Before Julian could respond, the pursuing guards burst into the clearing. They stopped upon seeing Cedric and his men before immediately drawing their weapons.
"If you don't want trouble," one of them warned coldly, "hand the boy over to us and continue on your way."
Cedric looked briefly at Julian, who shook his head desperately, before turning his gaze back toward the armed men. His eyes narrowed, and his voice became dangerously calm. "And why," he asked, "should I hand him over to you?"
The bodyguards exchanged uneasy glances because they could hardly admit that they had abducted the boy. Realising words would solve nothing, they slowly tightened their grips around their swords before looking back at Cedric.
"You leave us no choice," they said almost at the same time.
The next instant, they charged.
