Chapter 22

“Let her go,” Landon says again, though there’s a slight tremble in his voice. “You are surrounded. Even if you get out of here, there’s nowhere for you to go.”

Eswich presses the blade closer to my skin and I feel a trickle of warm blood flow down my throat.

“I will kill her if I have to,” he says.

I try opening my mouth but as the blade presses even deeper into my skin, I shut up.

“Be smart, boy,” Eswich sneers. “You wouldn’t want her to die, would you?”

Landon seems to be going through his options. Finally, he sighs and lets his head hang. “Stand down,” he says slowly.

“But my lord-“ one of the soldiers argues.

“I said stand down, officer!” Landon calls out while glaring at Eswich. “There’s nothing we can do.”

I look at him but he can’t seem to bring himself to look at me. He’s been beaten and we both know it.

“I thought so,” Eswich says, clearly satisfied with himself.

“Don’t think this is over yet,” Landon gnarls.