The Lady Nun Vows Revenge by Caroline Rowland

The Silent 240

Chapter 240

"Archers, ready!" Ross barked, his voice sharp as steel the moment that agonized scream echoed from the woods

Over a hundred Black Flag soldiers instantly drew their bows, arrones aimed squarely at the treeline

"Wait-wan! We surrender! We surrender"

Panicked voices rose from the underbrush. The ambushers clearly hadn't

expected to be discovered before the party had even entered the forest-let alone have one of their own already pierced clean through

With arrows already nocked and a storm of death just heartbeats away, the would-be attackers wasted no time

en fools!" Ross thundered. You dare lie in wait and lunch an ambush on the road? Get out here-now-before we cut

all down!"

Terrified, the would-be ambushers scrambled out from the woods, some crawling on hands and knees, white-faced and shaking

Nolan narrowed his eyes at the sorry lot. "Which hill did you crawl down from?

The bandit leader dropped to his knees and sobbed, "We-we were once from Onyxgrave Bastion. But the stronghold was attacked, our leader slaughtered, most of our brothers killed. Only a hundred or so of us survived. We were starving. desperate-we just wanted to steal some food, not lives. Please, have mercy-we swear we'll never try this again!"

The man's voice cracked with fear, eyes locked on the corpse behind him-his comrade who'd been skewered through the chest by Nolan's warning shot. That arrow had missed him by mere inches. He was lucky to be alive and knew it

Nolan listened in silence, then nodded slightly toward Ross.

Ross's eyes gleamed coldly as he bellowed the single word: "Fire."

Screams erupted. The remaining bandits scattered in all directions-but the Black Flag archers were faster. Arrows flew like hail. In mere seconds, the entire bandit group lay dead.

team behind to handle the bodies, Nolan said calmly, as if ordering the weather. The rest

Mr. Bradford

as swiftly as

as their carriage rolled forward. and passed through the killing ground, they saw

horror, clutching the curtain in fear. Even Isabelle's eyes widened

said coolly. They were just

are you really going

Isabelle said through gritted teeth. "But if I don't try. I'll end up married off to

She would gamble everything.

the Henderson family and stay near Eliza forever. Eliza might hate her now, but she didn't care. She would pave the road to Regent's Manor in Eliza's name-even if she had to crawl. If

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Chapter 240

would be waiting. Let Eliza beshe

feelings. Sooner or later, he would marry

men. Men had always had wandering hearts, and even the most ordinary would take

nature now. Better to disillusion her early-so that if Eliza did return to the mortal world and enter

Isabelle would be there,

a lot from her years under her stepmother and half-sister-cruelty, scheming, the subtle art of survival. Eliza was too soft. Too innocent.

But Isabelle did.

carriage where Eliza rode, flanked by guards. A gust of wind fumered the

Isabelle smiled sweetly.

Isabelle smiled sweetly.

pulled

longer, then let out a

smiling like that?" Aria asked,

her understanding. What she longed for was

the unfinished embroidery beside her and began to stitch again.. "Miss, be careful. The carriage is

her own world, smiling as

when the needle pricked her skin.

they reached Plutonville, it