Sweep of the Blade (Innkeeper Chronicles #4) - Ilona Andrews Page 0,73
dropped his buckler and attacked. His mace whistled through the air. Tellis blocked, letting the blow glance from his right sword, and stabbed with his left. The blade sliced a hair above Arland’s right shoulder. Arland lunged forward and punched Tellis. It was a devastating left cross. Tellis stumbled and Arland swung his mace into Tellis’ left arm. The groom shied back. Arland swung again and Tellis danced away.
They circled the battlefield, Tellis fast and agile, Arland unstoppable like a tank on a rampage.
They made a full circle.
Tellis kept backing up. Arland stalked him, but the other knight never let him get within reach.
Arland stopped and waited. Tellis stopped too.
The lawn was silent.
Arland took a step forward. Tellis took a step back.
Otubar called out, “It’s not a dance. Fight or get off the field.”
Tellis looked at the eight bodies lying on the grass. Some moaned, others simply lay still. His eyes were wide and glassy. Maud had seen that look before. It was the look of someone who had seen his own death. Tellis had forgotten this wasn’t a real battlefield. The urge to survive had taken over. He had nowhere to go. Back was dishonor; forward was Arland, pain, and death. So, like the bodies on the grass, Tellis held still.
Arland shrugged his massive shoulders, powered down his mace, turned his back to Tellis, and walked off the field. Maud let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding.
He stopped by the table, beat up and splattered with blood, and looked at her. You could hear a pin drop.
“We didn’t finish our discussion, my lady.”
Oh, she was more than ready to have a discussion. It would feature topics like Why the hell would you let nine knights pummel you? and What were you thinking? If he was bleeding internally, this was the only way for him to make a graceful exit. She had to get him out of here and out of that armor.
Maud rose, aware of every stare. “In that case, my lord, I suggest we retire to your quarters so we may carry out our debate in private.”
“I’d be delighted.” Arland extended his hand toward the path.
Maud bowed her head to Ilemina and Otubar. “My apologies.”
Ilemina waved at her. “Think nothing of it, my dear.”
Maud started down the path, aware of Arland only a step behind her.
“Ahh, young love,” Ilemina’s voice floated to her. “Where is our medic?”
As soon as they got to the tower and the door slid shut behind them, Arland swayed and sagged against the wall.
“You’re such an idiot,” she whispered through clenched teeth.
Arland smiled. “Maybe. But I won.”
Ugh. She had no idea how badly he was hurt. He probably didn’t know how badly he was hurt. They had to get him out of the armor. She could just pull it off him here. Every House crest contained the basic supplies necessary for emergency medical intervention. But if she took the crest off him now and applied it, he would have to remain stationary in this tower. They had to climb the stairs, cross the bridge, and get to either his room or hers and they had to do it with Kozor and Serak watching. Any show of weakness would dilute Arland’s victory.
The value of the beating he delivered wasn’t in the humiliation of Kozor and Serak. It was in fear and uncertainty. Both House Kozor and Serak came to the fight reasonably sure of what to expect. They had done their research, they had watched the fight in the Lodge, and they expected Arland to be a superior fighter. They didn’t expect him to be invincible. If he had been carried off the field by medics or had limped away obviously hurt, they could quantify it. “We almost beat him with nine knights; we can kill him with ten!” But he had crushed them and walked away like it was nothing. Now they didn’t know how many knights it would take, and they didn’t know how many Arlands House Krahr could field. They feared what they couldn’t see and didn’t know. Arland had to appear invulnerable.
She slid her shoulder under his arm. He leaned on her. His weight settled on her and her knees almost buckled. It was bad. He wouldn’t have put that much weight on her if he could have helped it. He had to be on his last legs.