it became more obvious that these were no ordinary men. As I’d feared she would, the witch had magically enhanced their strength and skill.
And whether I wanted to admit it or no, I was not yet at full strength after my ordeal. Even as I thought it, a blow drove me to one knee. The soldier raised his sword above me and I gripped mine to block, unsure if I had the balance to hold him off. But before the guard could land the deathblow, an ax whizzed past my head and wedged in the creature’s thigh. Without even acknowledging that he’d been hit, the soldier swung at my head. I ducked and rolled away, then jumped to my feet and spun, landing a kick to the guard’s ribs. I heard a satisfying crack, and the thing’s eyes widened in shock.
Mackenna joined the fight, showing considerable skill as she helped Duncan push his opponent back. I side-stepped my own attacker and caught a glimpse of Kenna’s sword being yanked out of her hand. She pulled a dagger, but Duncan jumped in front of her and yelled, “Stay back, woman!”
A fist landed in my face and I stumbled back. Deciding to change strategies and focus on my opponent’s weakness, I came in low and managed to slice into his other leg. He didn’t even react. Fine. If we couldn’t out fight them, we’d have to outwit them. I took quick stock of our surroundings; muddy sloping trail, forest on my left, a wall of boulders on my right. Boulders on my right . . .
I deflected another thrust, but not fast enough. The tip of the blade sliced through my bicep with searing pain. Red clouding my vision, I channeled the rage that lived within me and yelled, “Hurley!” A code word Duncan and I had devised to indicate we needed a distraction.
Duncan’s eyes cut toward me and I knew he’d understood. With a growl, I swung my sword with all my strength and succeeded in throwing my opponent off balance a step. Duncan whirled and kicked the soldier square in the solar plexus. The guard’s breath whooshed out and he lurched back, giving me the opening I needed.
Sprinting at full speed, I raced up the wall of boulders, then leapt into the air, sword raised. My opponent began to turn, but it was too late. I arched my arm back and brought my weapon down, slicing the witch’s monster neck to chest. I landed on my feet and spun, but he didn’t get back up.
I turned just as the last soldier smashed his fist into my brother’s throat. Duncan’s eyes bulged and his mouth gaped open. With a growl of uncontrolled fury, I charged, but the guard smashed his sword into mine, knocking it from my grasp. Duncan, still gasping for air, tossed me his sword. But it flew wide. I crouched and pulled my dagger, knowing it was no match for a magically enhanced soldier with a claymore.
A scream like that of dueling banshees rent the air and a missile zoomed past my ear. A tiny ax thunked into the guard’s chest and he lost his footing. I turned to find Veronica and Mackenna swooping in like avenging warriors. Veronica had another ax at the ready, but Kenna raised her sword, and with a violent shriek ran the creature through.
The last soldier fell, and for a moment no one spoke.
Post-fight adrenaline going to my head, I twirled my dagger around my right hand, then re-sheathed it and turned to Duncan, who was bent at the waist sucking in air. “I take back what I said earlier, brother. Perhaps ye should be scared.”
The color returning to his face, his lips quirked and he shook his head.
Veronica helped Eòran back to his feet. He’d taken a hard hit to the head, but as luck would have it, the man possessed a skull of concrete.
We all turned to see Ewan returning up the hill. “I lost him. I’m light on my feet, but he was wildly fast.”
“Wicked fast,” Kenna clarified as she hovered near Duncan, seemingly afraid to touch him.
No such reservations, Alasdair placed a hand on Duncan’s back. “Are ye all right, lad?”
Duncan straightened. “Aye,” he answered, his voice craggy.
Alasdair then turned to Eòran. “And you?” The guard rubbed his head and nodded. “Then we should hurry. That guard will have gone to alert the witch.”
The old man’s warning drained the vestiges of my adrenaline, leaving me appropriately sober.