Jen sharpened her hearing and the distant ring of steel on steel reached her. She leapt to her feet and pulled her soul-forged blade from its sheath.

Footsteps pounded outside, getting closer.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Mikhail asked.

Jen grabbed the merchant and yanked him behind her. Soul force flowed, strengthening her muscles and hardening her skin. Not a moment too soon.

The windows shattered as an armored figure leapt through them. Glass shards bounced off Jen’s iron skin.

The stranger wore a full helm, gauntlets, and a mail coat that covered him from neck to knees. He carried a four-foot-long great sword. He whirled the blade around his head and sliced one of the chairs in half.

Jen rushed forward at full speed. Her sword streaked toward the invader’s neck.

His speed a match for hers, the great sword rose to block her attack. Unfazed, Jen continued the assault, her weapon a blur as it slashed and stabbed.

High, low, left, right, the armored man blocked her every effort.

Damn, he was fast.

Talon streaked in from the side, his double blades driving for the man’s unprotected legs. The invader leapt straight up, six feet into the air, carrying seventy pounds of armor.

Impossible.

Talon caught a boot to the back as he went under his target. The powerful kick sent him flying out the shattered window and into the yard.

Jen darted back into the fray. At the rear of the room Mikhail cowered behind Rhys. “Get him out of here!”

Rhys grabbed Mikhail and slung him over his shoulder. They raced away at warlord speed.

Good, now she could focus on her enemy without worrying about the merchant. She drew deeper from her soul force. A tingle from the hilt ran up her arm, her brother’s soul force reacting to her power.

She swung with all her might. The invader caught the blow on his blade and staggered. He hadn’t had time to set his feet after he landed.

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Jen swung again. All power and no finesse.

Every blow drove the armored figure back. It took everything she had just to manage that. This guy was strong, stronger than any warlord she’d ever faced. Almost as strong as the demon.

At the edge of the shattered window he bound her sword. Their guards locked and they jockeyed for position.

Jen pressed against him with every ounce of strength she could muster to no avail. Dark sparks shot from his gauntlets.

He grunted and forced her back a step.

Jen leaned in, trying to hold her position.

The gauntlets burst into black flames, just like the demon’s claws.

He forced her to retreat another step. Jen put everything she had into holding him, but he kept on coming. She couldn’t beat him and Damien wasn’t here to save her this time.

The tips of two blades burst out of his chest. The black flames flickered.

This was her chance.

Jen disengaged and spun. Her blade sheared the stranger’s head off. A fountain of black blood geysered out of his neck before his body collapsed to the floor.

Talon stepped on his back and ripped his blades out. Jen gasped for breath. She’d used everything she had.

“You okay?” Talon asked.

She straightened and nodded. “Stay here. Don’t let anyone touch the body.”

Jen left Talon standing guard over the corpse. Rhys wouldn’t have gone far. She needed to make sure Mikhail was okay.

Jen pulled the call stick out of her pocket and snapped it. Master Shen needed to have a look at those gauntlets.

She found Rhys and his terrified charge in the foyer along with Edward and three more dead bodies. She kicked one over so she could see his face. He didn’t look like much. Dark brown skin, beard, leather armor, scimitar, and a crushed skull.

“What happened?”

“I saw these three run through the front gate and followed,” Edward said. “I got two, Rhys got one.”

“It’s not a competition,” Rhys muttered.

“Hey!”

They all looked up. Alec stood on the second-floor balcony, blood spattered on his white shirt.

“You okay?” Jen asked.

“Sure, it’s not mine. There’s three more dead guys up here. Looks like they were trying to reach the wife.”

“Okay. Stay with her just in case. Edward, sweep the grounds, make sure we’re done.”

He nodded and vanished.

Jen turned her attention to Mikhail. “Who are they?”

He held his hands out. “I have no idea.”

“What about the big guy in the sunroom?”

The merchant gave her a blank look. Jen flicked a glance at Rhys who shook his head. Either the merchant was telling her the truth or he was so terrified Rhys couldn’t read his heart rate. Either way he was useless.

Edward appeared as though out of nowhere. “We’re good. I found six dead guards, but no more like this bunch.”

“Good. Watch the front. Alec!”

The young warlord dashed to her side. “Yeah?”

“Go to watch headquarters and fetch a patrol. Maybe they’ll know who these people are.”

He nodded. “You want ’em here double quick or should I take my time?”

“Take your time. Hopefully Master Shen will turn up soon and he can take a look around before the locals show up.”

“Got it.” He ambled out the front doors, hands in his pockets, looking for all the world like a teenager out for a morning stroll. Only the blood on his shirt spoiled the image.