Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 1 - Chapitre 10

“Lily, after tonight, you are no longer the Countess.”Chris stood in the middle of the dais with his hand around Lucy's waist.“From tonight on, she will be the only lady of this land.”The crowd buzzed with excitement.I stood at the foot of the steps, still holding a goblet of the anniversary wine he loved.I had made it myself seven years ago and had planned to share it with him tonight.Now it seemed there was no point.Lucy peeked out from Chris's arms.“Then doesn't that make my sister a lowly slave again?”Chris soothed her.“Mmm. She won't mind.“After all, she sold herself into slavery once. She's just going back to what she was.”I tightened my grip on the goblet.Seven years ago, my mother fell gravely ill.I borrowed money from everyone I knew, but it still wasn't enough.So I offered myself as collateral to a slave trader and was thrown into an arena to entertain the rich.Just before the beast pounced, Chris cut my chains with one stroke.He hauled me out of the pool of

I hadn't even reached the door.A group of armored guards blocked it, the family crest on their sword hilts glinting in the lamplight.Lucy pointed at me.“Since when are slaves allowed to come and go from the lord and lady's chambers as they please?“Are you guards even doing your jobs?”Several hands reached for me at once.I recognized one pair of them.Toby.Three years ago, he'd been shipwrecked. Someone dragged him back to the docks covered in blood, barely breathing.I had treated his wounds and saved his life.Now he was gripping my arm, unable to look me in the eye.I stood there, struck by how absurd it was.Seven years.I had raised these men from the lowest ranks myself.I had given them armor. I had given them wages.Now, at one word from Lucy, they were ready to drag me off and throw me out like trash.“That's enough. Stop.”It was Chris.He walked up and looked down at me.“Lily, I'll give you a way out.“Apologize for the scene you caused tonight, and promise to stay aw

“Pirates!”Someone on the shore yelled at the top of his lungs.“It's the Raven flag—”I whipped my head around. Through the dark fog, the flag was drawing closer.The Ravens.The most ferocious band of Viking pirates at sea.Legend said that in the ports they burned, even the stones turned to ash.Chris stood frozen.His defenses were among the strongest in the region.But against the Ravens, he didn't stand a chance.More than a dozen ships cut through the waves.A man stood at the prow.The sea wind tousled his dark curls.An old cloak hung loosely over his shoulders.Behind him, men crowded the deck shoulder to shoulder.Their blades and axes flashed, and they looked ready to kill.Before the ship had even come to a stop, he leaped ashore.He didn't so much as glance at Chris. He went straight for the iron cage.He crushed the iron lock in one hand.He bent down and lifted me out of the cage.He wasn't gentle about it. If anything, he was a little rough.“Lily.”He curled his lip,

In the ship's cabin, the candlelight flickered.Arthur pushed me down onto the edge of the bed.“Don't move.”He tore off a strip of clean cloth.Only then did I notice that the rusty edge of the iron cage had cut my right leg. Blood was already seeping out.“You know how to treat wounds?“That doesn't really fit your whole barbarian act.”He worked with quick, practiced hands.“I've seen wounds ten times worse than this.“But the way you throw yourself into trouble, you'll get yourself killed sooner or later.”I snorted.“That's none of your business.”He looked up and narrowed his eyes at me.“Lily, get this straight.“I'm the one who fished you out of that rotten cage.“That life of yours? I saved it.“If I want to make it my business, I will.”I looked away.“Like I asked you to.”He shook his head.“Still as stubborn as ever.”He wrapped the last strip of cloth around my wound.“You know, I've been eyeing that natural defensive barrier you built for seven years.“If it weren't for

Just before dawn, a guard burst in.“My lord!“The pirates... they've all come ashore!”Chris shot up and grabbed his sword.“How many?”“Too many to count.”The guard had gone deathly pale.“They're everywhere, from the beach all the way up the slope.”Chris led his soldiers out of the city.The salty sea wind carried the sound of battle cries.One look at the enemy, and his heart sank.The men across from him were all huge and broad-shouldered, blades and axes in hand.They looked like they would slit a man's throat without blinking.By comparison, the handful of soldiers behind him barely looked like a fighting force.A few of the younger ones were already trembling.Chris gripped his sword hilt.He knew his men couldn't hold the pirates off in a head-on fight.He looked up, his gaze cutting through the crowd and landing at the very front.Arthur stood there.And beside him stood Lily.She had changed into pirate gear, a short axe at her hip.Her face showed nothing.Chris's heart t