Page 92 of Midnight Shadow

“But she means the world to you -- your one weakness. How ironic that your weakness is the enemy you sought so diligently to destroy.” Kenric cackled darkly.

“You can have the damned castle, just let her go,” Terran said.

“No!” Bria gasped, struggling. She still held her sword, but Kenric’s hard grip kept it dangling uselessly at her side.

“How generous to offer it to me,” Kenric sneered, “now that Delaney and his men have come.”

“Terran,” Bria began, but Kenric tightened his grip on her throat, cutting off her cry. He tried to pry her fingers free of her weapon, but Bria wouldn’t release it. Kenric’s chokehold intensified. Black dots swam before Bria’s eyes. The next thing she knew, Kenric had her sword.

As her vision cleared, she heard Terran say stoically, “Bria was right. You were the one overtaxing my people, starving them, stealing their gold -- and mine.”

“Had you taken more interest in your people, it wouldn’t have been so easy. But you were too interested in fighting in your beloved tournaments and impressing Odella.”

“But why kill her? She was an innocent.”

“She’d stumbled onto my plan. She’d gone over the ledgers and questioned the people, things you were too lazy to do. I couldn’t let her warn you.”

Terran’s gaze locked with Bria’s. Panic simmered just below the resolve in his eyes. For the first time, his eyes actually looked warmly brown, instead of black. Bria had to free herself and, in doing so, free Terran to right his wrongs.

“What do you want?” Terran demanded.

“Your life, cousin,” Kenric said gleefully. “Only then can I claim this castle as mine.”

“Release her.”

“I think not. This is, after all, your hated enemy.” A smile crossed his lips as he pushed the sword tighter against Bria’s throat. He looked at Terran. “There is very soft skin beneath this hood, as I think you know. Let’s find out how soft, shall we?”

“Noooo!” Terran yelled.

Bria lifted her elbow and rammed it into Kenric’s stomach.

Kenric lost his grip on her neck and she leaped forward, out of the way of his swing. She scrambled on all fours toward the door, glancing back over her shoulder to see Kenric looming over her with his weapon raised to strike her down.

Bria closed her eyes tightly, willing her hands and knees to move faster, but knowing she couldn’t outrun him. She waited for the stinging bite of his steel.

Instead, she heard the clang of metal against metal and opened her eyes, looking back over her shoulder. Inches from her, two swords were crossed, one intent on killing her, one determined to save her life. Terran stood protectively above her, his eyes glaring into Kenric’s.

His teeth clenched as he moved Kenric’s sword with the sheer strength of his forearm, his muscles bunched beneath his tunic. Kenric planted his feet, trying to force the weapons down. But in the end, Terran was stronger. He flung Kenric’s weapon up. Bria quickly rose and moved out of the way as Terran forced Kenric’s blade away from her.

Kenric stumbled back, but righted himself in time to block Terran’s swing. He stepped forward and shoved Terran back, pursuing with a flurry of hacking attacks.

Terran blocked his attack, each stroke of Kenric’s expertly deflected.

Bria bent to retrieve Kenric’s weapon, holding it tightly in her fist. She wanted to help, but she knew Terran had to defeat this foe by himself.

The two men crossed swords and Terran grabbed Kenric’s arm. “You will die for your treachery,” Terran promised.

Kenric tried to pull free, but Terran wouldn’t let him go. Kenric lunged forward and bit Terran’s fingers. Terran grimaced and released his grip on Kenric’s wrist, pulling his fingers from Kenric’s mouth.

Kenric immediately slashed at Terran, catching his tunic front.

Terran looked down at his tunic to see a clean cut right in the middle of his chest. When he lifted his eyes back to Kenric, they were narrowed and deadly. He moved forward, lunging after Kenric. When Kenric put up his sword to block one of Terran’s swings, Terran caught Kenric’s blade. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the sword flying through the air. As it clanged to the ground amidst the rushes, Terran stepped forward and put the tip of his sword to Kenric’s neck. They stared at each other for a long moment, Terran’s jaw tight with emotion.

Suddenly, Kenric dropped to his knees. “I yield,” he whispered.

“This is not a tournament,” Terran growled. “You have betrayed me. Die now, or die later.”

“Please,” Kenric whimpered. “Spare my life. Have mercy. I don’t want to die.”