Page 100 of Ruthless, But for Her

Cassia stared at him.

“And what will be said of Roland’s death?”

“The wardens will hear the testimony of his men. There is no reason for you to involve yourself.”

No reason.

She thought of Roland reaching for her. Of the wet stone beneath his feet. Of Ashton kneeling above the water.

Of the story being told now because she had remained silent.

“I disagree.”

He took a bite of quail. It was no longer Cassia’s favorite and hadn’t been since she was a child.

“He slipped, Father. The warden’s men have falsely accused the Black Sails crew. The truth is, Roland reached for me and he slipped. The crew did not murder him, and I will testify to it.”

He stopped chewing. “Cassia, you will not involve yourself any further. Allow justice⁠—”

The remaining servants fled the hall. Cassia wished she could do the same.

“Justice would see them exonerated and not accused of murder,” she said, quietly but firmly.

“Harcourt will not care for it. If you would but listen to reason, Cassia.”

He had not listened to her. Not a word she’d spoken had penetrated his thinking. It was as always. Any more attempts to convince him would do little.

In her father’s mind, the matter was already settled.

She ate, pretending to listen to her father and began to plan her journey to the Day of Truce.

She could not travel there alone and would need to hire an escort. Still, Cassia would tell no one, not even Nell.

She’d been given an opportunity to help Ashton and his crew, and Cassia meant to take it.

And then she meant to decide what came next for herself.

CHAPTER 56

Ashton

“Ryker!” Ashton screamed.

It was an ambush not even he had seen coming. They were outnumbered, nearly two to one, and Ryker had nearly just paid the price.

Thankfully, as Ashton dispatched another of the warden’s men, he watched Ryker catch the descending blade against his own, turn beneath it and drive his sword into the man’s side.

After that, Ashton had little time to do anything but keep his own head on his shoulders.

By the time the skirmish was finished, the last of the warden’s men ran into the hills, as they always did.

Sorren did not order pursuit. “Hold!” he shouted when two of their hired men started after them. “Let them go.”

They stopped. For a moment, no one moved. And then sounds came back.

A wounded man groaning somewhere behind him. Someone coughing. Another cursing as he tried to pull an arrow from the ground with a boot planted against the shaft.

Ashton found Ryker first with blood covering the sleeve of his tunic.