Without replying, Blackmane walked slowly through the house, boots landing softly on the hardwood floor. He felt the weight of someone watching him. Pausing, he dropped his gaze to the ground, then slowly leaned his weight on his front foot. The floorboard creaked. His gaze travelled along it to the joins.

‘Cover me,’ he said to Tatum.

The commander ran forwards, sheathing his sword and loading his bow.

Blackmane gestured to the floor, and Tatum replied with a nod. The defender stepped back and drew his dagger, sliding it between two pieces of wood. They were loose.

He lifted one, and Tatum took aim at the gap in the floor. At first Blackmane could see nothing but shadows, but once his eyes adjusted, he made out little faces staring up at him.

Blackmane dropped to his knees and cautiously peered inside. ‘There you are. Everyone all right?’

No one spoke.

‘Any guards down there with you?’

Nothing.

Tatum kept his arrow trained on them. ‘Be careful.’

‘You all ready to get out of here?’ Blackmane asked. ‘Go find your parents?’

No one moved.

The men exchanged a confused look.

‘I know you’re scared,’ Tatum said, ‘but someone needs to start talking.’

One of the boys glanced at the girl next to him before saying, ‘They said if we made a sound, they would hang us next to our fathers.’

Blackmane reached out to the boy. ‘That’s just something scared people say. Come on. Let’s get you out of here.’

Tatum pulled up another board to widen the gap, and then the pair lifted the children up and out of the ground. ‘Probably safest for them to wait in here until the camp’s secure. Wouldn’t want them getting caught in the crossfire.’

Blackmane nodded in agreement.

The sound of the door opening had him reaching for his weapon, but it was only Thorn.

Blackmane drew his eyebrows together. He was supposed to be retrieving Isabel.

‘Where is she?’ Blackmane asked him.

Thorn glanced at Tatum, which made Blackmane’s stomach twist into knots. It was bad news.

‘Where is she?’ he asked again.

Realising what they were doing, Thorn walked over to help. ‘I don’t know.’

Blackmane stiffened. ‘What do you mean, you don’t know?’

Thorn lifted a little girl out and placed her safely on the floor beside him. ‘Hodge made it out.’

The words hung heavy in the air between them. That was impossible. Utterly impossible. The man was about as handy with a sword as Tatum was at doing his own laundry. ‘How the hell did they get out?’

‘Apparently they left for Hampstead Keep an hour before we attacked.’

Blackmane linked his hands atop his head and turned in a circle. Of course he had taken her to Hampstead Keep. He would be in full control of her there. ‘I have to stop them.’