Page 135 of Storm of Desire
Here itends.
It almost felt like there was finally something to fight for. A means to atone for all he'ddone.
"Stay here," Sirius told her softly, pressing his dagger into her hands. "And don't let anyone nearyou."
She watched him go, relief filling those beautiful eyes, and he knew she did not realize this wasgoodbye.
* * *
Mud kicked up,and Haakon whirled, deflecting the blow from the bastard prince. Shock echoed through his arms as their swords met. Roar was stronger than he was, and slightly taller. For a man used to hunting dragons, Haakon was suddenly in the fight of his life. The edge of Roar's sword shuddered down his, and glanced off the leather vambrace he wore on his arm as they fellapart.
No time tobreathe.
The fight was chaos. A fist slammed into his face, and he responded with a boot to Roar's knee. He caught flashes of the others as his cheek throbbed, especially Árdís. She'd been right. They weren't trying to kill her, but if they disarmedher....
His cheek stung as the very tip of Roar's sword kissed it.Right. Pay attention. Because while Árdís wasn't in any immediate danger, hewas.
"First blood," Roar grinned at him, as if that made any damned difference. "You can fight. For a mortal. But I'm going towin."
Haakon twisted and slammed his shoulder into the bastard. Roar staggered, and he followed through with his fist, his knuckles driving into Roar's scarredcheek.
There was a pistol at his waist. A grappling hook. And no time to grab any ofit.
Roar lunged forward, beating him back, the intensity of the fight suddenly increasing. Haakon barely had time to wonder why. Moves that flowed like water down a hill were suddenly sloppy and careless. They battered at each other, hammering with fist and sword, until all he could see was thedreki. His sword arm was getting heavier. But he was meeting every strike, and he could see the bastard prince's frustrationgrowing.
Thedrekihad expected an easyfight.
"I think I'm going to fuck her right here in the mud for the first time." Roar laughed as they broke apart. "Right next to your deadbody."
Like hell. Árdís was his. Haakon slammed into him in a violent crunch of steel and leather, and drove the bastard back. He couldn't get his sword up in time. Simply slammed the pommel of it into Roar's teeth, and heard a satisfying crunch. Blood sprayed across his face, and then they were locked together, the steel inserts on his chainmail tangled with Roar's. Metal shrieked. Clapping a hand over Roar's to pin his sword low, he drove a knee into the other man'sthigh.
They finally broke apart, and Haakon sucked in a much-needed breath, his lungs burning. Roar hopped out of the way, favoring his leg and spitting blood and bits of tongue. His eyes flasheddreki-gold.Murderous.
"Guess I'm not the only one who can bleed," Haakon mocked, though every inch of him was starting to ache. There was a sharp ache of exertion deep in his side and groin. The world seemed far too bright and chaotic, and he knew he needed to finish this quickly, before the tide of energy racing through his veins suddenly broke and came crashing down uponhim.
There was something about the other man's vicious bloodied smile that made the hairs on the back of his neck rise. "We'llsee."
"Behind you!" A manyelled.
Instincts honed by years of battle, Haakon turned, catching a glimpse of a dark shadow rushing toward him. His elbow was moving, up, up, into the newcomer's face, but silver flashed beneath his arm, into the gaping vulnerability of hischainmail.
Aknife.
Haakon's breath exploded out of him as it rammed into his side. He felt the punch of it as the hilt hit skin, and slammed his elbow into the would-be assassins face. Thedrekiwent down, taking the knife with him, and it was only then that Haakon felt the rest ofit.
Burning agony exploded through him. There was a tight pulling up under his arm. Pain searing along hisnerves.
His legs weren't working properly, his right knee threatening to go out from under him. Blood. All over his side. He clapped his other hand there, and felt it weeping warmly over his fingers.Sweetgods.
Howbad?
White began sucking at his vision. Between one second and the next, he found himself on his knees, his sword in the mud. He couldn't remember dropping it. Couldn't remember hitting theground.
"No!" Even from across the field, he heard Árdís's scream cut through the air as if the very soundvibrated.
Everyone clapped their hands over theirears.
Haakon blinked, and then thedrekiwho'd stabbed him was on his feet. Moving toward him with the knife held low against histhigh.
