From Darkness Won - Jill Williamson [131]
Shung crouched and retrieved his weapons. “Black knights?”
Now, Your Highness, Duchess Amal said.
“Now, Shung! Go!
Shung held the smoldering curtain aside and ducked out the doorway. Achan hefted his shield over his head and followed.
They had stopped in a forest with trees so high Achan couldn’t see the tops. The wagon’s tongue had been severed, and the horses were gone. The driver lay on the ground, dead. Gowzals circled overhead.
Black knights were spaced around the wagon. Achan could hear their low chanting of râbab yârad and so on. Three wielded a wall of apparitions to the north that held off Achan’s soldiers. Three looked south doing the same. The green glows of fake knights arched into the trees, creating a boundary around the wagon’s side. The last two black knights faced the wagon. One was locked in a swordfight with Kurtz. The other stood behind Kurtz, lobbing balls of fire at an invisible foe.
Duchess Amal, no doubt.
“Shung, take those three.” Achan gestured north with his sword, then ran south. The three flesh-and-blood enemies had their backs to Achan, focused on their magic. The nearest one had a puff of grey hair that betrayed his identity. Sir Nongo. Did that mean Silvo was here too?
Beyond the wielders and their puppets, Achan could see Sir Caleb and Toros at the front of the line fighting apparitions as if they were real men. Achan kicked Sir Nongo in the back of the knees. The man stumbled and lost his wooden mask, and his apparitions faded. Toros darted through the gap, but one of the other wielders produced a new foe that pushed the warrior priest back again.
Sir Nongo turned and drew his sword, holding it two handed.
“Come to try and sacrifice me to Barthos again?” Achan hefted his shield into place and set Ôwr’s flat against the edge. “Didn’t you learn anything the last time?”
“I learned to be killing you quickly this time.” Sir Nongo’s black blade snapped forward like a whip. Achan parried it with his shield, caught off guard by the strength of Sir Nongo’s arm. Achan had forgotten. But he’d learned much since that night in Esek’s camp, and he sent a strong cut back to Sir Nongo’s waist.
Sir Nongo caught the cut with his flat and threw off Ôwr’s blade. He stepped in close and followed with a series of one-handed blows that didn’t give Achan a chance to counter, as if he were trying to cleave Achan’s shield in two.
Achan twisted Ôwr out, wrapping the blade around Sir Nongo to strike the back of his shoulder. Sir Nongo’s steps faltered long enough for Achan to throw out his shield against Sir Nongo’s empty arm. The shield’s edge rooted Sir Nongo in place, and they sparred in a one-handed duel, their blades clashing a rapid tempo.
Sir Nongo’s speed kept all coherent thought at bay. Dozens of swords clanked around them. Men uttered battle cries. Boots shuffled over the dirt road. The wagon fire crackled.
Kurtz had pushed his opponent near Shung and the mages facing north. A rock struck Achan’s shoulder. The mage Duchess Amal had been fighting was now free, using his magic to throw rocks.
Duchess? Are you well?
I fight Macoun Hadar in the Veil.
Pig snout.
Sir Nongo cleaved one last strike and darted back, freeing himself from Achan’s shield. Something popped in the wagon fire, sending a splash of sparks over Sir Nongo’s head. Sir Nongo circled away from the fire. Achan moved with him. Heat seared his side. The wagon was blazing now.
Sir Nongo stabbed. Achan deflected with his shield and cut from side guard. To Achan’s left, Shung fell beside a rock the size of a head of cabbage. Shung’s opponent raised his blade to finish Shung off.
“No!” Achan deflected a cut from Sir Nongo, unable to do anything for his friend. But Kurtz stepped in and cut the man down.
Praise Arma—
Achan’s sword flew out of his hand. He returned his full focus to Sir Nongo,