Page 134 of Storm of Desire
"This is a challenge," she snapped. "Between my mother and me. Get out of myway."
Lor's smile sent a shiver down her spine. He towered over her, and his reputation was brutal enough to make her very wary. "Your mother changed the rules. Itwasa challenge. But who's going to tell thecourt?"
And they were the only ones whomattered.
Árdís took a step backward. This had been the plan all along. Lure her out and cut her off from the others, who were battling behind her to break through. Keep her distracted by fighting for her life, unable to take a second to bring her magic to bear. "You think there won't be any witnesses to this fight? This is breakingall therules."
"I know," Lor said, and lunged forward, bringing his sword down uponhers.
* * *
"We have to do something,"Malin cried as the melee beneath them suddenly shifted, revealing how outnumbered Rurik and Árdíswere.
Every muscle in Sirius's body lockedtight.
"Get down here,"Stellan snarled in his head."It should have been you attacking theprince."
Rurik and Stellan fought like a pair of titans, their entire focus locked upon each other as they bashed and hammered at each other's swords. Mud churned up beneath their feet, but Sirius's father was keeping the prince busy. Behind him, Rurik's woman paced nervously, not daring to intervene with hermagic.
Amadea laughed as she withdrew to a grassy knoll, leaving Árdís facing Lor and Rolf. Árdís was holding her own. Barely. But Lor was letting her wear herself down, waiting for an opportunity tostrike.
And beyond them, Árdís's mortal husband kept trying to reach her side, but Roar danced between them, grinning as he lunged forward with his sword. Behind Haakon, Florian shot the queen a sidelong glance, then withdrew the dagger at his belt and took a stealthy step toward theNorseman.
It would be death from behind, with Roar deliberately distracting Árdís'shusband.
Sirius could see the tides of the battle turning. The man would fall, and then both Florian and Roar could take on Rurik. The humans who were trying to wade into battle to save their friend would be obliterated with athought.
This had never been intended to be a fair fight. Both Amadea and Stellan had accepted challenges, but they weren't going to finish them alone. Árdís would be worn down, and the only one remaining who could fight would beRurik.
The prince's odds narrowed the second the othersfell.
They should have known the queen would never fight honorably. Not after she'd arranged to have their fathermurdered.
Rurik's strength—and weakness—was his sense ofhonor.
"Please," Malin whispered, turning to him. "Please don't let this happen. You could stop this. You're the only one here whocan."
Sirius closed his eyes. "This is how it was always going toend."
"It doesn't have to. I said I despised you, but it wasn't true. There is something good within you. I don't know how your father didn't crush it out of you, but it's there. I've seenit."
To take a side meant he could never go back. He could cost Andri hislife.
But if Rurik lost today, if Stellan and Amadea were victorious, then there was nowhere Malin would be safe. They would kill her. Or they would try. And then he would be taking a side anyway, for he could not let thathappen.
"Please be a hero," shebegged.
The words cut right to the core ofhim.
"I'm not a hero," hesnapped.
"Then bemyhero," shewhispered.
Of all the things that could have changed his mind…. He was trapped, no matter which choice he made. He knew if he entered the field of battle below, he would not return. Stellan would never allow him to survive such abetrayal.
But the decision was made. For Malin'ssake.
His life for hers. The price would be worthit.
