Bound by Honor (Book 1 in the Legacy of Love Series)

Chapter 9: From the Shadows

The road to the docks was narrow and damp, a thin fog clinging to the lowlands as the sun began to dip behind the horizon. Isolde and Lucien pressed forward, every step taking them closer to freedom but pulling heavier doubts into her heart. The air tasted of salt and freedom, but with each step, she wrestled with what they were truly leaving behind.

For hours, they moved in silence, alert to every crackling branch and whispering wind. The docks were close, only a mile or so away. Their escape, their hopes, lay just within reach.

Then, emerging from the fog, were five figures.

They were armed, their faces grim under the familiar livery of Edwin's estate. A chill swept through Isolde as realization struck—Edwin's men. Her pulse quickened, and a flood of panic surged up, freezing her in place. The guards stood firm, their presence a wall of authority and menace blocking the narrow path.

Lucien's grip tightened on his sword as he stepped protectively in front of her. "Stay behind me," he whispered, the steel in his voice unyielding, as he squared himself between her and the men.

The guard at the front, the leader of the group, took a measured step forward. His gaze roamed over Lucien, then rested on Isolde, his expression unyielding. "Sir Lucien," he greeted, his tone formal but laced with quiet menace. His eyes shifted to Isolde. "Lady Isolde. You are to return to the estate at once."

Isolde's breath caught, and she struggled to find her voice. She knew the answer to her own question before she spoke, but the need to hear it was undeniable. "On whose orders?"

The guard's lips tightened, his expression shadowed with the weight of his duty. "Lord Edwin," he replied, his gaze hardening as it settled once more on Lucien, barely concealing his suspicion and resentment. "You have been missed."

Lucien's jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing. "And if we refuse?" he asked, his voice barely above a growl, daring the guard to press his advantage.

The guard's hand hovered over the hilt of his sword, his stance shifting subtly as the other men exchanged wary glances. "That would be... unwise, Sir Lucien," he replied, his tone cold. "Lord Edwin has made it clear that Lady Isolde is to return—immediately. No resistance is to be tolerated."

Isolde's mind whirled, a desperate tangle of fear and defiance. The thought of returning to Marborough, of facing Edwin's wrath and the cold, unyielding life that awaited her there, felt unbearable. And yet, the looming presence of Edwin's men, their unflinching obedience to their lord, threatened to shatter the fragile hope she and Lucien had built.

"Do you understand what you're asking of her?" Lucien's voice was sharp, his gaze drilling into the lead guard with a force that made the man shift uncomfortably. "She deserves more than a life bound by duty alone. She deserves her freedom."

The guard's face remained impassive, though his hand tightened on his sword hilt. "Freedom is not ours to grant," he said stiffly. "She has a duty to her husband and to the estate."

Lucien moved closer, his voice lowering but filled with quiet menace. "Isolde has chosen her own path, and she doesn't answer to you—or Edwin—anymore. Stand aside, or you'll regret the choice."

A tense silence fell over them, the air thick with unspoken threats. Isolde glanced between the guards and Lucien, her heart hammering with fear and a fierce determination. She knew this moment was pivotal—the line between her old life and the one she desperately wanted. If they couldn't convince Edwin's men to let them pass, their only chance would be lost, and everything they had fought for would crumble.

But before she could speak, the guard's gaze softened just a fraction. He looked at her, and in his eyes, she saw something unexpected—a flicker of sympathy, perhaps, or a reluctant understanding.