He did not intent to waste more lives than was necessary. All battles took too many human lives and resolved little. This one in particular, a man’s attempt to fill his greed, was the worst one he’d ever fought.
Bryce turned to him. “I cannae keep this from ye. Jo… Grace is here.”
Duncan staggered. “Those damned guards. Bryce, find her. Protect her. Please.” They were close to Ethan; the wild man was losing his ground fast, which meant he was desperate. Grace had broken out, and if Ethan got his hands on her, he would… He refused to think about the implications. Duncan broke into the fight between him and another warrior.
“Ye lied usin’ me name.” Duncan told him, once they were within hearing range.
Ethan frowned for a moment, then he grinned. “You found out. I suppose that mutt told you.”
“The only dog is ye. Nae, actually. ‘Tis an insult tae the animal.”
Ethan flexed his arm, lazily warding off Duncan’s sword. “That whore must have been bewitched you.”
Duncan’s face flickered before he tightened the leash on his emotions. “Aye. An’ I will send yer head tae her as tribute.”
Briefly, fear paled the commander’s haughty face. Hate sparked in his desperate eyes. “You fucking cunt!” Ethan yelled, doubling his effort. “Where is she? Give her to me now, and this will end.”
Duncan laughed, “Are ye under the impression that ye have the upper hand? Look around. Commander.”
A nerve ticked in his face. Ethan made a crazed move, lunging in front of Duncan and demanding, “Bring her now!”
“Oh, she’s safe with me. And now that we ken what ye did tae her faither, ye have nae honor.” Duncan stated simply.
He shouted, swished his sword up and violently brought it down on Duncan’s. In a moment of recklessness, Duncan’s hold loosened on his sword. It clattered to the ground and Ethan kicked it away. A couple of his men advanced in order to finish off Duncan. Ethan waved them off, shooting an evil grin at him.
He raised Duncan’s head by placing the sword under his jaw. Duncan maintained a steady gaze, and spat “if ye dinnae kill me now, ye will die a horrible death.”
“Your last words, swine.”
Swine was really an overreaction, Duncan thought. He faced a man that had murdered his future father-in-law when he could have just married his daughter a few months later. The mere foolishness and greed of the man astounded him so much, he wasn’t concerned about the cold metal pressing under his jaw. If he was the swine, humanity was lost.
Then, a shadow fell over Ethan from behind.
“Ethan, hell isnae long enough tae show ye foolishness.”
A dagger was pushed into Ethan’s back. Absolute shock filled his face. It was almost exactly what he’d done to the commander. The same scene played out in front of Duncan’s eyes. He’d crashed to his knee. Save for the look of betrayal on her father’s face when he saw his killer, Grace had unintentionally avenged her father in the same manner.
Ethan crashed to his knees, clutching the point dripping with blood with one hand. He looked down at it, then at Duncan. Duncan knocked the weapon on him down and rose to his feet, meeting the eyes of the person behind.
Her face was covered with a black cloth, but he would recognize those eyes if they were the last thing he saw. She pushed the sword in and stepped out to his front. Now, several of Ethan’s men saw their commander crash to his knees.
“That was for my father.”
He coughed out a mouthful of blood, “Grace…”
Duncan went to her as she kicked him on the chest, knocking him to the ground. “And that, was for Harris.” She kicked him again. “And that, is for the man I love.”
Ethan raised his hand toward Grace as though he wanted to drag her with him. She untied the cloth from her face. “Look at me, a woman ended you. Take that to the grave.”
“Retreat!” A panicked voice with an English accent called. “Fall back!”
Duncan locked eyes with her and everything else fell away. His chest felt cramped and at the same time, a strong feeling he’d long learned to associate with her, surged within him.
Her lips trembled as she looked at her bloodied hands and then at the dead man at her feet.
Grace’s hands trembled the more she stared at them. Her stomach turned in revolt. She’d consciously delivered a killing blow, ending a man’s life. She panted, forcing air in and out of her lungs.
“I don’t like this feeling,” she rambled to Duncan. He tried to hold her and she shook her head. “I didn’t think I would be capable. I feel awful? Even if he was my father’s killer.”
