Cassia was fully prepared for the danger. She did not scream as the man's hand clamped onto her shoulder, she reached up into her hair. She grabbed one of the long, sharpened silver pins the Madam had used to secure her veil. With a sharp, desperate shove, she drove the pin into the man's hand.
He howled, pulling back as blood spread across his palm. Jess screamed, and the second man lunged.
The stablehouse exploded with men. 'Valmont!' a voice roared. Soldiers dropped from the haylofts. The nervous guard drew his sword with practiced grace. The doors were kicked open, and Jeric charged into the room, his blade already drawn, gleaming in the dim lit room.
"Take them alive! Not a single soul leaves this bulding!" Jeric commanded. "Make sure we get every last one of these scum. There's nothing worse than traitors…" Spitting on one of them as he walked by. "You all shall learn just how wrathful I can be,"
