Put them to the question? For an instant, just an instant, Renard had an image of these men trying to force answers out of Yselle, maybe treating her like a co-conspirator. That thought was enough to send Renard surging forward, with all the force and fury of… well, that was the problem really. He was still too hungover to fight, and one of the guards simply stepped out of the way, hitting him behind the ear with the hilt of his sword. This time, he did throw up.

Strong hands grabbed him, pulling his arms behind his back and binding them.

If it were up to me, the guard who seemed to be in charge said, Id take you out and hang you right away as an example, but youre lucky. His lordship wants to know how you found out about his treasure, and after that… well, maybe you arent so lucky after all.

Im always lucky, Renard managed as the guards started to drag him away. Cant you tell?

He forced a smile, but only ended up spitting blood. This was bad, worse than even the time when… well, frankly, worse than all the times. Before, hed always been able to fight his way out, or talk his way out, or just run away in an act of brazen cowardice that definitely didnt make it into his retellings of his deeds. Now though, he couldnt see how he was going to get away with this.

He was going to die.

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

Erin rode toward the village, not stopping, not able to stop. It was all very well the others saying that they should hang back and wait for more knights, but every moment that they waited was a moment in which the people in the village, the quiet men pretending to be villagers, might leave and get away with the things theyd done.

Erin couldnt allow that, whatever it might cost.

The possible cost flashed by her on either side as she rode in between the scarecrows theyd formed from the actual villagers. Erin thought about what it might be like to be tied there like that, left out for the scavengers, killed and abandoned. That only fueled her need to do this.

Come back, you fool! Til shouted behind her. Fenir was with him, the two galloping along in Erins wake. Erin supposed that from the outside, they must have seemed like an arrow wedge of charging knights, rather than one charging princess and a couple of knights trying to catch up to her. She almost laughed at the thought, then remembered what she was charging into and stopped herself.

A couple of crossbow bolts flashed past as Erin charged, close enough that she felt the thrill of fear that came with the near miss. She gripped her short spear tight in an overhand grip, ready to strike down with it as she charged. The supposed villagers were drawing weapons now, ready to fight.