Hidden Knights (Knights of the Realm #3) - Jennifer Anne Davis Page 0,99
above her. Reaching up, she pushed on the material until her hands found air. Someone grabbed her fingers, pulling her upright and out of the heavy canvas.
Ackley had been the one to yank her to her feet. “Are you okay?” he demanded.
Gasping for air, she nodded.
A dagger sliced through the fabric behind them. They turned in time to see Anna’s head pop through the collapsed tent. Then she slowly stood, the cloth now at her feet.
Reid searched for Owen, not seeing any movement under the collapsed tent. Was he still alive?
“Why do you have to be so difficult?” Anna sneered at Reid. “Not only am I your superior, but I am also your mother. You should obey me without question.” She shoved her hair out of her face, her shoulders heaving. “I thought you were loyal. I thought you took your oath seriously.”
Reid glanced around. The guards who’d been on patrol were on the ground, not moving. No snores or any other sign of life came from the eerily quiet camp. “What did you do?”
“What needed to be done.”
Out of the shadows, Dexter emerged behind Anna, a sword in hand. His eyes had a deadly glint as they remained focused on his prey. Slowly raising his arm, he prepared to make a killing blow.
Even though Reid shook from the adrenaline coursing through her, she tried to remain calm so Anna wouldn’t know someone lurked only inches behind her.
Ackley’s eyes widened. “No!” He stepped forward, ramming his sword toward Dexter. Only, the sword slid past Dexter’s right side, striking Harlow, who stood behind him. Harlow’s eyes widened. She dropped the knife she’d been about to kill Dexter with, grabbing Ackley’s sword and trying to remove it. As she tumbled to the ground, blood pooled around her body.
Furious, Anna whirled, stabbing her knife straight at Dexter. Ackley hurled himself sideways to shield Dexter, the knife embedding into him instead.
Shocked, Reid threw her own dagger, missing Anna’s chest. Instead, it sliced into her arm.
Anna whipped around. Her eyes narrowed as she stalked toward her daughter. “I planned to give you everything. But you’re not worth it. You’re as useless as your father.” She swung a tight fist, punching Reid in the stomach. “You should’ve been born a man. You’re just as worthless.”
Hunching over, Reid tried to breathe as pain pierced through her.
Anna rammed a knee into Reid’s face, striking her forehead and flipping her onto the ground. Stars exploded across her vision. She wanted to roll over and cower, but, if she hesitated for even a second, Anna would strike her again, gaining the upper hand. When Anna’s foot came into view, Reid’s mother hovering over her with a knife, she summoned every ounce of strength she had. Praying it worked, she shot her hand out, grabbing Anna’s ankle and yanking as hard as she could.
Anna fell to the ground, the knife knocked from her hand.
“I am not useless,” Reid gritted out as she twisted, putting a leg on Anna’s body and pinning her in place. “I am not worthless.”
Anna reached forward, clawing at Reid.
Reid grabbed Anna’s arm, wrenching it. “What’s truly useless is a mother who abandons her daughters.” Her voice cracked with pain and fury as she spat the words.
Screams rang out. Several people approached, looming over them. Reid recognized several of the faces—a combination of Ackley’s Knights and Dexter’s mercenaries.
Two of the Knights reached for Anna. Not sure what to do, Reid released her.
“What are you doing?” Anna demanded. “Let go.”
“You are hereby stripped of your title,” the one Knight said, restraining her.
“You’re taking my title? I gave you your title!” She ducked, then twisted, breaking the Knights’ hold on her. She darted toward Reid, her eyes wild.
One of the Knights tossed a sword at Reid. She deftly caught it, barely having enough time to bring the sword up and ram it into her mother’s stomach.
“What have you…done?” Anna asked, her voice fading as blood oozed from the wound.
Reid didn’t let go of the sword. “What needed to be done.”
Anna dropped to her knees, gazing at Reid with a mixture of anger, hurt, and love.
The life faded from her mother’s eyes.
Refusing to feel anything for the mother she never knew, Reid stepped back from the body. Wiping her brow, she observed the scene before her. Dexter and Gordon were kneeling on the ground beside someone. Reid ran over. Sprawled between them, Ackley sucked in short, raspy breaths. “What happened?” Panic and fear rose within her, making it hard to focus.