A Battle Lord’s Heart Read Free

break her fall with her hands and
arms, instinctively protecting her stomach. She landed amid the barrels of
drink, scattering mugs, as several people shouted out a warning. A stab of pain
went up one leg, but fortunately that appeared to be the worst of her injuries,
other than a few bruises. Her jacket had protected her from anything more
serious.
                Heat infused her as her anger
flamed. From where she lay sprawled on the ground, she looked up at the big
burly man she’d seen at the nut stall standing a few feet away, calmly munching
on his purchase as he gave her an amused grin. Turning to his companion, he
said, “Hey, look at the Mutah bitch” and chuckled. “You never know what they
let in here, do you?”
                “Excuse me,” Atty said tersely as
the people around them grew quiet, “but I think you did that on purpose.
Therefore, you owe me an apology.”
                The burly man gave her a surprised
look. Leaning over, he exaggerated holding a hand to his ear in her direction.
“Huh? What was that?   Anders, did the
little bitch try to say something?” His expression suddenly went dark. “Come on.
Let’s go see what else this burg has to offer. I’m beginning to feel sick to my
stomach, having to smell this Mutah at this close range.”
                A sword suddenly descended between
the two men from behind them, its point pressed to the burly man’s shoulder.
Both men halted in surprise as a calm voice said, “The Lady asked for an
apology. I strongly suggest you give it.”
                The men stepped aside to where Atty
could see the person at the other end of the sword. “Who the fuck are you?”
Burly Man demanded irritably.
                Mastin gave a semi-dramatic
half-bow. “Second-in-command Cole Mastin. Now, about that apology.” He turned
to Atty with troubled eyes. “Are you all right?”           
                Atty opened her mouth to reply when
the burly man suddenly knocked the sword upward, throwing Mastin off-guard.
Unprepared for a retaliatory attack from the man’s companion standing behind
him, the Second never anticipated the roundhouse blow to the back of the head
that dropped him to the dirt.
                Several women screamed as the Burly
Man reached down and grabbed Mastin’s sword from the man’s nerveless hand.
Somehow, Atty managed to find her footing as the men were dealing with the
soldier. She cursed herself for not bringing her quiver of arrows with her, but
the Ballock slid into her palm, warm and ready to do her bidding.
                Before the Burly Man could lift the
sword for whatever purpose he had planned, the dagger was digging its point
into the thick part of his Adam’s apple.   Atty stood at arm’s length, her eyes darting between the bent-over man
and his partner. She had no idea what to do next, or even how to protect
herself. But she knew that at some point one of them would have to end the
stand-off.
                “Leave this compound. Now,” she
ordered, panting slightly.  
                Burly Man growled as his eyes raked over
her face and figure. “Anders, get this bitch’s pig sticker outta my throat
before I ram this sword up her pretty ass.”
                “Touch her and I’ll kill you,”
another voice menaced darkly.
                Before anyone could comprehend the
swiftness, the companion melted to the ground in an unconscious heap. Yulen
stood behind him, the pommel of his sword held high from where he’d bludgeoned
the back of the man’s head. Casually, the Battle Lord advanced toward the burly
man, twirling his sword expertly before stopping its point inches away from
where Atty held the man at bay. “You were ordered to leave this compound. I
expect you to obey,” Yulen told him, his face as flushed with anger as were his
words. He made no attempt to