Ginny Hartman by To Guard Her Heart Read Free Book Online

reverberate up his arm.
    Ignoring the sensation in his arm, Terric stepped forward, blocking the man with his larger body as they both headed for the king who was still lying on the ground, his face pale with shock. Just as they were about to reach the king, a high shriek pierced through the air. All three men turned towards the intrusion. Standing in the door was King Eustace and Queen Constance, who immediately began to swoon.
    King Eustace reached for his wife, catching her before she hit the ground. “I heard a noise and came as quickly as I could.”
    “Leave,” Terric growled, knowing King Eustace would be of no use in battle and, that if he stayed, he'd only be risking his life.
    Terric had no time to see if King Eustace obeyed his command, for his attacker was quickly on him once more. Metal hit metal, over and over again as the two engaged in a fierce battle. Terric briefly wondered where this man had come from, for it was obvious that he was a highly trained fighter. They were slowly moving towards one corner of the room, with the attacker being the one backed into the wall. The man lunged forward quickly, but Terric's instincts were quicker. He blocked the blow, twisting his arm furiously to bind his opponent’s sword. A quick flick of his wrist caused the man's sword to knock from his hand. The weapon clanked and slid across the floor as Terric maneuvered the blade of his own sword under the man's chin, pinning him against the wall.
    He was just about to remove the attacker's helmet with his free hand when he heard an agonizing scream near the doorway. He turned his head, never once taking his grip from the man, only to see that a second man had joined them. His heart dropped to his stomach as he watched King Eustace fall to the ground, his unconscious wife tumbling with him. The man had stabbed the king directly in the heart, his sword going all the way through his chest. King Eustace groaned loudly, both hands frantically reaching for the sword's hilt in a futile attempt to remove it from his chest, a last failed attempt to save his own life. Terric knew it would be of no use, there was no way the king would survive the fatal wound.
    “No!” King Cedric screamed as he watched his beloved brother dying on the floor, blood beginning to gurgle from his mouth.
    The second man reached down and retrieved his sword from King Eustace's body, holding it high above his head as he positioned himself above Queen Constance. Terric knew if there was any chance of saving the Queen, he had to act quickly. He forced the blade of his own sword through his opponent’s neck, ensuring the wound would be fatal before stepping back and letting the man fall with a thud to the ground. He fled towards the last remaining enemy but he was too late. Just as the man's sword fell to smite off the queen's head, Terric jabbed his sword with anger into the man's back, causing him to crumple and fall on top of the decapitated queen, his helmeted head hitting the stone floor beneath in an angry thud.
    Terric had no time to digest what had just happened, he was still in full defending mode and he needed to see how King Cedric fared. He turned towards him then and his heart clenched. The strong, confident leader of Darth was curled into a tight ball on the floor, loud sobs racking his entire body. Terric knew that the violent scene that the king had just witnessed would be burned into his mind forever, as it would his own.
     

Chapter 6
    An Oath to the King
     
    Terric turned from the king and rushed to the door, dodging the dead bodies as he angrily pulled it closed, barring it from any further assassins that may still be lurking within the castle walls. He had no idea how these two had managed to get past the other defenders, and he desperately hoped that the entire castle wasn't under attack. But before he could find out, he first needed to check on the king.
    Dropping to one knee next to King Cedric, Terric stretched forth one hand,