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I HEADED INTO Michela’s hall and sighed. Raquel was tied to a chair with a gag in mouth. I hurried over to untie her but she grunted at me and looked over my shoulder. I ducked and shoved the shield up.
Clang.
It held. Oh phew. It held.
I swiped with the sword and someone grunted.
Then I frowned.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I didn’t lower the shield though and then winced because I’d sworn in front of Raquel.
“Reclaiming my realm.” Nigel touched his fingers to his bleeding leg. “You nicked me.”
“Come any closer and I’ll dice you.” I know you’ll be as disappointed as me, but if Nigel was my serial killer, it really soured the moving armour eeriness.
“Hah.” He smiled at me like it was a joke. “The old wench didn’t fill you in, did she?”
I shuffled ’round and yanked her gag from her mouth. “You okay, ma’am?”
“I’ll be better when you slice him in two.” She spat at the ground near his feet. “Aren’t you supposed to be shark food, boy?”
“He’s Henry?” I lowered my shield. “That?”
Henry sneered. “Henry Arthur Michael De Breton the Fifth to be exact.” He swiped the sword around and . . . okay, now, he was more scary.
“You change tyres.” I kept my body to the side like Sophie had said. I needed to keep him from Raquel yet not get sliced. Easier said than done, I know you’ll agree. Especially as the only lighting was the chandelier and the mist was against the windows in a creepy crawling white blanket. “You look nothing like Henry.”
“Oh it’s him alright,” Raquel muttered. “The scar on his hand tells you all you need to know . . . along with the stench.”
Henry snarled. He was getting into it. Yeah. He wasn’t laughable now. Not with that manic glint in his eyes.
I shifted the shield and knocked my penknife off my belt onto Raquel’s lap. Hopefully she could pull it out. I didn’t trust my aim to slice the binds off her.
Henry charged.
I ducked, one knee, shield up with one hand, sword up with the other.
Clang. Scrrraaappppee.
Sparks shot out as my sword got shoved down.
“Boot him!” Raquel yelled.
I flicked my foot out.
Henry stumbled to the side and clattered into the wall.
“Thanks.” I glanced at Raquel. She was bound behind her back. Shit. I used the tip of the sword and it sheared the rope in two. She grabbed the penknife and started cutting the binds on her legs.
Henry charged low. I darted in front of Raquel and shoved the shield and sword out to shove it sideward.
Clang. Crack. Scraaaaaappe.
I grunted but managed to shove the shield forward enough Henry’s blade missed Raquel’s legs by inches.
Raquel freed herself and slammed the pen knife into Henry’s arm.
I slammed the shield into his face and he rolled away toward the window.
“Ma’am, please . . . go find Sophie. Please?” I eyed Henry who was up and circling.
He darted to cut her off. I swung out the sword. He dodged and slammed his sword out to block.
Clang.
“Ma’am . . . run!” I roared like I was used to battling crazed people with blades and I wasn’t getting flashbacks of axes or panic attacks creeping through me. Raquel needed to get Sophie to safety.
Raquel harrumphed and slammed the door behind her.
“Just you and me, Henry,” I said, trying to catch my breath. Swords and armour sucked the energy right out of you. “Guess you killed Bunion then.”
He grinned. “Indeed.” His accent had changed and with the body language he resembled part tiger, part large hairy spider with fangs. “Thought little sister needed a reminder that she hadn’t won the war.”
“I take it I owe you a log to the head too?” I had a helmet with spikes on. If he came near, I’d head butt him, hard.
“You must understand that it was necessary.” He lowered the sword. “You are rather attractive but you have little taste.”
“Really?” I sounded so Welshy. “Do you really think you’re more attractive than Sophie?”
“I am a man. You should not be looking at other women.” Ooh, there was the sneer.
“I look at all people . . . thanks.” And I needed to keep him talking until Wood or someone came to help. I flicked my radio button down. “I take it that along with murdering Bunion and trying to kill me, you were the one who assaulted Trin?”
“Who?” Henry raised a bored eyebrow. He was taking a breather himself so was suffering me.
“My ex. The one you followed home?” I lifted the shield as he moved onto the balls of his feet.
“Oh the prying bitch who came into my workshop?” He laughed. “That was to give her a nice quiet message.”
“And Salisbury?” I glanced back at the door. He looked ready to charge again and I had a wobbling right arm and whirring, wobbling left arm, wobbly knees, and sweat dripping from me.
“Yes, yes. I killed her. I killed that stupid tramp from London too.” He rolled his eyes. “Doyle did manage to shoot the nosy reporter by the lake however.” He smiled. “Now I need to fix you seeing me, that old wench, and Sophie can rot in prison.” He grinned wider with more spider like creepiness in his eyes. “And I get my estate back and no debts.”
He charged.
I parried.
Clang. Crack.
Shit my shield split.
Help.