while physically strong, his body was frail. I sidestepped, spun, and sank my blade into his gut. He froze, but then a hideous grin split his decomposing face as he took hold of the blade and yanked it out of his stomach. His shield smacked into my shoulder before I could move, knocking me on the ground.
The thing lumbered toward me. “Addie . . . hat . . . hates . . . ye . . . kill . . . ye . . . kill.”
“Ye really shouldna try ta speak.” I scrambled backward until my shoulders bumped against a wide tree trunk. Biding my time, I let Sean close the gap between us. As he readied his weapon, I sprang to my feet and lunged, arching my sword over my head and bringing it down with all my strength. The blade sliced into the crook of his neck, but he batted the weapon away, dislodging the blade from his flesh. The wound would’ve stopped a mortal man. It appeared I’d have to take him apart piece by piece.
I ducked around the tree, narrowly avoiding Sean’s next strike. As the monster followed, I raised my shield to defend myself. Making him angry seemed to increase his strength. His sword beat against my shield again and again until a final slam sent it flying into the dirt. I whirled and kicked the vile thing square in the chest. The blow pushed him back, but when I brought my sword around he blocked and then went on the offensive. Our weapons crashed together over and over until I struggled to block his strikes. With a massive swing, he knocked me off my feet. I fell on my back, the sword flying out of my hand. As he raised his sword over his head to deliver the final blow, I pulled a dagger from my belt, buried it in his thigh, and rolled away.
Scrambling on my hands and knees, I grabbed the sword, swung around, and slashed blindly. The blade cut halfway through his calves, bone breaking through skin. With a bellow of rage, he toppled face-first. I leapt to my feet and swung, my blade slicing into the monster’s neck as he fell.
I circled his prone body, sword pointed at his head. I had to be sure. Reluctant to touch the unholy creature, I grasped his sleeve and rolled him onto his back. He still blinked, his jaw working as he tried to speak. I straddled his chest, grasped the sword in both hands, and hesitated. Could I kill him all over again?
The answer flashed through my mind in a moment of seamless clarity. This was not Sean, but another mental torment sent from the witch. If I let it, my guilt would destroy me from the inside out and Adelaide would win. What I’d done could not be changed, but I could accept absolution and move on. When I freed this soulless abomination from his torment, this time it would be out of compassion, not anger.
“I forgive you, Sean.” I raised my sword and lifted a prayer, “Deliver him, Lord, for he knows not what he does.”
And then I slammed the blade through his throat. His eyes flew wide, but it wasn’t until I lifted his head and dislocated it from his body that he stopped moving.
Exhausted, but finally free, I dropped the monster’s head and glanced to the field. The Destined had defeated the last of the skeleton battalion and were making their way toward me. As my head cleared, I began to hear snippets of words. Veronica’s voice. Ja . . . you . . . army . . .
I snatched my shield out of the dirt, grabbed Crusoe’s reins, and began to run.
CHAPTER 43
Veronica
Jamie! Where are you? Addie’s army has us surrounded!
The skellies swarmed and I threw my last ax. End over end, it hurtled through their ranks, knocking three . . . four . . . five creatures down like bowling pins, three of which lost their heads completely. Arms shaking, I raised my sword as Ken knocked down a row with her staff, blowing them apart with the impact. Working as a team, Duncan stepped into the void she created and decapitated the following row with his claymore.
“I dinna understand,” Duncan mused. “What’s the witch’s end game? The skeletons are almost too easy to take down.”
“Good point.” Kenna moved into position as we fought back to back.
Another group scuttled forward, and I turned away, letting my