Part 35 (1/2)
”Then the bargain was kept.”
His rage exploded. ”But there never should have been a bargain! Not among allies.”
She nodded like a sage. ”Two sides of the truth. Both claims have merit.” She gave him a small smile shrouded with meaning. ”Let the G.o.ds decide the sword's fate.”
”What?”
”Let the blue sword belong to the winner of the challenge.”
A fight, he could live with that...but only if he fought the challenge. Turning on his heel, he strode towards Kath. ”Name me as your champion!”
Kath gave him the smallest shake of her head. ”I cannot.”
”But I'll win.”
”I know.”
”You know! Then let me fight!” He stared at her, struggling to understand. ”There's no loss of honor in naming a champion.”
”It's not about honor.”
”It's a fight to the death!” but she just gave him an obstinate stare. He wanted to shake her, to slap some sense into her, but he used words instead. ”Look at him! He has the advantage of reach and strength, and he has a blue steel sword! You dare not fight him! One mistake and he'll gut you like a spring lamb.”
”Then I best make no mistakes.” Her face was ghost-pale but her voice was steady.
”You're mad! There's too much at stake. You can't afford to lose.”
”I know.” A shadow of fear touched her eyes. She handed him the harness with her throwing axes, ”Hold these for me?” and buckled on her sword.
The girl was stubborn beyond reason. ”Tell me why?”
Around them, the dais was being cleared.
Kath pulled the crystal dagger from her belt, ”Because of this.” She gestured with the blade toward the tattooed crowd, ”and because of them. We need allies...and they need proof.”
”Proof?”
”Proof enough to follow a woman into battle.” She gave him a weary smile. ”The G.o.ds gave me the crystal dagger, mine to wield against the Darkness, but they did not make me tall, or strong, or male...so I must always find more proof.” She reversed the crystal dagger, extending the hilt toward Blaine. ”If I fail, then this is yours to wield.”
The crystal dagger, her trust staggered him. He took the blade but it felt awkward in his hand. He was meant to wield a sword not a dagger. ”You best not fail.”
She nodded, her face solemn, and then she did something that totally ambushed him. Standing on tiptoes, she brushed a quick kiss across his cheek. ”For believing in me.”
His face flame red. Unsure what to say, unsure how to feel, he just stared at her...but she'd already turned away, studying her opponent, preparing for battle.
A voice at his back said, ”You must leave.”
It was the lion faced man, gesturing toward the stairs. Blaine shook his head, realizing he'd wasted precious time; he should have been counseling her on the fight instead of arguing, but it was too late for that. He tucked the crystal dagger in his belt and followed the lion faced man down the stairs, into the crush of spectators. Frustrated and angry, Blaine shouldered his way through hostile faces till he reached the monk and Danya.
Zith stared at him, his face haggard. ”She does what she must.”
Blaine glared at the old man. ”She'll get herself killed, and then where will we be?”
An expectant hush settled over the crowd.
”Challenge has been given and accepted.” Royce extinguished the single candle burning on the central pillar. ”The champions are named. Swords are chosen. The War Helm is in the hands of the G.o.ds. Let the swords decide.” Bowing to Kath and the fox faced man, he descended the stairs.
The dais stood empty except for the two combatants. The fox faced warrior stood to the right, six-foot tall, broad shoulders, a nimbus of bright red hair surrounding an insolent face. He wore a patched chainmail s.h.i.+rt over a leather tunic, a seasoned warrior ready to fight. Bristling with bravado, he twirled the blue steel blade, slas.h.i.+ng the air with sweeping strokes. The blue sword was mesmerizing, a thing of beauty, so keen it whistled as it cut the air. The great blade scribed five foot arcs, a deadly swath unmatched by any other weapon. To Blaine's eyes, the strokes were wild and undisciplined...but every cut held the promise of death. Even in the hands of an unskilled warrior, a blue steel sword was a weapon to be reckoned with.
On the opposite side, Kath stood alone. Long blonde hair tied at the nape of her neck, clad in brown fighting leathers, no s.h.i.+eld, no greaves, no armor, nothing but a simple short sword. She stood flat-footed, the sword hanging listless in her right hand, the point dangling toward the ground, looking vulnerable and unprepared, but Blaine knew better. He recognized the flinty look on her face. She was thinking, trying to outsmart her opponent, and that was good, because everything else was stacked against her. Blaine ground his teeth, knowing she should have named him her champion. A trial sanctioned by the G.o.ds should be fair. Not leather against chainmail, not a short two-foot sword against a five foot blade, and certainly not ordinary steel against a blue steel blade...but then the G.o.ds weren't known for their fairness. Blaine balled his hands into fists, praying for Valin to intervene, knowing Kath would need more than luck to survive.
A murmur rippled through the crowd, and he realized the fight had begun.
The fox faced warrior circled the dais, slas.h.i.+ng the air with his sword, as if intimidation alone would win the fight.
Kath stayed still, letting him come to her.
The warrior barked a laugh. ”Aren't you going to fight?” His voice changed from a taunt to a sneer. ”A barefaced woman pitted against a painted warrior. Of course you're scared stiff, turned to stone.”
Kath remained statue still, watching through narrow eyes.
”Soon your fear will turn to water, running down your leg.” Laughing, he drew close, the blue sword whistling with menace. ”Beg for mercy and you'll live.” He sprang forward, aiming a viscous slash at Kath's head...but the girl was already gone. Dancing backwards, she kept one step away from the great sword.
Snarling, he gave chase, ”Stand and fight!” but Kath did not listen. Round and round the dais, she led him on an intricate dance, flirting with death, always staying a handbreadth away from the blue blade. Her timing was uncanny, always dodging at the last moment, goading her opponent to a fit of wild rage.
Blaine leaned forward, his fists clenched, knowing the girl played a dangerous game. It took skill and nerves to dance so close to death...but she couldn't afford a single mistake...and sooner or later she'd have to attack.
Kath dodged left...and slipped!
The crowd gasped as she fell, sprawled beneath the blade of her opponent.
The fox grinned, struggling to change a horizontal swing into a downward slash.
Blue steel struck stone, sending up a shower of chips...but Kath was already gone. Springing to her feet, she lunged forward with a lightning strike, her sword slas.h.i.+ng toward his face. ”Yield!”
Steel met flesh with a sickening crunch.
Kath danced away.
Blood blossomed on the fox's face. He staggered backward, his nose smashed flat...but he did not die! Blaine groaned; she'd attacked with the flat of her sword! The girl was going to get herself killed!
Kath backed away, her sword raised, her voice loud enough to echo through the cavern. ”Yield! We aid the Mordant by fighting amongst ourselves!”
Enraged, the fox was beyond reason. Wiping the blood from his face, he charged like a bull.
Kath dodged away, narrowly evading the sapphire sword.
The fox swung wide. Slash and hack, he fought like a demon enraged, wild swings seeking Kath's head, attacking with a flurry of blows.
Kath sidestepped, dodging the blue sword by a mere whisker.