One Fell Sweep

Panic shot through me, a delayed response. Icy sweat drenched my skin. My heart hammered so hard, it felt like it might break my ribs. The muscles in my neck clenched so hard, vertigo gripped me.

I shut the door before the blast wave could reach us.

The Hiru landed on the grass. The vortex dissolved into empty air. I jerked the roots up, shielding the new guest from the Draziri and let Gertrude Hunt carry him away underground.

Maud leaped over the boundary. A moment later Arland emerged from the woods, dragging bodies with him, as Sean, shaggy with gray fur, all fangs and claws like some demonic nightmare, moved around the vampire knight, slicing at the Draziri. Arland punched an opponent with his left fist. Sean caught the falling Draziri, stabbing in a flurry. Another attacker lunged at Sean’s back and Arland drove his mace into him.

Together Sean and Arland backed away from the woods toward the inn. Arland was breathing hard, his mace dripping blood. Dents and gashes marked his armor. The fur on Sean’s right shoulder was wet and black in the light of the dying evening. I couldn’t tell if it was his blood or someone else’s.

Step.

Another step.

They made it over the boundary. I snapped the void field in place.

Blood dripped on Maud’s cheek from a gash in her scalp. Dirt smeared her face. She saw me looking and grinned, her teeth stark white.

The tree line was littered with corpses. One, two, three… seven…

“I know this,” Arland said quietly, almost to himself. “I fought against this…”

Sean straightened. His fur vanished, his body collapsing back into his human form. Slowly he wiped the blade of his green knife on his thigh.

Arland pivoted to him. His gaze snagged on the knife. A muscle jerked in his face.

Sean didn’t say anything.

Rage shivered in the corner of Arland’s mouth.

The Marshal of House Krahr bared his fangs and charged.

Sean moved out of the way, smooth and fast, as if he were a shadow rather than a physical being.

Arland swung again and missed.

“You!” Arland roared. “Fight me, oryh. Fight me!”

“No,” Sean said and dropped his knife.

I took a step forward. Sean shook his head.

I could stop it, but if I did, it wouldn’t be resolved. They had to fix it themselves.

“Fight me or die!”

“You’re my friend,” Sean said and raised his hands.

Arland swung his mace. Sean didn’t dodge. The blow took him in the stomach. Sean flew back.

Arland charged after him, his eyes berserk and hot with unstoppable fury.

Maud lunged into his path and threw her arms around him. “Stop!”

He plowed on, carrying her as if she weighed nothing.

“Stop, Marshal!” Maud’s voice rang. “He’s unarmed. He’s your friend. There’s no honor in this kill.”

Arland slowed.

“Honor,” Maud repeated, her hands around his face, looking straight into his eyes. “He who sheds his blood to defend my back in battle is my brother. I shall watch over him as he watches over me.”

Reason crept into Arland’s blue eyes. He pulled away from her, raised his head to the night sky, and roared.

“Innkeeper,” a familiar voice called.

I turned. Kiran Mrak stood at the boundary. Behind him his clansmen waited, some with black feathers, some with bright blue, and vibrant red and rich cream. They stared at me with open hatred.

“I didn’t give the order for the missile,” he said.

“You fired a nuclear weapon,” I said. “You broke the treaty. There will be repercussions. There is no turning back.”

“There was a dissension in my ranks. It’s something you and I have in common.” Kiran Mrak raised his left hand. He was holding a severed Draziri head. “I’ve dealt with mine. It is your turn.”

I turned my back to him. He laughed.

“I don’t kill those I care about,” I said over my shoulder.

“You’re weak.”

“You murder your own family. Loyalty is a two-way street.”

He laughed again.

I kept walking.

Wing marched to me, stared at the Draziri behind me, turned and deliberately kicked dirt in their direction.

Sean rolled to his feet and picked up his knife.

Arland lifted his mace and stomped toward the house. Maud walked next to him, her arm wrapped around his.

Sean was waiting for me. I hurried over to him. “Are you hurt?”

“A cracked rib,” he said. “It will heal. He held back.”

It didn’t look like he held back from where I was standing. “Come on. I’ll help you with your rib. We need to talk.”

“Yeah,” he said. “We do.”

When I walked into the kitchen, Caldenia smiled at me, clearly delighted. “Very good, dear. Just the right thing to say.”

“I’m glad you approve, Your Grace.”

“A creature like Kiran Mrak rules because he has the mandate of his people. His followers are his base. Crack the base, and he will come crashing down.” Caldenia put the fingers of her hands together. “This will be delightfully entertaining.”

I turned to the two Hiru. Sunset stood in front and the newcomer behind, as if Sunset was shielding the new guest. I had a feeling that if the Hiru weren’t so bulky, the new arrival would be peeking out at us over his shoulder. It would have helped to know that the second Hiru was coming prior to the battle. I opened my mouth to tell them that.