Page 49 of Cadell the Dragon

Opposite him, Edwin laughed. Certain now that he would win, he was taking his time, circling his victim slowly, enjoying his victory.

“Cadell!”

There was so much anguish in that one word that it ripped Johanna’s throat when she screamed it. Was he really going to be killed in front of her? She would not survive it.

“Surrender,” she cried out, her voice reduced to a croak. “Please.”

He gave her a piercing stare and she understood that he would never surrender. He knew, as did she, that him holding his part of the bargain was the only way to protect her and the women of Bryn Glas from assault. Not that she trusted Sir Hubert to keep his word, so his sacrifice might well be in vain. But she knew Cadell would not risk giving him the least excuse to pounce. He would do what he could, and fight to the death.

For her.

“I love you,” he mouthed. The spark in his eyes was back. In fact, they were ablaze with love.

Tears blurred Johanna’s vision, which she wiped away, angrily. Not now! She needed to be able to see him. “I love you,” she answered in the same way.

As the words passed her lips, Johanna understood that she would put herself in front of the Englishman’s sword to try and save Cadell. If he were to die, then she would die too. Better that than live with the idea that she had not done anything to help, better that than live with the memory of his lifeless body lying in the courtyard of the castle he had sacrificed his life to save. He was right. If she could not be with him, her life was not worth living anyway.

How cruel.

She had realized she loved him when she had been forced to renounce him. It had felt as if hooks had torn at her from the inside. But it was seeing him on his knees, about to be killed, that gave her the full measure of her feelings for him. It was love, gratitude, hope, desire, admiration, and more, all rolled into one. Which meant that she would not survive his death.

And so she had better die right now, trying to save him.

Before she could go and throw herself between the two fighters, someone placed a hand on her shoulder. Someone tall and strong. A man. His deep voice reached her ear.

“No. Let me.”

“Rhun,” she said, unable to believe her eyes. What was he doing here in the bailey? Wasn’t he supposed to be in hiding? Only the day before he had told her he didn’t want anyone to know he had survived.

Around her, rose a collection of gasps. The people of Bryn Glas had recognized their master, the master they thought dead. But the English retinue would be none the wiser as to who this new champion was.

“Johanna, let me,” he repeated. “I will not hide and let a brave man do what I should be doing myself. This is my home, my people, my wife. I should be the one defending them. I will not fail you all a second time.”

So he had witnessed the scene from the solar and understood what was happening. At last, he was doing his duty by his people, the people he had abandoned. She could not rejoice, however, as doing so would almost certainly kill him. She glanced at his left arm, panic filling her chest. As much as she wanted Cadell to stop fighting, she didn’t want anyone else to get killed.

“You cannot fight, with⁠—”

“I need only one arm to hold a sword,” he cut in. “And I do have one good one left. The one I need.”

With those words, Rhun walked over to Cadell and took the sword from his hand. A nod conveyed his gratitude to the younger man. Then he planted himself in front of Edwin, who opened his arms wide, seemingly delighted at the opportunity to fight someone else now that his first opponent was out of action. Having climbed back onto his horse, Sir Hubert watched everything with an eagle eye. This new development apparently pleased him as well.

“I will be the one defending Bryn Glas,” Rhun said, all menacing intent. “If you have to fight someone to steal this castle, it will be me.”

He didn’t give his name. There was no need. The men didn’t need to be told who wanted to defend a place they had no right to take.

“Very well.” Sir Hubert’s smile was sinister. “Fight if you want, but our deal is off. Cadell ap Something ap Something else didn’t defeat the five men, as we agreed he should.” He made it sound as if this were a legal, honorable arrangement decided by a court of justice, not an outrageous proposition taken to humiliate him. “So when you’re dead, this place will belong to Edwin, and the women to whoever wants them for the night.”

“No,” Cadell said, pushing himself back to his feet. “I will⁠—”

His declaration was cut short as, at that moment, evidently bored of the waiting, Edwin lunged at Rhun. Johanna let out a cry when the two blades connected but mercifully, her husband seemed to have prepared for such an underhanded attack and he parried easily.

The fight bore no resemblance to the ones Cadell had fought earlier. These two men were all about raw strength, where he had been relying on agility and speed. It made for an even more terrifying spectacle.

And it did not last long.

The Englishman was soon sliced across the face, which, far from incapacitating him, only seemed to rouse his fury. He gave an almighty roar, then his sword fell in an elegant arc, swiping across Rhun’s belly. It took Johanna a few heartbeats to understand why her husband was not retaliating. Because he could not. The tip of the blade had done more than just slash through his tunic. It had cut his stomach, as well, and deeply.

He fell to his knees, blinking in pain and disbelief.