Chapter 15

Ryker

"Shit,"I muttered as Samael hauled Ellery forward.

Samael waved a hand at the boy, and a guard jerked him away from the stump. Like a frightened horse, the boy's eyes spun as his chest heaved. I didn't know if he understood what was happening, but I did.

The sheriff had no choice now. Ellery had backed him into a corner, and while I barely knew the woman with the blue-green eyes, I couldn't stand by and let this happen. I'd prefer to have nothing to do with the politics of this realm anymore, but I wasn't going to let her lose a hand over this.

"Enough!" I stated as Samael placed her wrist on the log and rested the tip of his sword against it.

"This does not concern you, Ryker," Samael stated. "Stay out of it."

I lifted an eyebrow at Samael's defiance. We were once friends who traversed the taverns together, shared more than a few drinks, and probably some of the same women, but no one, except my dead king, commanded me.

"I am the heir of Locksley," I stated, "and you will not take the hand of an innocent woman for a crime that never occurred."

From the corner of my eye, I saw the enormous man who had made it to the log grasp the boy's shoulder. In the commotion and disbelief over Ellery's sacrifice, the sheriff's guard had released the child.

The giant pushed the boy behind him and gave the child a gentle nudge. When the boy pointed at Ellery, the giant pushed him more firmly back and moved to block him from Samael's view.

I didn't see the child turn and flee into the crowd, but if the kid had any brains, he was already gone.

When Samael's eyes narrowed on me, I suspected we wouldn't get those drinks together soon, which was fine with me. Samael had never been the most kindhearted man, but I didn't recognize the amsirah standing across from me, determined to cut off the hand of an innocent woman.

"I have the power of the prince behind me," Samael stated. "It is my duty?—"

"And I have the power of our fallen king behind me and my title," I interrupted. "If you're going to take someone's hand, take mine."

With that, I held out my left arm. Ellery's jaw dropped as an audible gasp ran through the crowd.

Everyone must have heard how the king had deemed me his right arm during the war, how our fallen ruler had knighted me, and that I was his lead general. I resigned my post after Leo died and I returned home, but if Samael cut off my hand, it would be a direct insult to the fallen king, a hero in our realm and the man many still loved.

It would also infuriate the Duke of Locksley. Even if my father and I despised each other, he wouldn't tolerate anyone damaging his property, and that's how he'd always viewed me.

And the hell my father would unleash on Samael, a man far below his position, would make the loss of a hand look like great fun. The prince had assumed his brother's role while Leo went to war and was held captive by the ophidians. Ivan had appointed Samael to sheriff, but no one would choose to piss off my father.

"Someone has to be punished for this," Samael growled.

"Someone has to be punished for a little boy failing to steal my money? Why?" I demanded.

Samael's face twisted into something ugly; fog crept across the ground to encircle his feet as he briefly lost control of his powers before stifling them. The man was bloodthirsty, but he wasn't stupid; going head-to-head with me would only result in his death.

"Let her go," I commanded.

Blood welled forth when Samael's blade skimmed Ellery's golden skin. My teeth scraped together as I stepped closer, towering over Samael as I glowered at him.

I didn't care how pissed he was; he had no right to cut her in such a way. "Let. Her. Go."

Samael's lip curved into a sneer as he thrust Ellery's hand away. When Ellery staggered back, I steadied her with a hand on the small of her back. She cradled her wrist as more blood trickled down her skin.

"Where's the boy?" Samael demanded.

The mountain of a man didn't move as he crossed his arms over his chest and looked around him. The crowd craned their heads as whispers spread through them, but no one knew where the child had gone.

"Son of a bitch!" Samael exploded. "Everyone, get out of here. I'm hanging anyone who's not gone from here in ten seconds!"

With a few startled squeaks, the crowd pushed against each other as they sought to flee.

"This way," I said to Ellery.

I didn't know where her friend went in the chaos as I led Ellery away from the stump and Samael's fury.