The Reckless Oath We Made - Bryn Greenwood Page 0,110

her, but right then I felt strong. Strong enough to protect her. We held on to each other, until I remembered Gentry was outside waiting for me. I let go of her and looked around the room for her shoes. They were on the floor next to a chair covered in clothes. Just like at our house.

“Oh my god, Zee. How are you here?” she said.

“It’s a long story, and we have a long drive home, so I’ll tell you all about it.”

She sat back on the edge of the bed and I squatted down to put her shoes on her, like she was Marcus.

“But how?” she said, while I tied her shoes. “How did you even know where we were?”

“I promise, I’ll tell you everything, but we need to go.”

“It’s not like we can just walk out of here. They have guns. There are more of them than us.”

“How many are there?” I said.

“Four.”

“Okay, well, there’s five of us.”

“Who’s with you?” She was still sitting on the bed, looking at me like I was crazy. Had they drugged her? She was acting like she was drugged.

“Gentry, a friend of his, and our cousin Dirk,” I said. “I have money to pay them, so we need to get the hell out of here, okay?”

“I need to talk to Tague first. He—”

“The fuck you do.”

I grabbed her hand and pulled her up to standing.

That was when we heard the first gunshot.

CHAPTER 42

Gentry

The sword upon thy back is no child’s baton,” the black knight said.

I spake not but gave him my accord. I knew well ’twas no trifle.

“They aren not noble men. The one called Ligett, he meaneth to harm thee.”

The black knight was aright, for tho Scanlon would speak of money, Ligett was full of malice. In his shoulders he held ill intent, where he paced upon the stoop before me. The two knaves whispered one to the other. Tho I heard them not, I kenned well enough what they spake of, for Ligett looked to where Sir Edrard’s arrows had fallen, and thence toward the woods, as tho to seek the place my brother held.

Scanlon entered the house and Ligett alighted from the porch and strode toward the woods. As he passed me, he said, “You stay right fucking there, pal.”

I stayed, but soon the trees would hide him from Sir Edrard’s sight, and so I raised my hand to warn him.

“’Tis nigh dark,” the black knight said. “Soon thou shalt lose thine advantage. Now is the time to leave, for Scanlon is ill-prepared to fight.”

I mounted the stairs and approached the door to look within, but the sinking sun made havoc of shadow and light. As I laid my hand upon the door to open it, the sounding of a gun came behind me. Another came soon after, certs from the woods, but the echo and resound left me hard-pressed to ken the very place.

I stepped free of the door, drew my sword, and was at the ready. Aside the door, I squatted and, ere I had been there a nonce, a man burst from the barn door and ran toward the woods, carrying with him a long gun. From above, Sir Edrard dropped three arrows to the path, and ’twas only by hap that the man was missed by the bolts.

Within the cabin, I heard the footsteps of Scanlon. He ran to the door, loudly and without caution. Mayhap he meant only to fright me, but he thrust the door open with his foot and fired his gun. When he rushed out, I heaved up from where I squatted and struck full force my shoulder upon his flank. The blow sent him to the ground.

“He means to kill thee if he is able,” the black knight said.

Sooth, as quick as he landed, Scanlon gained his feet and raised his gun to fire once more. ’Twas but a breath betwixt us and I hastened it to close.

“You fucking idiot. You really brought a knife to a gunfight.” From pride, Scanlon scorned against me. ’Twas misguided boldness, for he might have wounded me, had he forborne to speak, and fired his gun. Ere he did, I swung my blade and smote his arm with enough might that he dropped the weapon. Scanlon cried out and blood flowed forth.

I made to subdue him, and grappled his neck to cut his breath, and with it his will to fight. I might have mastered him, but from the trees there came more gunshots,