The guard exhaled noisily. ‘I’ve got a bad feeling about this.’

Blackmane began removing his weapons. ‘I assume you strip prisoners of their weapons when you take them into custody?’

‘Yes. They don’t hand them over willingly.’ He reluctantly took the weapons Blackmane handed to him. ‘How do you know I won’t tell everyone what you’re up to the moment we set foot inside?’

‘Because doing this my way means you’re alive at the end,’ Blackmane replied. ‘If you mess up your small part in this, I’ll cut your throat with your own weapon in front of all your comrades, then kill a lot of other people too.’

The man swallowed. ‘So I lock you up, and then what?’

‘That’s the end of your part,’ Tolly said. ‘You don’t have to worry about the rest.’

Blackmane walked his horse closer and held his hands out to be bound. ‘You were on patrol, and I killed your friend here. You captured me and locked me up. It’s that simple. Any more questions?’

Morris wiped sweat from his brow and asked, ‘Can I borrow some rope?’

The pounding on the door was giving Isabel a headache. ‘I just want to talk’ came Hodge’s voice through it.

She continued to ignore him.

‘I simply want you to join me on the terrace for something to eat.’

She pressed her eyes closed. ‘And I told you, I am not hungry.’

‘Open the door!’

She drew her legs up and waited for him to give up and leave, but he did not. Instead, the pounding turned to kicking. She covered her ears.

‘Go away,’ she called to him.

The kicks grew more intense until the door finally burst open, sending a spray of wood in all directions.

Isabel shot up from where she was seated and stared wide-eyed at the mess he had made.

‘Listen,’ he said, marching into the room.

She backed right up to the window.

‘My lord!’ came a voice in the corridor, making Hodge pause. A guard appeared in the doorway, looking around at the damage.

‘What is it?’ Hodge barked.

The man glanced at Isabel before speaking. ‘You were right to keep eyes outside the walls. We came across two men while patrolling the area. My comrade was shot, but I managed to detain one of the men. I thought you may wish to question him.’

Hodge took a few steps towards him. ‘You captured a wastelander?’

‘A defender. Goes by Blackmane. Came sniffing around exactly like you said they would.’

Isabel’s hands went limp at her sides. Ryder. He had come to Hampstead Keep. She went from elation at the mention of his name to despair at learning he had been captured in the same breath. He was here, in this castle—but he was also in grave danger. Hodge hated him and now had the perfect excuse to be rid of him for good.