Keira's Fire

Chapter 18

Using my hatred as a mask for my intense fear, I raised my chin and watched the despicable captain approach on his horse. He stared at me, anticipation and triumph mingling on his face, making it harder to hide my fear.

Not like this, Keira! My mind screamed.

Looking down at the man whose throat still hovered at the end of my blade, I tried to work up the courage to kill him in order to end my own life quickly.

"I have no intention of allowing you to escape quite so easily," the captain said, anticipating my plan. "Put down your weapon or I shall kill every last one of your men and make you watch."

I didn't dare look at them, but thoughts of Jeremy and Stephen made it impossible to do anything but submit. I envied my brothers though. Should they fight right now, the captain would have no qualm with killing them. But for me, it seemed, there would be no such easy death.

My hands shook as I dropped my sword.

The captain dismounted his horse and came to stand in front of me. "I'm glad that you appear to be compliant." The gleam in his eye had my stomach clenching in dread.

Not wanting to have to see his gloating any longer, I looked away only to have him grab hold of my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes again as he examined my face the same way he did all those years ago.

"Oh, I hoped it was you, little fox." He smiled balefully. "I see now how apt that name was. You've been quite devious. I couldn't be sure it was you, of course. Rumors can be so misleading, but I couldn't help but wonder... When I saw you before I was almost certain, but still..."

His grip was forceful and I nearly lost my balance when he released me.

"You shot my valet, you know."

I barely had time to register what was happening before he struck me across the face. The blow wasn't hard enough to knock me over, but it was enough to blur my vision momentarily and probably result in a bruise later.

Hearing scuffling, I turned toward the source to find my brothers struggling against the soldiers who held them. When Jeremy met my eyes, I shook my head, signaling for him to stop. I'd taken hits worse than that before. He went still and Stephen took the cue from him and did the same.

Not wanting to give the captain the satisfaction of seeing any indication that his blow hurt, I kept my hands at my sides as I turned to face him.

"Still headstrong, I see." His grin widened. "I shall enjoy breaking you."

The foreboding in my stomach blossomed and an involuntary shiver traveled my spine at the sadistic look in his eye.

"But first things first," he said. "I think we need to get those lethal hands of yours bound before your impetuosity overpowers your good sense."

"No, no." The captain held up his hand, stopping the soldier who approached with a length of rope. "I think it only fitting that the informant be the one to do the honors," he said before shouting the command. "You, come here!"

Informant? Had Owen trusted the wrong person with our plan? Had we? Perhaps we just weren't careful enough and someone overheard. What if something happened to him too? What if our secret was out and the soldiers were waiting at the rendezvous point for anyone who showed up? Our crusade would be crushed before it even had the chance to start.

I was sure the direction of my thoughts had caused me to hallucinate when I saw Owen suddenly appear. A second later I realized it was no daydream. He was actually here! I wanted to scream at him to get away. What was he doing? Couldn't he see that we were outnumbered?