Lion's Bride - Iris Johansen [142]
“The helpless and innocent always die, only the strong survive. We both know that. Come forward and do battle.” He smiled. “Who knows? You may kill me and live.”
Ware still didn’t move, his gaze searching Vaden’s face. He slowly shook his head. “Battle would be too easy for you. The blood runs hot and makes it hard to reason. That’s what you want, isn’t it?”
“The time for thinking is over.” Vaden’s hand tightened on his sword.
“Yes, but realization has just begun.” Ware threw away his sword.
“What are you doing?” Vaden said harshly.
Ware walked toward him, unarmed.
What in heaven was he about? Thea thought desperately.
“Step away from him, Selene,” Ware said.
“I will not. What foolishness is—” Selene broke off as Vaden swept her aside with one swing of his arm. Then he took an eager step forward.
“You wish to kill yourself? Then come ahead, Ware.”
“No, I wish to save myself. Life has never been sweeter.”
“Then pick up your sword, goddammit.”
Ware took off his helmet and dropped it onto the ground. “You see, I’m making it easy for you, Vaden. Just as I did once before.”
“There were reasons why I didn’t take your life then. They don’t exist now.”
“I think they do.” He fell to his knees before Vaden and jerked his mail down to bare his throat. “Strike now. One clean blow should do it.”
“Stand up and get your sword,” Vaden said between his teeth.
“Were they forced to kneel at Acre?”
“Stand up.”
“I told you that you couldn’t do it.”
“I can do it.”
“Then one clean blow.”
Vaden raised his sword.
“No!” Thea started toward them.
“Stop, Thea.” Ware’s gaze held Vaden’s. “This isn’t your concern. You couldn’t reach me before his sword anyway.”
“You’re my concern.” But he was right, she realized in despair, and her interference might hasten the blow. “I’ll kill you myself if you hurt him, Vaden.”
Ware ignored her. “Strike, Vaden.”
Vaden’s blackened features were twisted. Thea had never seen a wilder or deadlier visage. His hand tightened on the hilt of the sword.
The blade sliced through the air.
It passed by Ware’s head by no more than an inch.
“Goddamn you.” Vaden hurled the sword to the side. “May you burn in hell.”
“If I do, I won’t be sent there by your hand.”
“Don’t be too sure. A momentary weakness.”
“A realization.” Ware rose to his feet. “It comes to all of us.”
“Because I’m choking on blood after Acre?”
“Because you realize I’m your friend and you love me,” he said simply.
Vaden stared at him. “Christ, what a fool you are.”
“I was a fool,” Ware said. “I always thought you were a threat. I didn’t understand that you were there protecting me.”
“Protecting you?” Vaden repeated, stunned. “You’re truly a madman.”
“No, you always stood between me and the rest. Even if you didn’t realize it. Think about it.”
“I won’t think about it. It’s not true.”
“Then pick up the sword and kill me.”
Vaden glared at him. “This softness won’t last. I’ll come after you again.”
“I’ll welcome you,” Ware said. “As friend to friend.”
The sound that came from Vaden’s throat was the frustrated growl of a tiger robbed of its prey. He turned on his heel and strode back toward the forest.
For the first time in the encounter Thea drew a deep breath.
Vaden rode a white stallion out of the woods a moment later. “Hand me my sword.”
Ware reached down and handed him the weapon hilt first. He stood looking up at him, the blade of the sword between them.
Thea stiffened as she saw Vaden’s hand open and close yearningly on the hilt.
“A fool like you doesn’t deserve to live,” he said. “Fortune blessed you today, Ware.”
“A good friend is always a blessing.”
Vaden shook his head incredulously. He put spurs to his horse and started to ride away. He had gone only a short distance when he reined in, wheeled his horse, and galloped back. Before they knew what he was doing, he had gathered the reins of Ware’s horse, then Thea’s.
“What are you doing?” Ware called, startled.
“You can’t expect fortune to give you all its bounty. You made me very angry. It will be pleasant to think of the two