Ghostwalker - Erik Scott De Bie [84]
"I am a Knight in Silver. I always keep my word."
"What do you ask in return? For this… accommodation?"
Arya bristled at his words but refused to let him see her discomfort. "Walker goes free."
"Of course," said Meris. "I might have guessed."
He pondered the agreement, crossing his arms before him. Arya could feel Walker's eyes on the back of her head, but she refused to flinch.
"Done," Meris said finally, a bemused smile on his face.
"Your word?"
"I swear on my sword." Meris extended his hand toward Arya.
Arya raised her brow. It had not escaped her notice that he carried no sword. "Have your men lower their bows first."
"You don't trust me?" Meris shrugged. "Well, believe it or not, I am a man of my word." He signaled, and the other rangers lowered their bows and put the arrows away. At the same time, Arya sheathed her sword and turned to the ghostwalker with tears in her eyes.
"Run away, Walker," said Arya. "I'm not going to lose you. Not now."
"We will meet again," Walker assured her softly.
Meris reached out and took Arya's arm, pulling her away.
* * * * *
True to her word, Arya followed. The rangers dispersed, though they continued to watch Walker warily.
After handing Arya by the arm to Darthan, who disarmed her, Meris turned back and strode toward Walker. He approached peacefully and unarmed. Walker kept his sword point down and stood calmly, awaiting the dusky scout's arrival.
It pained the ghostwalker to surrender. He knew what was coming next, but there was no other way he could save Arya. This simply had to be done.
When Meris stood within a pace of Walker, he stopped and stared him in the eye. Even this was more than the other rangers were willing to do, but Meris's hate overwhelmed any fear.
"I have been eager for this meeting since you humiliated me not once, not twice, but thrice, Walker," said Meris. "Now I'm going to set you free." He sighed. "Pity. I always hoped I'd get to cross swords with you."
Walker eyed Meris's black leathers. "Black covers all things-blood and hate, sins and lies-does it not?"
"What was that?" snapped Meris, thrusting his face next to Walker's.
Walker seemed not to hear him. "I have read the eyes of many men, most of them dying," he said. "And I have never seen so much hate as in yours."
"Look deep, Walker" Meris said. "Perhaps you'll see me laughing back."
A memory came unbidden into his mind.
The boy's eyes filled with fire … Rage? Anger? At the world or at himself?
Meris saw the look of recognition, and his eyes narrowed. "You know me," he said, almost intrigued, almost…
"I remember your eyes," Walker said. "Eyes of anger, eyes of pain, eyes of fear. You were afraid, that night."
"Am I afraid now?" Meris asked through his hard grin, his hands trembling.
There was a moment of silence. Walker thought he could see the spirit of Tarm Thardeyn standing to the side, looking at him sadly. Then Walker smiled.
"You will always be afraid."
In a blur of motion, Meris seized the shatterspike from Walker's hand, whirled in a circle, and slashed the ghostwalker across the chest. Blood sprayed and Arya screamed. Even though his body lit with fire, Walker fell without a sound.
"No!" screamed Arya. The knight started forward, but one of the rangers cuffed her on the side of the head, stunning her. She slumped in their hands, helpless.
"How does it feel to be set free?" Meris asked.
Walker could not respond through the blood bubbling up in his throat.
"Still alive, eh?" Meris kicked Walker up to a kneeling position and stepped on his right hand. "No wolf’s head ring keeping you that way. What, did you lose it somewhere? You know, the ring you always wear on this hand?"
Walker could only moan.
"Or did you give it to her?" Meris said, pointing the bloody shatterspike at Arya, who glared at him. He stomped over to the knight and slapped her across the face.
As Walker watched, he roughly tore off Arya's gauntlets to search for a ring, and then her breastplate, in case she wore it on a chain around her neck.
"The ring's not