Chapter 32 #2
“You have learned nothing,” Haidar challenged. “The warriors who wait on my ships will be here soon and I will see everyone dead, except you and your beautiful wife, of course.”
Rhys wiped the blood from his sword on the body at his feet. “They will not be coming, and your ships will not be sailing... my warriors made sure of that. As I said, you taught me well and now it is time for you to die.” Rhys lunged at him with his sword.
Heather had seen what a skilled swordsman her husband was and now she saw why. Haidar handled a blade as if he was born with it in his hand. The Dragon had learned from a master and suddenly Heather feared for her husband’s life.
Haidar seemed to toy with Rhys, deflecting every thrust and swing with ease as if he purposely prolonged the inevitable. The enjoyment Haidar was getting was apparent in his smile and confident movements.
Finally, Haidar seemed to tire of his actions and stepped away from Rhys, his smile replaced with angry scowl.
“You rob me of burning your home and you rob me of taking you home with me and seeing you suffer for what you have done. But before I take your life know that your wife will suffer more than you ever did.”
Rhys moved so fast that he was a blur to Heather and Haidar as well, and the next thing she saw was Haidar’s sword arm sliced near to the bone, his sword dropping from his useless hand.
But Rhys did not stop there. By the time he finished, Haidar was on his knees, blood running down from what was left of both his arms.
Haidar raised his head, fighting against the pain. “At least I die at the hands of a worthy opponent.”
Rhys dropped his sword and pulled a dagger from his boot.
“I promised Anala I would deliver a message to you before I killed you.” He stepped behind Haidar, grabbed him by the hair, and yanked his head back, pressing the dagger’s blade to his throat.
He leaned down and whispered, “Anala told me to tell you that she gave you the only son that you would ever have and never live to see.”
Haidar’s eyes turned wide. “My son lives?”
“He does and good Scottish parents took him in, they love him, and call him their own, and he will never know any differently.” Rhys drew the blade across Haidar’s throat swiftly and as he bled to death he glared at Rhys with hate-filled eyes.
Rhys wiped the dagger clean on Haidar’s shirt and snatched his sword up off the ground and looked to see his wife crouched over a body. He went over to her and dropped down beside her and saw that it was Seamus.
She turned tearful eyes on her husband. “He died trying to save me.”
“Then I am forever grateful to him and pleased that he died a warrior’s death, not a crippled old man, which I believe was his intention when he picked up his sword and joined the fight.
I will see he has a warrior’s burial and see that he is buried where he wished to stay—on McComb land, his home. ” He helped Heather to stand.
She glanced over at Haidar, and then back at her husband. “You are finally free.”
“I was finally free when I first held you in my arms.”
He went to kiss her when suddenly a warrior rounded the corner with his arm tight around Patience’s throat and a dagger in his hand. He made a wide berth around Rhys and Heather.
Hunter came barreling around the corner and stopped when his eyes fell on his wife. “Let her go, Greer, this is between you and me.”
“You ruined everything,” Greer yelled.
Heather wondered why Patience did not do something. She had seen her sister get out of that type of hold many times. Then she saw the blood running down her arm. Patience was too weak to fight back. Instinctively, she stepped forward and felt a strong hand pull her back.
Heather looked at her husband. “She needs tending now.”
“Wait,” Rhys ordered.
Heather did not argue. She trusted her husband; he would not fail her sister.
“You did this yourself,” Hunter said and cast a quick glance at Rhys who gave a slight nod to him.
“I should have killed you before I killed our father,” Greer shouted. “You were always nothing but trouble to me.”
“Then here is your chance. Fight me like a true warrior.”
Greer looked from his brother to Rhys. “Once I kill you the Dragon will kill me.”
“I give you my word that if you kill me no one will stop you. You will go free,” Hunter said and gave a nod to the Dragon.
“I will see your word kept,” Rhys said.
Greer let go of Patience and stepped away as she dropped to the ground.
Rhys went over and lifted her into his arms and brought her to his anxious wife.
“Leave us,” Greer shouted.
Rhys turned after placing Patience on the ground, Heather already busy tending to her. “If I leave and you live there will be no one to guarantee your safety. Now fight and be done with it, you fool.”
“I will come back for you,” Greer sneered.
Rhys laughed. “Ghosts do not frighten me.”
Raging anger turned Greer’s face bright red and like the fool he was, he charged at his brother.
Rhys was aware of how skilled Hunter was with a sword, but it was his ability to focus and let nothing interfere when he wielded his sword that made Hunter an exceptional swordsman.
Greer thrashed about while Hunter delivered precise blows and Rhys could see that Hunter was delaying killing his brother, but then Greer deserved to suffer some before he died for having taken his own father’s life.
“Kill the fool and be done with it!” Heather shouted.
Rhys turned, shocked by her words.
Hunter smiled, though it vanished as with two quick strokes he ended it, Greer’s body dropping to the ground dead. Hunter hurried to his wife. When he saw her eyes closed and looking so lifeless, his eyes went anxiously to Heather.
“We need to get her inside and sear the wound before she loses more blood,” Heather said. “And you must know it was Patience who insisted I shout that out to you.”
“I knew the words were hers even if the voice was not,” Hunter said, easing his wife up into his arms.
“She wanted you beside her that was why she urged you to be done with it,” Heather said. “Whenever she got sick or frightened when she was young, she would not want me to leave her side. Now, as it should be, she wants you...her husband.”
“I will not be leaving her side until she is well,” Hunter said and carried her to the door.
“I never wager,” Rhys called out, “but I wager you will be eating those words soon enough.”