The Robber Knight's Love (The Robber Knight Saga #2)(126)

Without bothering to turn, Luca kicked the knife out of his hand, and then let his foot come down on the steward's fingers.

“Arr!” Burchard bellowed in pain, and Ayla tried to twist to see what was going on.

“No! Please stop,” she pleaded. “Please don't hurt him! I'll…I'll…”

Not even pretending to listen to her, Luca lashed out with his armored foot a third time and delivered a stunning kick to Burchard's head. The steward was thrown back and slammed into the parapet with a very unhealthy thud. He remained there, limp, his head hanging to the side.

“Nooo!” Ayla wailed. She tried to turn again, but Luca had a firm grip on her. For just a moment, he looked down to see if she was still secure.

Reuben moved. In the split second that was given to him, he had already crossed half the distance between him and his prize—but it was not enough.

“Back!” His eyes flashing up, Luca pressed the knife more tightly against Ayla's throat. Her scream of pain was like a dagger thrust into Reuben's heart. Literally. He hadn't felt pain like this in years. Not since he had been cursed. All he saw was the fear in her eyes and the thin trickle of blood running down her slender throat.

“Back up, bastardo!” Through the slit of his visor, Reuben could see the beetle eyes of the mercenary commander glinting dangerously. “Or I'll cut her some more.”

Reuben tried to make his voice seem calm. Thank the devil that he was wearing a visor and that the other man couldn't see the expression on his face, or any appearance of calm would be instantly shattered.

“I thought you wanted it to be just the two of us?” He inquired. “A duel to decide the fate of this battle.”

“I lied.” Reuben could hear the smirk in Luca's voice. Stay calm, he told himself. Do not, I repeat, do not try to lunge forward and rip him apart with your bare hands. Ayla's life is at stake.

He made himself laugh dismissively.

“Ha! And why do you think that I care if you cut her or kill her? She is convenient for holding this land together, true. But even if you kill her, I'll still have the old man in my power. It won’t be difficult to make myself the lord here.”

“Oh?” Sir Luca's voice sounded amused. “You only want her for convenience and a way to power? You're not really interested in her? Well, then I guess I'll better kill her right away.”

His blade moved.

Reuben jumped back as if stung by a viper. “No! Don't!”

“I thought as much.” The dark self-satisfaction in Luca's voice was enough to make Reuben want to choke him. Actually, the man's mere existence was enough for Reuben to want to choke him, but that was beside the point right now.

“So you wouldn't like it if I killed her?” the Italian inquired.

Reuben's jaw muscles worked like those of a hyena. He desperately tried to find something that would keep him from snapping and attacking that half-faced haggard. Finally, his eyes landed on Ayla's face. And what he saw there drained all the anger out of him. Well, almost all.

Her eyes weren’t full of fear. It was worse. They were brimming with love, with desperate longing. He knew exactly how she felt. He thought that, if only he could close the distance and have her in his arms once more, all the world would be right again.

Of course, there was the little matter of the knife at her throat.

“Yes,” he whispered. “I wouldn't like it at all if you killed her.”

“Then lay down your sword.” With his free hand, Luca made a motion towards the Luntberg soldiers further down the walkway. “All of you! Lay down your arms immediately, or your mistress will be a head shorter!”

From behind him, Reuben heard the clatter of weapons that fell onto the walkway. Instinctively, his hand tightened around the hilt of his sword. He couldn't let go! Not now! He was the only one who stood near enough to Ayla to be possibly able to save her. He couldn't let go off his weapon. Oh, if Luca could only be distracted for just one moment! One moment would be enough.

“Let go, I say!” Luca's voice had a note of steel in it this time. “Or I will hurt her. Do it, now!”

Reuben's hand trembled. He couldn't! He was the only one close enough to…

Or maybe not.

Surprised, he blinked. Was he seeing right? There was a shadow behind Luca—a small shadow slowly creeping nearer to the mercenary commander. Was it Burchard? Reuben flicked his eyes to the left, where the steward was still lying, passed out, against the wall. In rising confusion, he looked back at the approaching shadow. It couldn't be Burchard anyway. Whoever this was, was only about a quarter of his size. Who…

Slowly, a smile of comprehension spread across his face. Once again profoundly grateful for the visor that blocked his face from Luca’s sight, he loosened his grip on his sword and let it point down, so Luca would follow its course with his eyes, keeping him busy. All the while, the small shadow crept closer.

“How do I know that, if I let go of my sword, you will release her?” he asked.

Luca snorted. “I won't. She'll be my prisoner until the Margrave arrives. But she will still be alive.”

“Will she? How can I possibly trust you?”

Now, the shadow was only a few feet away. Reuben saw something in its hand. Something long and thin.