Honor's Price Read Free Page B

fools and rubbed his neck as if he were in pain. The action bought him a few seconds to organize his thoughts.
    He decided to throw the dice and see where it got him. “I had a drink with Captain Bayar, and he mentioned the possibility of a job. I stopped to use the privy and was supposed to catch up with him.
    â€œBy the time I got here, he was dead. I never heard the other man’s name, but Bayar was already down and wounded. He obviously hadn’t even had a chance to draw his own weapon. The merchant was standing over him with a bloody sword and stabbed Bayar a second time.”
    Kane drew another breath and finished his hastily assembled tale. “I rushed forward, hoping to block the blow, but I was too late. When the crazy bastard came at me next, I killed him.”
    There. His explanation covered all the observable facts. He waited to see if these three believed him or not. If they didn’t, there’d be another fight, although he really hoped it wouldn’t come to that. There was no telling how the duke’s guards would react to finding four of their own dead in one night.
    Kane had no doubt of the outcome of the possible fight. These fools might be well trained by their standards, but they’d never faced one of the Damned in armed combat before. Finally, the sergeant glared at Kane and then at his two companions. He pointed at the one on the right.
    â€œCorporal, fetch the rest of the men and bring them here along with something to carry the bodies on.”
    As the corporal took off running, the sergeant told the third guard, “Bring a pair of lanterns so I can see better what happened back there.”
    Then he turned his attention back to Kane. “You stay right where you are. Try to leave and I’ll gut you like a pig. If your story holds water, we’ll give your sword back. I’m Sergeant Markus.”
    â€œI’m called Kane.” He leaned back against the wall, crossing his feet at the ankles. “I’ve got no place to be. Let me know when you’ve made up your mind.”
    Even knowing Kane didn’t have his sword, the guard didn’t turn his back until he was halfway down the alley. Kane smiled. Maybe the man was smarter than
he
looked.
    For now he would wait to see if he’d taken his first step toward infiltrating the duke’s inner circle.

Chapter 2
    â€œW e need her.”
    â€œAre you certain?” Murdoch glared across the table at Gideon as he waited for him to defend his decision.
    Normally he would accept his captain’s opinion without question. Gideon had led their small band of warriors wisely and well. The sole exception had led them right to this point in time, with all five of them damned to an endless cycle of bloody battles alternating with long periods of time sleeping under the river.
    Gideon rubbed his temples and briefly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his words conveyed his own reluctance, as if he needed to convince himself as much as Murdoch. They’d all been in the pasture trying to calm the horses when Duncan and his lady had come charging into the keep just as the enemy had attacked. Lavinia had wielded her own powerful magic to block the blasts of destructive power Duke Keirthan had sent their way. At the same time, Duncan had shielded everyone else from harm, using a spell Lavinia had taught him.
    Gideon was struggling to come to terms with all that had happened. They all were. “You saw what happened out there, same as I did. If Lady Lavinia hadn’t been there to intervene, we would have all died. She almost did.”
    Murdoch frowned as he nodded. “True, but she’s Keirthan’s blood kin. Could that connection have led his attack right to our doorstep?”
    Duncan had remained quiet until that point. He surged to his feet and slammed his hands down on the table. “Murdoch, I share your mistrust of magic, but do not accuse Lavinia of being in league