Genevieve saw a flicker of movement behind him. “No,” she whispered.
“Yes,” Laurent said. “That’s all they’re good for. You can’t protect them—and you shouldn’t. They’re sheep. That’s a—aarghh!” he yelled as his body jerked.
Behind him, Fletcher, practice foil thrust through the belt at his waist, held grimly to the hilt of the silver knife he had thrust into Laurent’s back. He had aimed at the heart—but the angle was wrong. He’d missed.
“Fletcher,runand get Kendrick!” Genevieve yelled. Then she smashed her fist into Laurent’s face.
She wasn’t a helpless human anymore. He could intimidate her all he liked—but she wasn’t fettered anymore. He had no power over her.
Laurent growled, trying to both stem the blood oozing from his nose and get a hand on the knife to pull it out. “You little?—”
Fletcher pelted away just as Laurent got a hand on the knife and yanked it free. His skin sizzled as he dropped the silver. “Littlebrat—” he wheezed, blood splattering the floor.
“Leave him alone,” Genevieve snarled. “Pick on someone your own size.” She hit Laurent across the face again, staining her glove with his blood. Then she dived for the knife and scooped it up. She could feel the silver through her thin gloves, but she held it grimly.
She was free, and she was strong, and there was a house full of people who would come down on his head if she could just keep him distracted and angry enough not to run after Fletcher.
His bloodshot eyes focused on her with a snarl.
She backed up towards the wide ballroom floor, the knife held in front of her. “You think humans are worthless, but look what one boy did! You look down on vampires weaker than you, but Elspeth foiled you! You’re delusional, Laurent, if you think this will gain you anything.”
He gnashed his fangs, closing in on her. “It will gain me your blood in my teeth!”
“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Kendrick growled from the doorway.
“No more hiding in shadows, Laurent,” Kendrick declared, stepping into the room and raising his sword. “No more sending others to do your death-deeds. Face me now, according to the traditions you claim to espouse. Face me in trial by combat, though by rights, such an honor should not be given to you.”
Kendrick and Genevieve’s people crowded in behind him, cutting off Laurent’s escape.
“I will not fight a usurper!” Laurent said, his eyes wildly darting for an exit. He reached for Genevieve, as if to snatch her to him like a shield—but she sliced his arm with the silver dagger that had already tasted his blood and ran out of range, traveling along the edge of the room to reach her allies. Laurent howled wordlessly in pain and outrage, and Kendrick felt a rush of pride.
All the blood in him had frozen when he had heard Fletcher’s urgent cries. Now he would deal with this tormenter who had hurt Genevieve and so many others—one way or another.
“I gained rulership of the Ossuary fairly. If you had wanted to challenge me, you should have done it in front of witnesses instead of conspiring like a coward. If you will not fight me, then I’ll kill you the way you deserve,” Kendrick said, advancing on him.
“No!” Laurent shrieked.
“Then will you fight?” Kendrick asked. “Fight or face the dawn. Those are your choices. Choose your end.”
Laurent licked his lips. “No weapons in trial by combat! Throw down your sword!”
Kendrick handed it off to Salem, hilt first. “Agreed.”
Genevieve reached him and seized his arm, her eyes wide. “Kendrick?—”
“All will be well,” he said in a low voice.
She took his hand and kissed it.
Then Kendrick stepped forward to meet him.
Laurent would never willingly parley or pay weregild for those he had harmed. He had to be dealt with, here, now. But like all those who traded in fear, this vampire was a coward. Kendrick advanced on him as the household peered in the ballroom doors.
“Get him, guv!” Fletcher’s voice called as Laurent backed away.
“Are you going to stand and fight, or run like a dog?” Kendrick asked as Laurent continued to scuttle away from him. “For a man with a lot of big talk, you have no spine when the battle merits it.”
“You’ve turned them all against me,” Laurent hissed.
