Tyler, Lynn - For Her Honor [For Her] (Siren Publishing Classic) Read Free Page A

her mistake.
    “That looks to be some nice horseflesh, lad,” a rough voice said from behind her. Suddenly she was surrounded by a band of men, each bearing a sword and each pointing it directly at her. “That is far too much horse for a young lad like yourself,” said the same man. “Why do you not get off and give the mare to us?”
    Clearing her throat, Jocelyn lowered her voice to what she hoped would sound like a man’s voice. “You will have to take her from me,” she said confidently, her eyes widening at her own words. What in the hell was she thinking? While she was an expert with her sword, even she could not hope to take on five men at once. She crossed herself as she drew out her sword. She would go down swinging at least.
    The men merely laughed and slashed at her. Her horse reared, throwing her, and raced back down the mountain toward home. She was left lying flat on her back, staring up at the would-be horse thieves. Perhaps now that the horse had flown, they would leave her alone. “You cost us a horse, lad,” one of the men growled, “so we will take the cost of said horse from your flesh. Slowly.”
    There was only one thing left to do. Grabbing her sword, Jocelyn threw back her head and screamed bloody murder. Her battle cry energized her, and she jumped to her feet, swinging her sword. If she was going to die this night, she was going to make damn sure she was taking one of them with her.
    Her palms were slick with nervous sweat, but she didn’t let that stop her from jabbing at one of the men in hopes of throwing him off balance. He danced out of the way, though just barely. He looked down at his shirt in dismay. She had managed to slice through the material, leaving a hole about the size of a fist in the wake of her sword.
    The men froze around her as if contemplating their next move. Dare she hope she had convinced them to move off elsewhere?
    “You have ruined my shirt,” he growled. “We are really going to let you have it now, lad.”
    Dimly she heard the racket of horse hooves clattering behind her but focused her attention on the men before her. She deftly ducked her head under the man’s sword and feinted to the right, thrusting her sword at another thief, just missing his arm.
    She growled in frustration when her badly balanced sword wobbled in her palm. She steadied the steel and jumped aside just as one of the thieves lunged at her. She swung her sword with both hands and sliced into one of their legs. It was a shallow cut, but it bled freely. She didn’t have time to relish the triumph of drawing first blood.
    The largest of the men charged her, and she barely managed to step out of the way. She could feel the fatigue weighing down her arms and knew she wouldn’t be able to continue for very much longer. She only prayed they would kill her before they found out she was a female.
    Her pride wouldn’t let her give up, and Jocelyn danced around in a circle until she had her back to a copse of trees. A group of mounted men had arrived behind the thieves and seemed to spring into action. She had no idea when they had arrived, but she fervently hoped they weren’t allies of the highwaymen.
    Jocelyn sighed with relief as they began to fight on her behalf. Hardly able to lift her sword, she watched with resignation as one of the thieves broke away from the main fight and approached her. It was the man whose shirt she had ruined, and he had a violent look sparkling in his eye. This could be her last moment on Earth, and she had never even experienced the pleasure a man could give to her body.
    Over the thief’s shoulder she saw a large man bearing down on them. Something in the look on his face gave her the strength to raise her sword once more. Jocelyn managed to block the direct blow to her head, but the sword slid off hers and sliced through her shoulder.
    She watched her savior jam his sword into her would-be killer’s back and saw the tip of the blade emerge from his chest.