“Get back here, you whore!” Owen shouted. “Think I would not recognize you like this?” He tugged at the black cloth shieldingher face. His face split into an evil grin. He shoved her against himself, muttering dark expletives.
Grace fought off his hold and landed a punch to his abdomen. He gave a sharp howl of pain, staggering back in fury. Holding his stomach, he slashed his sword in a violent wide arch. Grace blocked the blow, and prance backward. He’d narrowly missed her.
“You are coming back with us,” he swore.
“Dream on,” Grace retorted, warding off his attacks.
He released his stomach, “you’ll be punished for this, mark my words.”
“I don’t think so,” Grace cut his cheek, drawing blood. He yelped in anger, slapped his palm to the spot and when he saw blood, the anger visibly rippled through him.
“Your mother’s whoring blood still taints you, I always knew it.”
Grace stumbled once. He took the opening and pushed his defense. It was a well-known rumor back home. When her mother could not conceive, people said a barrage of vile things about her. One of such insane accusations was that she’d slept with so many sailors that her womb became damaged.
Having been born close to the shore to humble parents, she was an aberration to the rich when she had married Grace’s father.The couple met on one of her father’s trips. She worked with her father selling knick-knacks to people on the shore. He had spotted her and never looked away until the day of her death.
Yet, those tongues lashed when she could not conceive. All sorts of things were said about the woman who cried herself to sleep every night. A woman who, given the choice, chose to save her child’s life when Grace finally came. It was a miracle that she survived the birthing.
It was those rumors that Owen threw in her face. She knew they were false. And that he was just trying to get a rise out of her. Yet Grace gave a crazed cry and lunged for him. She swung around, cutting him off at the knees. Her blow landed precisely where his nerves would weaken and bring him down.
She held her sword to his neck, “don’t you ever speak of her!” she spat. She should deliver killing blow, but her hand would not let her.
He peered at the something and Grace followed his gaze. A few feet away, thesgian dubhlay on the ground, having fallen from her. Seeing her rattled, Owen grinned, “I found that for Ethan.” She faltered. He shifted to the side, grabbed her wrists tight until the sword fell and clattered amidst the noise. Left with nothing to fight, Grace skipped from side to side, escaping his blows and seeking for an opening to grab the sword.
She’d just reached for it, when Owen slashed her arm. Blood poured out of the wound as Grace retracted her hand. He raisedhis sword and went in for the killing blow. Grace tried to run but he yanked her back.
Grace’s hope was near an end. The man’s screams grew louder. “I will tell Ethan you put up a good fight.”
She looked beyond Owen. A renewed hope sparked in her as she yelled, “Tell him in hell!”
With all of her might, Grace shoved Owen back. Back into Bryce’s waiting sword, which plunged out to his chest. Breathing heavily, Grace retrieved the fakesgian dubhand met Bryce’s eyes with gratefulness. He’d arrived with reinforcements. His men were spreading into the fight, crushing the English soldiers as they went.
She joined Bryce, changing the course of her life forever.
“He’s late!” Craig shouted behind him. Duncan dealt with the man who kept trying to slash his jugular, and turned. Bryce and Craig stood side-by-side, glaring at each other. Simultaneously, they slid to right and left, smoothly knocking down two other men.
“I am right on time!” Bryce’s sword annihilated another.
“On time? Moments before they finish us?!” A man careened into another, causing a near avalanche.
“Aye, on time. Handle this,” Bryce pushed a couple of soldiers towards Craig, who only just managed to steady his balance. Busy with the two soldiers, he kept quiet. Duncan acknowledged his friend’s assistance by raising his sword briefly.
Back-to-back, “Ye finally found the tunnels,” Duncan dug at Bryce jokingly. They fought, but with every clash Duncan’s heart dampened. At the end of the battle, he would have to return to the dungeon. And see her. He would have to decide if she should stay, be punished or forever be removed from his life.
At the thought, Duncan swung his wrist in an extra vicious strike.
“What dae ye say, I will cover ye. Go fer the commander. Ethan...”
The man that had started all of it. He’d been looking out for him. That man’s face was imprinted in his mind from the moment he had betrayed his commander. Grace’s father.
“Aye.”
Right now, more of Ethan’s men were arriving to help their dying army. He was fighting well and hard but it would be over Duncan’s dead body to let him cross those gates and get to her. He was not sure of much at the moment, but of that was beyond certain.
“Those fools are preparing the cannons. We have tae get tae their commander first.”
“Craig! Signal the archers. Have them hold until the cannons are loaded. I’m goin’ fer the commander, but if he’s not dead in five minutes, unleash them.”
