‘Cease fire!’ he shouted. ‘I have Lady Isabel with me.’

The shooting stopped, and the trees went still around them. A full minute passed before a handful of guards emerged, weapons ready. Hadewaye had his bow loaded and aimed at them, but the weapon was as useless as Blackmane’s in that moment.

Hodge and Tatum appeared next, and Blackmane heard Isabel suck in a breath behind him. Tatum’s gaze shifted left and right, and he appeared visibly confused by the scene before him.

‘Someone better start talking,’ he said.

Blackmane looked over to where Seal was gasping for air while coughing up blood. ‘There was no need for that.’

Hodge stopped his horse, looking from Blackmane to Isabel, who was still hiding behind him. ‘Bring her to me—right now.’

Blackmane could not bring himself to lower his bow.

‘Weapon down, defender,’ Tatum said.

That was when he realised his bow was pointed at Hodge.

‘I suggest you listen to your commander and get out of my way,’ the earl said.

It took all his effort to lower his weapon and step aside.

‘Beloved,’ Hodge said, extending a hand. ‘Come. You are safe now.’

Isabel made no move towards him.

Confused by the response, Hodge looked over at the St Clare people. Recognition settled on his face when his eyes landed on Ita. ‘You.’

She lifted her chin. ‘Me.’

A flash of panic passed over his face before he regained his composure. ‘Where did you come from?’

‘The brink of death,’ Ita replied. ‘Right where you left me.’

Tatum looked to Blackmane for clues as to what was going on, but it was not a conversation that could be had without words.

‘Tell your men to put their weapons away,’ Ita said, ‘or my final living act will be releasing this arrow into your face.’

Hodge laughed abruptly. ‘You always were a rather unstable sort of girl. Whomever thought it was a good idea to hand you a weapon clearly does not know you as I do.’

Her bow creaked, and every guard around them shifted nervously in their saddles. Tatum also had an arrow trained on her, but Blackmane knew instinctively that he would not be the one to shoot her.

‘I should have known you had something to do with her disappearance.’ He seemed unafraid of the arrow aimed at his face. ‘Tell me, what lies have you told my beloved that have her in such a state?’

‘There is only one liar among us, my lord.’

Hodge exhaled sharply through his nose. ‘It is clear that you have gotten away with this behaviour for too long.’ He looked to the guard on his left. ‘Kill her.’

The defenders raised their bows, a reflex. What happened next should have been part of an elaborate plan but was simply a result of serving closely with someone for five years and being able to predict their actions. Blackmane took aim at the guard’s bow, sending it jolting sideways so it missed Ita entirely. Simultaneously, Tatum struck the arrow headed for Hodge mid-air, splitting it in two.