Page 41 of Bride of Ice
Brand, sensing what was about to happen, scrambled in retreat.
“Come on then,” Hallie invited, raising her sword. “Let’s see those perfect reflexes of yours.”
Colban narrowed his eyes. Gellir wasn’t actually going to fight his sister, was he?
The lad might be younger and shorter than Hallie. But he was packed with burgeoning muscle and full of youthful rage. One slip of the lad’s impetuous blade could do her serious harm. And she’d cast aside her helm and shield.
Colban clenched his fists on the ledge of the window as they warily circled each other.
Graceful Hallie looked impossibly defenseless against her aggressive brother.
Of course, that hadn’t stopped her from subduing Colban last night in the woods. And it wasn’t stopping her from challenging Gellir now.
Like a wildcat, she suddenly sprang, taunting him with attacks from all angles. Again and again she thrust and slashed, driving him back as he struggled to keep up his defenses.
Gellir staggered and floundered, barely able to knock her sword aside before the next attack came. After two dozen blows, she’d backed him against the wall.
“Now,” she said, “go get some sleep.”
Then she made the mistake of lowering her blade and turning away. While her back was turned, enraged Gellir raised his sword to lash out at her.
The breath caught in Colban’s throat as he waited for tragedy to unfold.
But Hallie whirled, anticipating his move and intercepting his blade in a grating slide of steel and sparks.
She shoved him away. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
He nodded, and she shook her head, preparing to engage again.
He lunged at her.
She batted away his blade.
Gellir, gripping his hilt in both hands, took a swing at her throat.
She ducked beneath the sword, and it whistled through the air with such force it spun Gellir backwards.
Before he could turn round, she prodded the lad’s backside with the point of her sword, hard enough to make him yelp.
Colban could almost feel the waves of rage and humiliation roiling off of Gellir as he stumbled forward.
Brand, who’d been watching them from what he thought a safe distance, chortled with glee.
But the lad’s mirth was cut short when Hallie lunged toward him, jabbing his shoulder and proving he wasn’t quite out of range.
“What areyoulaughing at?” she asked Brand.
While Brand blinked in surprise and pain, Gellir crowed at his brother in smug approval, “Ha!”
Then, while Hallie was still engaging Brand, Gellir pried the dagger from the ground.
Colban’s eyes widened. His heart dropped. His mouth went dry.
Gellir was going to stab his sister in the back.
“Nay!” The word exploded from Colban’s lips, drawing all eyes to him.
But the dagger was already in motion.
