One of them slapped her arse. “It's us who are going to keep ye warm, woman. We plan to use you all night long.”
She forced a fake laugh and tossed her hair, following them back to their quarters, where the men drew lots to see which got her first. The soldier who won refused to let the others watch, sending them into another room. She lifted her skirts and straddled him where he sat on a chair, listening, as she moved, for the whereabouts of her men. She felt them below her. There must be a cellar.
At that moment, the door swung noiselessly open, and she stifled a gasp, her eyes widening in shock. Sir Ferrum was standing there—a giant warrior looking like he could tear apart a man with his bare hands. She pointed down and mouthed the word “cellar”, but Sir Ferrum was advancing stealthily toward her, his sword drawn.
In a single swipe, he lobbed off the head of the soldier she was riding, spraying her with his blood. She covered her mouth tightly with both hands to contain the scream in her throat, scrambling off and backing away from the dead man.
Chapter 6
There are times when a man's heart and head split in two—when the head knows something and understands it, yet the heart has plunged in another direction. This was one of those moments. Knowing Dani was working for Phillip—working on rescuing their soldiers rather than the escape he'd feared—should have pleased him. But the sight of her with another man made his blood boil with rage. He was going to rip every last one of the soldiers from limb to limb.
He left her there and headed farther back into the building.
“Be careful! There are several of them—”
He didn't wait to listen to Dani's urgent whisper, but entered the chamber with his sword swinging, gutting three men and slitting the throat of a fourth. He parried a blow from a fifth man and then threw his entire weight at him, tackling him to the floor before he caught his throat in his meaty fist and squeezed until the man stopped squirming.
He reemerged from the chamber. “Where?” he demanded.
Dani pointed a shaking finger toward a trap door, keeping the other hand still clapped firmly over her mouth. He opened the trap door and quickly descended. All four of their missing men were there, tied up. They had obviously been subjected to torture. Dani followed him down, and they both worked to cut their bonds. The men were not in good shape, but all were conscious.
“How many men have you seen total?” he demanded.
“Five,” Godfrey answered immediately. He seemed to be the most alert of the men, jumping to his feet and assisting with freeing the others.
“Can you all walk?” he asked.
“Aye,” Godfrey said.
Henley only grunted. Ferrum offered his hand and hauled him to his feet, watching as the squire swayed. He put his shoulder to the young man's waist and lifted him up over his shoulder. Dani helped Douglas to his feet and put an arm around his waist to help him.
“Don't leave me here,” John croaked, the panic in voice belying the terror the men had endured.
“No one's leaving you,” he soothed. “Godfrey, take my sword. You'll be our steel.” He bent and hauled John up over his other shoulder, staggering under the weight of the two men. Godfrey led the way up the stairs and he followed slowly, doing his best to keep the two men balanced.
When they reached the top, Henley grunted, “Put me down. I'll walk.” Ferrum set him down and readjusted John, and they headed out of the building. He led them to the closest dark alley he could find and then stopped in a shadowy corner. “Dani, go get the men and horses.”
She nodded rapidly, still looking as though she were in shock, and released Douglas to take off at a run. He had no doubt of her return this time. She had proven her steadfastness. Steadfastness to the prince—not to him. The burning in his chest told him he'd liked it far better when he'd believed the opposite of her.
To think he had feared she would try to escape. It seems he needn't have worried—she'd accepted her place with Phillip. But, God's teeth. He couldn't believe how much it hurt. She had never been his, had she? She was a whore, nothing more. She fucked whichever man she was near to serve her purpose. He had meant nothing to her. Nothing at all.
They rode back through the night and arrived at camp by noon, all of them dead tired. He couldn't speak or even look at Dani. When they arrived, he helped the injured men get settled before briefing Phillip on the rescue, including Dani's part in it.
Phillip's understanding was complete. There was no sympathy there; Phillip wouldn't offer something he didn't want. Just understanding.