The Reckless Oath We Made(88)

“’Tis nigh dark,” the black knight said. “Soon thou shalt lose thine advantage. Now is the time to leave, for Scanlon is ill-prepared to fight.”

I mounted the stairs and approached the door to look within, but the sinking sun made havoc of shadow and light. As I laid my hand upon the door to open it, the sounding of a gun came behind me. Another came soon after, certs from the woods, but the echo and resound left me hard-pressed to ken the very place.

I stepped free of the door, drew my sword, and was at the ready. Aside the door, I squatted and, ere I had been there a nonce, a man burst from the barn door and ran toward the woods, carrying with him a long gun. From above, Sir Edrard dropped three arrows to the path, and ’twas only by hap that the man was missed by the bolts.

Within the cabin, I heard the footsteps of Scanlon. He ran to the door, loudly and without caution. Mayhap he meant only to fright me, but he thrust the door open with his foot and fired his gun. When he rushed out, I heaved up from where I squatted and struck full force my shoulder upon his flank. The blow sent him to the ground.

“He means to kill thee if he is able,” the black knight said.

Sooth, as quick as he landed, Scanlon gained his feet and raised his gun to fire once more. ’Twas but a breath betwixt us and I hastened it to close.

“You fucking idiot. You really brought a knife to a gunfight.” From pride, Scanlon scorned against me. ’Twas misguided boldness, for he might have wounded me, had he forborne to speak, and fired his gun. Ere he did, I swung my blade and smote his arm with enough might that he dropped the weapon. Scanlon cried out and blood flowed forth.

I made to subdue him, and grappled his neck to cut his breath, and with it his will to fight. I might have mastered him, but from the trees there came more gunshots, and from the barn came the fourth man, the one called Tague Barnwell. He carried not a long gun, but a pistol. I struck Scanlon upon his temple with my pommel, and twisted his wounded arm that I might use him as a shield.

There was naught to be gained by retreating and so I advanced, Scanlon before me til we came to the rail of the porch where Barnwell approached.

“This be no tournament. Thy rules aren for naught,” the black knight said. “If thou fightest not for thy life, certs thou wilt it lose.”

Scanlon ceased his bemoaning, and I felt in his back that he meant to fight. Where before his shoulder was drawn tight to protect his injured limb, he lowered it, for he meant to lunge right. Had I followed the black knight’s entreaty, I might have spared myself all harm, but as I forced Scanlon from me, I felt a burning wound upon my thigh. I heard it not, nor anything, aside the black knight’s admonishment and mine own breath. I ought have done it sooner, but the deed lay clear before me, once I was wounded.

I swung my blade and cleaved Scanlon’s bared neck. His blood was as a warm bath upon my arm and, as he fell at my feet, I leapt down upon Barnwell, ere he could fire his gun.

On the ground, breast-to-breast with me, his gun was of no use, but my blade found his foot, and I drove my head into his chin. ’Twas well for me the wound to my leg was a distant thing, for pain made Barnwell a fool. He grasped my sword with his hand to draw it from his foot, thereby wounding himself a second time. He cried out, I knew not what, and seeing how poorly he fared, he ceased his futile defense and attacked. He hit his arm hard upon my elbow so that I must release him, and ere I regained my hold, he pushed me hence. To free his gun, he meant, but he was unready when the moment came.

I was ready. The movement of his arm as he made to steady his gun twisted his trunk all unarmored toward me, and I thrust my sword into him. Under his ribs, through to his back, until my hilt pressed flush against him. His arms dropped, the gun with them, and I held him up til the weight upon my blade was too much. He fell upon the ground, and when I drew my sword from his body, blood poured into the soil. His mouth opened in a cry, and tho I would hear his last words, none came, only the sound of pain.

I tossed his gun from his reach, but left him lie in peace, for he could no more menace me. Tho Barnwell still had breath, certs I had killed two men. I knew not how I lived while their lifeblood drained away.

“’Twas well done,” the black knight said.

“’Twas necessary,” the Witch said.

“If thou wert as steady with the thrust of thine other blade,” Gawen said.

Hildegard said naught but a prayer:

God that is mightful

Speed all rightful

Help all needful

Have mercy on all sinful



I echoed it that I might remember these fallen men had souls as frail as mine. Then I lifted my hand to signal Sir Edrard but there came no arrow in answer. All round me was a great pall of silence that set my raised hand atremble, but the hand that held my sword remained resolute. I turned to the cabin and mounted the steps to find Lady Zhorzha and her sister.





CHAPTER 43





Zee



The scary thing was how the gunshot came from two places at the same time—outside and the open phone line in my pocket. One loud, one quiet, like a firecracker and a pop gun going off at the same time. I fumbled the phone out of my pocket and almost dropped it.

“Edrard? What’s going on?” I said, but he didn’t answer.

There was another gunshot, and with the phone to my ear, the secondary pop was louder. I wondered if it was closer to Edrard.