Free Goddess Born by Kari Edgren

hoisted himself back up to the seat. He clicked the reins to put the horses into a slow walk. Henry found his footing on the step right below the door to watch the rear, hooking an arm in through the open door sash for balance. Several very long minutes passed in this way, nobody saying a word, when a pistol report cracked in the distance followed by a soft thud in the wood, inches from where Henry stood.
    I screamed and fell back onto the floor just as Henry leapt down and disappeared from view. Horses thundered from all sides. Men began to shout, followed by the distinct clank of steel against steel. From my vantage point on the floor I could see nothing more than green leaves and the blue sky overhead, but it sounded horrible, as if we had been set upon by the legions of hell.
    Another pistol discharged, much closer this time. A man screamed and I shut my eyes tight, trying to block out the chaos. Oh , please Dear Lord , let Ben and Henry live , I prayed fervently. I’m sorry for being so bad and making Henry marry me...
    I was on the verge of promising to mend my evil ways and send Henry back to England on the next available transport when the door was suddenly yanked open. A long shaft of sunlight spilled into the carriage, and I squinted into the glare, gasping at the sight of the redheaded demon.
    A wicked grin revealed a mouthful of brown, rotten teeth. “I’ve been waiting for ye, m’lady. Won’t ye come out and play?” Before I could scramble away, the demon took two fistfuls of brown silk, and pulled me from the carriage, straight into his hideous embrace.
    “You filthy devil!” I screamed, kicking wildly and struggling to break free. “Take your hands off me!”
    He grabbed me by the hair and forced my head back. “Aren’t ye a pretty little wench,” he said, his breath a revolting mixture of whiskey and rot. “A mighty fine reward for helping Dirk get back that boy ye stole from him.”
    I caught a glimpse of Henry and Ben not too far away, swords drawn and engaged in serious fighting. A third man lay still on the ground while a fourth circled Henry like a bird of prey, a rope in one hand as he waited for just the right moment to jump in. No matter what happened to Ben and me, it was clear they meant to take Henry alive.
    The demon wrenched my arm, jerking me around the side of the carriage and away from the other men. “I’ll be enjoying ye first.” He pressed closer until our bodies were crushed together. “Dirk likes his wenches fresh, but he’ll have to wait his turn for ye.”
    Terror rippled through me and I shrieked like a banshee, my knee flying straight up toward his groin. He shifted at the last second, taking the blow in his thigh.
    “Play nice, my sweet,” he said, “or I may need to get rough.”
    I wrestled one hand free and raked my nails down his cheek, leaving behind four long gouges that made him howl in pain. Scowling, he drew back his arm and punched me full force in the stomach. The air rushed from my lungs and I dropped to the ground like a rag doll.
    “That’s better,” he laughed darkly.
    I landed in a disheveled heap, my breath gone and my face resting in the dirt just inches from his filthy boots. Black spots dotted my vision as he placed the sole of one boot against my shoulder to nudge me over. From my back, I stared up at his depraved face, at the breeches that now flapped open around his hips. With a grunt, he came down on top of me and started to tug at the multiple layers of silk and linen in his way. The vicious blow had taken my strength, allowing him to hold me in place even once my chest released, and I wheezed for air.
    Unable to escape, I had clamped my knees together hard when his weight shifted and then suddenly lifted from me altogether. His evil grin transformed into shock, and I watched as the point of a sword emerged through the front of his chest, the bloodstained tip stopping inches from my nose. Henry pulled the blade free and pushed the