The Wyvern's Spur - Kate Novak [146]
Giogi was just beginning to understand why he always stood up for them in spite of their failings. They wouldn't be a family without failings. Poor Steele only feels Frefford's rank and my wealth because he's had to live second to them. Julia only wants to be loved. Aunt Dorath only wanted to protect me from her own fears. As for the others…
"My uncle was foully ambushed," Giogi stated. "My father died defending the family honor. And the lady never loved you; she was terrified of you. Who could blame her?"
Flattery scowled for just a moment, and his blade wavered. Giogi thought, Can't take what he dishes out, eh?
"I wonder," Giogi continued, suddenly feeling more confident and mixing feints in with his attacks, "What kind of man has no respect for the elderly, no lovalty to his family, and prefers the company of undead to a beautiful woman? You know, Flattery, I don't think you're a man at all."
Flattery made a direct attack, low and clumsy, which Giogi parried easily.
"Close to the mark, eh?" the nobleman said with a chill disdain. "My guess would be you're some sort of lich with an illusion spell to mimic the face of a true Wyvernspur."
Flattery pressed at the nobleman's blade, thrust, and lunged. The foil pierced through Giogi's tabard and pricked the skin below his ribs before the nobleman managed to retreat.
Giogi nearly backed into Cat, who was still behind him reciting the words to some involved magic spell. Startled, the mage broke off her chant for a fraction of a second as she retreated to avoid being trampled by the nobleman. Upon recovering her balance, she resumed chanting, even faster than before.
"People say you're nothing but a useless wastrel with delusions of being a warrior," Flattery snarled. "You aren't even competent with the foil. I've drawn first blood already."
"Ah, but at least I have blood you can draw. What have you got, Flattery? If I get lucky and score a hit, will there be blood on my weapon or just some oozing ichor?"
Flattery thrust and lunged again, but Giogi parried and riposted. Flattery retreated slightly.
Both men slowed their attacks. Somewhere in his past Flattery had learned to fence very well, but it was not a skill he'd exercised for some while. He was tired. Giogi, who'd been riding and walking regularly, making his journey home, could last for some time, provided he wasn't dealt a mortal wound- which ultimately Flattery could deliver.
Since Giogi's purpose was to buy time for his Uncle Drone to arrive, not get himself killed, he slowed his attacks as well.
Still chanting, Cat pulled from her sash the special component the spell required. It was wrapped in a piece of paper and still smelled quite strong. She dipped all her fingers into it.
Flattery's attacks began to speed up again, and Giogi renewed his taunting banter.
"So. What happened to all the zombies and ghouls? Did the Shard's mist destroy every last one? Are those undead cowering from the light over there all that's left of your army?"
"Undead are easy to recruit," Flattery growled. "When we've finished with this battle, I shall give you a firsthand demonstration."
Giogi felt Cat very close behind him. While he realized she needed to stay in the circle of light shed by the finder's stone, so the undead did not attack her, he wished she would back away a little more, for both their safety.
She was practically chanting in his ear, words that made no sense at all to him. Her hands reached about his head, and she ran her fingers down his cheeks, smearing them with her spell component. She intoned, "Be as the beast."
Giogi crinkled his nose. The scent of the spell components Cat had used to hold the shadow, garlic and sulfur, lingered on her hands, mingled in with a much stronger and more unpleasant odor-rather like dung. Cat pulled