Chapter 29

"STAY RIGHT BEHIND ME," Daniel whispered in his wife's ear. She immediately moved, almost disappearing behind his massive body.

"Gentlemen, it appears that whoever sent you did not quite explain who you are up against." He held his arm out and a huge sword appeared from thin air. "I am Daniel Van Konigl, Duke of Salicera, and descendant of Queen Magtig herself. Do you think you stand a chance?" Daniel asked with a grin that made even Magnolia's heart shiver. There was a long silence among the men.

"Do not be too arrogant Van Konigl, even you could not defeat two hundred men at once," one of the men–their leader by the look of it–finally shouted.

'Two hundred men?' The words echoed in Magnolia's head.

Daniel felt her hands shake against his back. They had to find a way to escape. Had he been alone, Daniel might have been able to go all out and take minimum damage. But he had Magnolia to protect which lowered his chances by at least forty percent.

"Stay close," he whispered again.

Daniel closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them, a terrifying aura appeared around him, radiating an overwhelming blood lust.

It was the first time Magnolia saw this side of him. Of course, she knew that one of the names people called him was–the Cold Blooded Warrior. But seeing it with her own eyes was a different story.

This was also different from that day at the tavern. She felt like this was a different Daniel that she was meeting for the first time.

Four men finally rushed toward them at the same time, but Daniel managed to slash through them in a blink of an eye. Then more men ran in their direction.

The duke was all over the place, covering his front and back as he maneuvered his wife around. He was using his sword to block and attack, and his magic to send a few men flying before they were smashed to the ground.

Magnolia could see that even if he went on like this for a few more fights, he still would not be able to win against the waves of men coming their way. She reached for the nearest sword that belonged to one of the dead attackers and squeezed with both hands.

"I will help."

Magnolia never had proper training, but she had to learn how to defend herself and her son.

'I could at least take down a couple of these bastards.'

"No," Daniel growled. "It's too dangerous."

"I can do it, let me help you." But before he could refuse again, they were interrupted by swords from every direction.

It felt like Daniel was flying in a circle around Magnolia, not allowing her to hit any of the men attacking.

"Daniel," she called, frustrated.

"I have a plan," he said, his chest heaving as he waited for the next attack. "I will call Thunder. I want you to ride home and send the knights–"

"No."

"Magnolia," he roared, making her flinch.

A new wave of men attacked. This time, there was no end to them.

"Please," he pleaded with a voice heavy with desperation. "At this rate–"

One of the enemy's swords pierces his upper arm. Magnolia paled. Without thinking she stabbed the man responsible.

This was the opportunity the masked man had been waiting for. As though it was their plan all along, one of his men grabbed Magnolia and hauled her away from the duke. She found herself locked under strong arms with a sword to her throat.

"Van Konigl," the man called.

Magnolia recognized the venomous voice from earlier. It was their leader.

The fighting stopped immediately, and Daniel froze at the sight. He cursed under his breath. "Let her go. It's me you are after."

"Actually, we are after your whole family, Your Grace."

Rage moved Daniel's body as he lunged toward the man holding his wife. The bastard pushed his sword against Magnolia's throat.

"Stop," Daniel yelled at the sight of the blood drops. "Please."

"Now we understand each other." The man smirked. "Take his sword," he ordered one of his men.

Daniel handed it to him without any resistance, his eyes never leaving Magnolia's. Even when the men beat him and kicked him to the ground, his eyes did not budge.

Magnolia's tears rushed down her cheeks. There had to be a way to get out of this situation. Unfortunately, she knew that nobody back at the castle would even know that they were gone. Even Clara stopped coming to her bedroom in the morning, ever since Daniel started sleeping in her bed.

"Hold her." The leader threw her to two of his men and strode toward Daniel. "Not so cocky anymore, huh?"

His fist slammed against the duke's jaw. Magnolia yelped.

"Bind him," the masked man barked, and a few men ran to Daniel and tied his hands behind his back. Then, the man's fist hammered Daniel's face again and again.

"Coward," Magnolia screamed with rage in her eyes.

The man stopped only inches away from the next blow. He straightened his back and eyed the woman with a disgusting grin.

"Is that so? Care to explain?"

Magnolia gritted her teeth. "You bring two hundred men to kill one, then bind him before you beat him. That to me means that YOU ARE A COWARD," she articulated the last few words as her eyes burned into his.

Even though his upper face was covered by a mask, one could tell that the man's grin had disappeared.

Daniel watched nervously. 'You should not provoke him.'

He was in too much pain to even talk, let alone protect her right now. He felt so helpless it hurt.

"Duchess, how about we play a game?" The man's smile returned. "How about I toss this coin and if it is the head, you take off one article of your clothing." Magnolia's eyes widened. "If it is the crown, I stab your husband."

Her frightened eyes shifted to Daniel's bruised and bloody face.

'Gods, please have mercy.'