close. The torch fell, leaving a red streak in the air. I braced myself for the whoosh and burst of heat that would follow the torch hitting the oil.
But at the last possible moment, a man stuck out a hand, caught the torch, and thrust it safely to one side.
“No!” Lady Thornton screamed.
Robert looked up with an insolent grin. “Yes.” Then he jumped to Bess’s side. “Let’s get you out of here, shall we?”
Ah, good old Robert, charming as ever.
All that happened in the space of two heartbeats while I leaped at Lady Thornton. Then, bang! I crashed into her with my teeth bared.
Finish her, my lion growled, going for the jugular.
But something sliced into my ribs, and my roar ended on a choke. I stared at the blood seeping from my belly and cursed.
Ah, Lady Thornton, conniving as ever. Now I knew why she hadn’t shifted to wolf form. She needed her hands for that knife.
Well, fine. I had already accepted death as inevitable, right? As long as Marian survived.
Except, oh. Maybe I’d lucked out, because that wound wasn’t as deep as I’d feared. So, huh. A lucky break — at last.
I bared my teeth for a second attack. One I vowed wouldn’t miss. I leaped at Lady Thornton, reaching with claws and fangs. As she stumbled backward, the air shimmered, signaling her impending shift. But she arched abruptly and screamed — a move so awkward and out of place, I was sure it was a trick.
“Lady Thornton,” the guard behind her gasped.
She fell, impaled by the weapon of one of her own men. A fitting end, I thought.
Her eyes crossed on the sword tip protruding from her chest, while her hands clutched at the rest, buried hilt-deep in her back.
“You fool,” she hissed, clawing at the stonework and gasping for air.
I winced at my wound, then backed up for a running jump at the balcony where Marian and the prince stood. As satisfying as it would be to watch Lady Thornton die, I had no time. Not with my mate’s life on the line.
For a moment, I flew gracefully through the air. Then, bang! I slammed into the side of the balcony, barely hanging on to the upper edge with my claws. With a grunt, I hauled myself up and over, then tumbled to the inside.
