page77 (1/2)
“If we’re done with Ruskin’s little tantruo cut your Master down to size, boys” He did like ceremony She had to suppress the desire to roll her eyes The practice yard had been lined with unnecessary torches, and he had the four vauard Except she noted they all kept their weapons, an assortment of pistols, rifles and knifes
“Don’t think you can beat me on your own, Ruskin?” she asked contemptuously “Not that you’ve already made that patently obvious, by how you’ve tried to weakenyou fear a woman’s blade” Lord Charles, on the other side of the tourney area, gave her a disdainful look “You are a fair hand with a blade While I’ to leave my victory to skill alone No wise leader ever did that The elements of luck and surprise have been known to favor the less deserving”
“Well, at least that explains why you were allowed to beco for response, Danny took position on the mark that had been etched approximately fifteen feet away Ruskin shed his coat and took up an en garde stanceHe’d chosen his own saber this time, but had opted for one blade versus her two, perhaps indicating his confidence, or just that he’d never learned to fight with two “I will take such pleasure in bringing you to heel”
“God, you’ve got tickets on yourself Nurse that fantasy when I take your head” He leaped forward on a si her crossed sword stance to a dual sweep across the body that deflected his blade as she spun, bringing the one doard his calf even as he recovered and came overhand at her upper body
She caught that but felt the shock of it reverberate through her shoulder Danny ducked under and spun, but he pinked her, tearing a hole in the sleeve of the shirt She rolled back as he roared, lunging forward When she brought the hilt up, she took his blade on the guard with enough force she thought her wrist ht have cracked
He’s strong, well rested Outthink him, you idiot
As she aded Danny countered the increasing complexity of his attacks with parry and riposte, use of her blade and quickness, but her recovery ti, but she couldn’t get herself positioned for counterattack She found herself quickly on the defensive, which she kneould wear her out in ti smile
Though she knew it unwise, she let anger and frustration give her renewed energy, and lunged, scoring a slash across his chest, da his shirt, but he twisted away, ca her to cry out and stued her spine
He was back on her, and she rolled backward, co up in a half squat, one blade extended, the other pulled back to her ear, holding it in the upper line of defense, and he snarled, slashing across, which knocked the lower blade free and sent it clattering across the cobblestones She surged up, couard, she nicked his ear with the blade before they sprung apart and circled again
Her breathing was labored, while his eyes were alight with the victory he kneas co her hell on earth When she lunged again, he was ready
After another hour of these tactics, she knew she wasn’t going to win It was creeping into the back of her mind, despite herself
She could force him to finish her She’d rather die than
No, she wasn’t losing this match, and even if she did, she owed Devlin She wouldn’t take the coward’s way out, no matter what
He tensed his back leg, an indication of lunge, and she was ready with the riposte and parry when it caainst her blades, he plowed forward, locking their blades together, wrist to wrist, and used the brute force of his body to knock her backward, take theot her there with the unexpected move, he had his body full on hers
Danny pros and snapped her head back With a howl, he rolled away and she spat the flesh out of her ain She got one ar wave, enough to crush her She cried out and fell Though she scraet up, he shoved her back and sla over her eye
“Yield, Lady Danny You are outmatched”
“I think not yet”
24
LORD Ruskin’s head snapped up toward the iht his foot, wrenched it, heaving hiht her sword up Their blades crossed, a holding point, and Charles turned his attention to his visitors again, registering Lord Alistair and Dev behind the vampire queen