"Get down, my Lord!"

Julian did not hesitate at all. He lunged forward with all his strength, throwing his full body weight into Lord Raymond just as a cold, sharp blade sliced through the pitch-black darkness of the open courtyard.

They both crashed heavily against the hard stone floor. A split second later, a deep metallic thud rang out right where Lord Raymond’s neck had been sitting a short moment before. The sharp tip of a heavy hunting knife had buried itself deep into the thick wooden doorframe.

Lord Raymond gasped for air, his hands shaking violently as his top hat rolled across the dusty stones. "What in God's name...