Page 23 of Kingdom of Chains

Hodge reached back for his own bow, but by the time he had it loaded, the eagle was twenty feet above them. ‘What in God’s name is that thing doing here?’

Isabel’s eyes were wide with panic. ‘She must have escaped her cage. I am sorry.’ She moved her horse closer to Hodge’s. ‘You are bleeding.’

‘You let it out.’ His tone was shrill with accusation. ‘After I explicitly told you not to, that if I ever caught it outside I would—’

‘Shoot her from the sky. Yes, I know. I am sorry. I take full responsibility. Please, put the bow away.’

Hodge did no such thing. Instead, he took aim at the eagle.

‘No!’ Isabel screamed, reaching for him. But he was too far away.

Hodge released the arrow, but it never reached the bird because Blackmane’s arrow intercepted it, knocking it out of the sky. Margery disappeared into the trees.

All eyes went to the defender.

‘Shit,’ Tatum muttered.

For a moment, Hodge simply stared at Blackmane with a look of shock. That level of accuracy was probably unheard of outside of Chadora. But then the embarrassment and anger kicked in.

‘What the hell was that, defender?’ he yelled, wiping blood from his eye. ‘How dare you interfere?’

Blackmane glanced at Tatum, whose expression made it clear he had overstepped. ‘Apologies. I was aiming for the eagle and missed.’

‘Youmissed?’ Hodge laughed abruptly. ‘Are you trying to tell me a highly traineddefendermissed a bird with a seven-foot wingspan that was positioned directly overhead?’

‘To be fair, the sun’s at a bit of an awkward angle,’ Alveye said, looking up and blinking dramatically.

Hadewaye nodded in agreement. ‘We all have our bad days.’

Hodge looked at Tatum and shouted, ‘Is there no discipline within your unit, Commander?’

‘For missing?’ Tatum asked, feigning ignorance.

Isabel was looking from tree to tree, likely worried that the eagle would return. When she did not spot it, she turned her attention back to Hodge. ‘I am so sorry. I did not think she would follow.’

He lurched for her again, seizing her arm and proceeding to rub her hand all over his bloodied face. ‘Look at what she did. Look!’ He held her hand in front of her face, forcing her to see.

Blackmane instinctively reached for the knife strapped to his leg, but a single glance from Tatum made him pause.

Isabel’s eyes welled up. ‘I am sorry.’

‘I have told you time after time that an eagle is not an appropriate pet for a woman of your status,’ Hodge ranted.

Blackmane, on the other hand, now thought it the perfect pet.

‘I do not want that thing near you ever again,’ Hodge went on. ‘Do you understand?’

She blinked, and a few tears escaped. ‘I cannot simply—’

He squeezed her hand. ‘Promise me, or God help me, I will hunt that thing to the ends of the earth.’

‘I understand,’ she whispered, reaching for his face in an attempt to soothe him. ‘I understand. I am sorry.’

She was trembling now, as was Blackmane, but for a different reason.

Hodge brought her hand to his mouth, lips pressing so hard that Blackmane was sure his teeth would leave an imprint. ‘I love you,’ he whispered. ‘I love you. I love you.’

The man was insane, and Blackmane was beginning to realise just how trapped she really was. The English guards had all averted their gaze at this point. Alveye and Hadewaye looked on with bewildered expressions. Tatum appeared utterly confused by the whole scene.