Kaelyn, Wyndham, and a dozen knights rounded another curve in the pass of Gentle Crossings. They’d traveled hard to get there as fast as they could, but the roar rumbling around them said they haven’t arrive in time.
“The battle’s begun,” said Wyndham. He spurred his horse into a gallop.
“Wyndham, wait.” Kaelyn urged her mount to follow. The captain of the knights yelled at them, but Wyndham didn’t slow. They rounded the last turn in the pass and crested the hill. Before them the plain was filled with men, fighting, dying, screaming, yelling. Blood and bodies littered the scrub and new grass.
Bile burned the back of her throat. A few feet away, on a rise, stood Harcourt, his General, and a handful of soldiers. Wyndham leapt from his horse and scrambled up the rise.
Kaelyn followed. The fool was going to get himself killed. It was Harcourt who’d started this whole thing. What did he expect? His brother would just give up?
She rushed after him, hand on the hilt of her sword.
“It’s about time,” said Harcourt, without taking his eyes from the battle before him. “What took you so long?”
“It’s over. Call your men back,” said Wyndham.
Harcourt jerked around, his eyes wide. “Wyndham? You’re supposed to be dead.”
“Call your men back.”
Harcourt snorted. “It’s hardly over. How are you going to stop me?”
“Reynold knows the truth.” Wyndham stepped forward and Kaelyn’s stomach churned.
“Does he?” Harcourt narrowed his eyes and his gaze slid to Kaelyn. “Can’t leave well enough alone, can you?”
She shrugged. “Guess it’s not in my nature.”
“I hear there is nothing natural about you.”
“Bastard.” Wyndham yanked his sword from its sheath.
Light flash against metal and she leapt for Wyndham, grapping his collar and yanking him back. Harcourt’s blade whooshed past, slicing air. He lunged forward.
Kaelyn shoved Wyndham aside and drew her sword, batting aside Harcourt’s shaky attack.
Wyndham yelled something and she glanced to see if he was all right. Behind them, Harcourt’s men and Wyndham’s were engaged in battle. The captain of the knights was at Wyndham’s side, while more of Harcourt’s men advanced on her.
“Why don’t you put that down before you get hurt,” said Harcourt, nodding at her sword.
“Why don’t you.” All the frustration and hurt she’d felt since she’d woken in the temple in Norwell ignited within her. Harcourt was responsible for it all, and so much more.
“You don’t honestly think you can stop me?” He swung at her.
She stepped out of the way. The man was worse than any of the boys she’d sparred with in the solstice tournament. “I think my odds are good.”
Someone moved at the edge of her vision and she spared a glance. Harcourt’s men. Well, it would have been easy if she’d just had to face him, but nothing in her remembered life had been easy. Why should it start now?
She sucked in a quick breath and drew the fog in her mind around her. Time slowed. Her pulse thumped, sure and steady.
The first soldier swung at her. She sidestepped and slid her blade through a gap in his armor under his armpit. The next soldier shuffled in, his expression a mix of shock and rage.
They were all moving so slowly. Step, step, dodge. Another swing, a feint this time, and a strike. Her body moved as it always did when she fought, of its own volition. Men screamed, their voices muted by the fog in her head. Blood sprayed and they fell or staggered away.
Then only Harcourt remained, mouth hanging open and eyes wide.
#
Talar blocked a swing at his head and shoved the Meriduinian soldier back. Bledig thrust and impaled the man, then jerked his blade free.
“Thanks,” said Talar.
Bledig nodded, his face and leather jerkin dark with blood and mud, like Talar’s, like everyone’s on the field.
Something flickered across the clansman’s face. He straightened and pointed at the southern end of the field. “Look.”
Talar turned. Light billowed from the rise the Meriduinian generals were using to watch the battle. Men surrounded someone.
One of them staggered back and dropped to his knees and there she was. Kaelyn.
Talar’s breath caught in his throat. Her hair had come loose from its braid, long wisps flew about her as she whirled, blocking, dodging, and attacking. The light around her intensified.
Clansmen on the battlefield cried out and men on both sides stared. Silence pressed around him, even his breath rasping in his chest quieted. The sight of her was mesmerizing. She spun and stepped, her blade flashing in the sunlight.
The last of her assailants collapsed and she paused, sword raised above her head. The Goddess as Warrior.
His heart thumped once, hard.
Now he knew what Bledig had seen. What everyone else had seen. She was breathtaking and divine. She was chosen for something. Perhaps this was it. A renewal of the clansmen’s faith. A revitalization.
His heart thumped again.
Goddess. His Goddess.
Fire lanced through his Tree of Life, up his leg, along his torso to the nape of his neck.
His vision blackened and the light around Kaelyn faded.
Screaming and yelling roared around him.
Oh, Goddess.
Pain seared the back of his legs. His muscles trembled and he fell.
#
Time lurched back to its usual pace for Kaelyn. Harcourt spun on his heel, dropped his sword, and ran. She bolted after him. So many people were dead because of him. Because she hadn’t remembered to stop him.
He raced around ragged rocks jutting from the earth into a dead-end. Rough granite walls surrounded him, but he didn’t stop. He leapt at them, scrambling up the uneven side, sending debris skittering to the ground.
She sheathed her sword and grabbed the rock face. The stone dug into her palms and fingers.
He climbed faster than she thought possible, scaling past a ledge and out of reach.
She followed, praying her hand and foot holds were good, not having the time to test them. Her muscles burned and sweat slicked her palms.
He grabbed a branch jutting from the stone. The limb pulled free and he slid toward her.
She grabbed for his leg. He kicked down, slamming his foot into her shoulder. Pain raced through her arm and her fingers went numb. Her grip slipped. She hugged the rock, clinging to it with her good hand.
Harcourt kicked again. She dipped out of the way and snagged his foot in the crook of her elbow. He jerked and twisted, but she held tight. She didn’t know what she was going to do now that she had him, but he’d never face justice if she let him get away.
He jerked again and she yanked, fighting to keep hold of him. With a scream, Harcourt hurtled past her, his weight pulling her back.
Time slowed again. She was floating through the air, an autumn leaf, blown from a tree. At the edge of her mind there was something, a hint, a memory. Something she must have forgotten. Then time caught up to her.
She smashed into the ledge. Fiery pain swept over her head and through her body. Black dots swarmed her vision and she gasped for breath.
very very very (did i mention very?) well chapter!!!! can’t wait till next one..
Thank you.
Thanks, Steve. It’s one of my favorite moments as well.