shows up. Knowing her, she’s likely to kill your wife.”
Patrick shook his head emphatically. “We cannot leave you with Devin on a wild hunch that Morgan might be in my house. Ruth is not in danger from her.”
The cross slipped out of Sapphira’s hands. “What name did you call her?”
“Ruth.” Patrick picked up the cross and handed it back to Sapphira. His eyes focused on hers, lingering for a moment. “I take it you know her by another name . . . perhaps a much older name.”
“When I see her, I’ll know for sure.” Sapphira pointed the cross at the mansion. “If I’m right, as soon as Morgan lays eyes on her, she’ll figure out the truth and kill her!”
“Morgan won’t kill her. She needs her to produce an offspring.”
“But Ruth isn’t normal. I learned in my dream that the only way she’ll ever conceive by you is if your dragon genes get altered into human ones, and when Morgan figures that out, she won’t mind killing her.”
Patrick waved his hand at Sapphira. “Yes, I know all that, which is exactly why I set up this confrontation.” He patted the outside of his pocket. “And don’t worry about Devin. I have a backup plan if our primary plan goes awry.”
“But Morgan will ”
“Stay behind me!” Patrick spread his arms, making a shield in front of Sapphira and Gabriel. “No time to explain! Devin is upon us!”
As the slayer neared the ground, Elam stepped out in front and waved his torch, but it seemed a feeble weapon against a trained knight bearing the sword of swords.
With a deft swipe, Devin cut his parachute lines just before landing. After rolling to the wet grass and then jumping to his feet, he brandished Excalibur and glowered at his opposition. “An unarmed man, a winged mongrel, a boy with a torch, and a skinny, blind girl. How pitiful! Killing you four would hardly be sporting.”
Elam pointed his torch at the slayer. Its fire sizzled in the growing rainstorm. “Does a true knight threaten a girl? Let them go and follow me to the mansion’s ancient grounds where we can fight one-on-one in a hallowed arena.”
“Oh, it’s you!” Devin grunted a contemptuous laugh. “Don’t you ever grow up, little boy?”
Elam waved the torch toward the mansion. “If I’m such a little boy, you should take my offer. Unless, of course, you’re nothing more than a yellow-bellied mama’s girl.”
Devin slapped Elam’s wrist with the flat of Excalibur’s blade, knocking the torch to the ground. He strode forward and pricked Elam’s throat with the point. “I’m not here to kill a bleeding Scotsman, but I don’t think my mistress would mind if I add your head to my collection.”
Elam’s eyebrows arched up, but his voice stayed calm. “It’s a simple concept, even for you. I’m challenging you to a duel. Are you man enough to accept?”
Lowering his sword, Devin glared at Sapphira. “Who is this plucky blind girl?”
Elam ran over to Sapphira and put his arm around her waist. “My friend from down under. She’s always been overly confident.”
Devin bowed dramatically. “Young lady, I am bowing in honor of your fiery spirit.”
Puckering her face, Sapphira muttered under her breath. “You don’t know the half of it, you coward.”
Elam picked up his torch. “So, Devin, are you coming with me?”
After straightening his body, Devin rested Excalibur on his shoulder and snorted. “I am not here to be baited into your trap. I am merely waiting for my mistress to arrive before I skewer the mongrel.”
“Patrick!” Gabriel shouted, pointing upward. “Look!”
A huge raven flew toward them carrying a woman in its talons. As her long dress flapped in the wet breeze, she cried out, “Patrick! Help me!”
Patrick stared at her, his mouth agape and his arms and legs stiff.
Sapphira gripped the cross so tightly, it stung her palms. Suddenly, the crossbeam ignited on its own with a pale yellow blaze. She gaped at its sizzling flames and whispered, “I didn’t call for flames. Am I supposed to do something now?”
Gabriel leaped into the air and met the raven in mid-flight. With his wings beating wildly, he grabbed the bird’s throat and forced it toward the ground. “Let her go, you stupid turkey, or I’ll tear you drumstick from drumstick!”
The raven screeched and dropped the woman. Its feathery body suddenly vaporized into a column of smoke and slipped through Gabriel’s fingers. The raven’s victim slid between Patrick and Devin, and the smoke column settled