With all her strength, the princess struggled to force the door shut, but the man was far stronger than she was. With one powerful shove, he pushed the door open, sending Lannae crashing onto the stone floor.
Her knees scraped against the rough surface, but she barely noticed the pain. There was no time to stop and tend to her injuries. The man stepped into the room and began advancing toward her.
Back at the bottom of the stairwell, another punch struck Benjamin, finally sending him crashing to the floor. A harsh cough tore from his throat as he spat blood into his palm. His chest rose and fell rapidly while the men surrounded him.
Yet even then, his thoughts were not on himself.
They were on the princess.
His gaze flickered toward the stairwell for only a moment, expecting to see Lannae still standing there. But she was gone.
Something inside him snapped.
