Page 83 of Lady of the Lake

Smash a nose. Rip a sword from limp fingers.

BOOM.

Block a clumsy thrust with one blade and skewer him with the other.

BOOM.

My sword slides through bone and sinew, severing a terrified man’s head before he can even scream.

BOOM.

The last one turns to flee. I hurl my sword, and the blade spins end over end, finding its mark in his back. He jerks, staggers, then drops to the snow.

Silence.

Four men lie dead at my feet, and I’m still catching my breath.

A whisper of danger prickles at the edge of my senses, and a hail of arrows zips through the air. I leap behind the boulders, and they splinter against the granite.

My magic is weakening, dissipating. I can’t maintain it much longer. As it leaves my body, I’m left dizzy and weak, yearning for its company again.

“What are you all waiting for?” I hear Vidal shouting.

“She’s killed Ector, Durnure, Lot, and Morholt,” someone shouts, terrified. “I’ve never seen anyone move so fast. What the fuck was that?”

“She’s just one woman!” Vidal roars. “There are almost twenty of us left. Charge her!”

Silence greets me.

“Cowards,” Vidal spits. “I’ll show you how my sister’s murderer dies.”

I carefully peer from the side of the boulder. Vidal’s men are cowering behind trees. Only Vidal stomps forward, his face twisted in hate. He grips his sword tightly.

I stand and point my sword at him. I can only hope Vidal’s men won’t fire arrows at me when I’m this close. “I’ve already killed six of your men.” I force my voice to stay steady. “And you know that I killed Maertisa. If you come any closer, you’ll be next.”

Vidal’s lip curls. “Maertisa waspoisoned. A coward’s weapon. You would never have beaten my sister in a fair duel. And the six you’ve killed today were weak little twats. You’re good, I’ll grant you that. But I’m better.”

He lunges forward.

I’ve seen Vidal fight before, dueling with Raphael. And Raphael just barely managed to beat him.

I’m nowhere near as good as Raphael. Without the magic from Morgan and Nimuë, I’ll be dead within moments.

I try to swing at him, and my sword is twisted and wrenched from my hand. He lets out a short, mocking laugh. “So, this is the dangerous woman you were all so afraid?—”

I don’t let him finish. I move in, touch the back of his palm, leap into his mind?—

And I’mthrownout.

I wasn’t expecting that. Vidal’s mind is so brimming with hatred and fury aimed at me that there’s no way my magic can get into his thoughts. It’s as if he’s maintaining a veil in his mind—a veil of pure wrath.

He backhands me, and I stumble away, hitting the boulder. I taste blood in my mouth.

“I’ve been thinking of this moment for weeks,” he snarls. He raises his sword above his head. “It won’t be quick. One limb at a time.”

But before he can bring down his blade, a blur of darkness crashes into him, knocking him down.

Stunned, I stare as Talan slams his fist into Vidal’s head, battering his face. Furious, Vidal fights back, reaching for Talan’s throat. But all it takes is one more brutal, ruthless punch, and Vidal’s head is caved in.

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