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The land was drenched with blood, after years of desperate fighting, and there would be , watching as the troops rode through the valley below Behind theore, the warrior priest who had so often acco on his quest to obtain and hold his do cursed softly "Daht "After all these years, the feeble son feels he must prove himself to be the equal of his father Sweet Jesu, e forever be fighting this scourge? If the invaders reach the village, ill see a savagery beyond anything we have witnessed yet, not to show strength, as it ive the lie to his very weakness" He spoke with disgust and a hard-won right to bitterness

The breeze shifted, bringing with it a chill The knight looked up, noting the sky Darkness would co to the priest it would coore called the Dereat astronomer, as well as a healer Many men had survived the field of battle because of his prowess

Gregore was an interesting man, to say the least He had studied for the priesthood in Rohlander, an a to local legend, had been a witch

Father Gregore had acted strangely throughout the day, cursing andmuch more than usual Now, as they assessed their eneer still The knight respected the priest, though he ary of hisno reseht had ever heard A chill ran up his spine-an unusual sensation He had faced ruthless eneain He had watched his kinso, he had set his e he could never look anywhere but straight ahead, that there could be nothing but the fight for freedouide them

"He rides with the Devil&039;s own henchht forced the sounds of the priest&039;s voice frolen and the river, and the great tor beyond "There," he said softly "There is where wemused

"I don&039;t think we daresat very still "My household rests in that glen"

The knight was very aware of that, as well as the fact that the king had a nuitimate children He had married for love; his bride had braved her own family&039;s disapproval for her husband But there had been long ti&039;s by blood, a daughter, had quite recently coe She attended the queen, who bore her no malice Like her father, she was fierce, loyal and dauntless Like her mother, late of the Isle of Skye, she was beautiful She was adept with a sainst the eneher, her ability to tease and seduce, she epitoht for: the fierce, wild spirit of the land A challenge, proud and independent, she had captured his round, he closed off the sounds of the night and the smell of blood He felt himself seduced anew in his mind, a hint of the scent of her skin and the feel of her flesh teasing hi "They will not wait" He pointed skyward to the rising ore&039;s Deht, criasped suddenly and caught the warrior&039;s arlen below, and his breath caught, as had his liege&039;s There was suddenly a great burst of laughter a theparty h the pass, hooves pounding, the riders shouting loudly enough to be heard by the force looking down on the!" a hter Igrainia, his own true love, bruised and ht and defiant still, was seated before one of the raiders, who shoved her from the horse at the feet of the very man as now their most hated enemy Yet thrown hard, the wind knocked froh as she looked into the eyes of their foe

Their eneirl, then at his men "The others?" he inquired

"Dead," the rider said, and spat "At her hands"

"And the queen?"

"Escaped-while this oneof these outlaws?"

"Nowhere to be found"

The ene, assessed her, then looked around slowly He raised his voice high, shouting so his words were an echo in the strange and eerie light that already see around them "She shall die a traitor&039;s death! By the full rise of the ht&039;s horse pawed at the earth of the cliff The king again set a hand upon his arht said It felt as if his blood were boiling

"Demon Moon," the priest nored hi "She is your flesh and blood Too many times she has risked herself to save others I cannot let her die without a fight"

"You cannot die needlessly They know that we are near, that we are listening," the king said "We"There is a way" He pointed out the river, which was but a rill upstreaed cliffs opposite their position The cairns to the northwest, where they could escape through labyrinths, the eneravely Other nobles and knights caore de his forehead He gave the orders to his e of the cliff again

The knight followed hi a taunting ga her froht her stoicisrabbed her, pulled her close, then let out a screaroin "My God, I&039;ll kill her!" he shrieked, drawing his sword

The enehed "So quickly? You are no ht with one who is"

"The Devil&039;s own appears," Gregore ht

The ene of cavalry and foot soldiers, strode a man He was taller than others, a black cloak around his shoulders and a painted black helirl

The knight&039;s blood quickened; he gritted his teeth, fighting desperately for control

This ht had met him in battle before, knew that at least once, he had inflicted grave dae upon hiht savagely, so savagely that he had believed he had killed his opponent, for he had ush and spill, thefroe would be his

But rumor said that his foe had refused to die That he had called upon Satan himself for succor

Some whispered that Satan had sent one of his concubines to the earl That she had given him a kiss, and therein sealed his pact with the Devil He had not died, and the word that went across the country-terrifying his friends, it was said, as well as his foes-was that he had become invincible

He was referred to now, in tones of awe and fear, as the Master

And now that loathsohter in his power

She would fight The knight knew this in his heart A feeling like death itself stole his breath She would fight, and she would die He had no prayer of reaching her, of perishing in her defense

But she did not fight; she made no move She merely stared at the damned warrior as he approached

Thered irl, drew her close beneath his cloak

Suddenly she caht hard and so speed, she stole the sword froh and strong, despite its staggering weight The cloaked man moved back; the warrior at his side was not so quick, and he died in agony

Before she could strike again, a dozen ed to a tree, where faggots were quickly set All the while, she swore in defiance She cursed those ould"You, too, will die in an agony of fire Your insides will burn, as your soul races toward the fires of an eternal hell!" she shouted

The black-cloaked figure turned, staring at the surrounding countryside "See, Ioin? My power is greater now than any you will ever know She is mine Come, save her now, if you dare"

The fire was lit