"Bring it in," Carlos ordered.
Two guards, the ones from outside who were now loyal to him, walked in. They were carrying a heavy wooden trunk. It was iron-bound and sturdy. They groaned under the weight as they shuffled into the room.
Adams sat up straighter. His eyes locked onto the trunk. His breathing quickened.
He recognized it immediately. It was his chest. The one Derek had confiscated. The one filled with his "private assets." The gold he had thought was lost forever.
The guards set the trunk down on the floor in the center of the room.
Thud.
The sound was heavy and promising.
Adams got out of bed. He walked toward it, his hands reaching out, his fingers twitching.
"My gold," he whispered.
Carlos walked to the trunk. He flipped the latch. He opened the lid.
The light from the window hit the contents. Gold bars gleamed and sparkled. It was a fortune. It was enough to buy a lordship. It was enough to buy an army.
