Ghostwalker - Erik Scott De Bie [117]
By this time, two other rangers had closed on Derst's duel and were slashing and thrusting, but they only nearly hit the axe-wielder. The roguish knight kept dodging their blows, running in two low circles around the ranger with the axe, weaving the lanyard of his makeshift chain-dagger as he went. Finally, with the man fully wrapped, Derst slid past one of the swordsmen, put both hands on the thick lanyard, and yanked for all he was worth. The lanyard pulled tight around the man's legs, ruining his balance, and one ranger staggered into the other, sending both down in a jumble of limbs.
"Hail, lass!" shouted Derst as he leaped over another thrust, freed his lanyard, and kicked out, catching the ranger in the face.
" 'Arya,' Derst!" the lady knight snapped back. She parried a slash and punched the man in the face as though with a shield. Her fist had much less effect, but it was enough to send him reeling back. "It's Arya! You want to be 'lad?'"
"Oh, never that!" replied Derst. "Sorry! I was going to ask-" he parried a seeking blade with his dagger, hooked his lanyard around the weapon, and ripped it out of the man's hands, "-whether you think a-" he dodged another swipe, "-promotion's on the horizon?"
"I concur!" rumbled Bars as he swatted a ranger aside like an insect. He faced four more, but they looked more afraid of him than he of them." 'Tis not every day you fight almost a score of men with just your two friends!"
"Dashing friends," corrected Derst as he parried a sword and gave the man a quick kick to the shin, putting him down.
" 'Tis not every day you win!" replied Arya as she narrowly deflected another slash. "Fight now, talk later!"
Even with that chastening remark-or perhaps because of it-Derst continued right on chattering.
"They might even make you a Knight Protector for this!" he said. Then his brows knitted and he addressed his current opponent, blocking and parrying between each word. "What's that, eh, chap? Equivalent to Captain? Colonel? General? No, surely not that high."
He paused, expecting an answer. When nothing but another slash was forthcoming, which he dodged, Derst shrugged.
"Not sure, eh? Well, I guess I'll just have to find out."
The man bellowed and thrust again, but Derst leaped high into the air, kicked off the man's arm, flipped over his head, and come down slashing from behind. The ranger went down.
One of Bars's opponents finally made the mistake of planting his feet incorrectly on the thrust, leaving an opening as he stumbled back-an opening Bars took. With a bellow to Torm, the paladin leaped at him, working his maces independently to knock the man's sword aside. Bars thundered over the hapless ranger, knocked him flat to the ground, kicked his sword aside, and brought down both maces on the head of a fifth man who had been seeking to maneuver around Arya. With two foes down, Bars landed back on the ground and continued his defense.
With a glare, Arya lunged at the two hesitating rangers. They fell back into defensive stances, unwilling to approach the fierce woman. She was thankful for the reprieve, since pain was lancing up her leg, even as she bit her lip to ignore it.
The momentary lapse in her duel allowed Arya a moment to glance after Walker, at the Whistling Stag. She could hear nothing from within, and that did nothing to calm her nerves. It was only a momentary glance, though, then the ranger was back, sword lancing for her heart.
Her heart…
"You are his only hope," had been the wizard's words.
Arya slapped it aside and growled her frustration.
* * * * *
Meris ran into the Whistling Stag's common room only to find it deserted except for the innkeep Garion and a few regulars drinking at the bar. At the sight of the bloodied Meris, carrying a drawn axe, bursting through the door, all eyes turned.
"Oi, lad, wha' be the-" Garion began.
Running across the room, Meris slapped him across the face, silencing his next