The Mercenary Knight (12 page)

“I want her. That’s all. I asked her nicely back at Leighton but she refused. I always get what I want. No one denies me. It’s a lesson she needs to learn if she wishes to keep her pretty head on.”

“So you weren’t going to kill her?”

Reynard laughed and Conrad took the chance to roll to a side. Quickly standing, he unsheathed his sword. Reynard stared at him in surprise, but the expression quickly transformed into one of pure malice. Conrad realized his fatal error. By moving away he allowed Reynard the liberty to seize Tanya again.

“Over my dead body!” With a warriors cry he lashed at the knight. Reynard staggered backwards, momentarily thrown off balance by the attack. He quickly recovered, stepping forward and throwing Conrad a killing blow.

“DelCorazon, from up north?” Reynard spit. “You’ve a sister and two brothers. You were buried with honors after the carnage at the battle of Summit. If you are who you say you are, you are nothing more than a lord ghost.” Reynard gave him a sadistic smile. His blue eyes twinkled dangerously, and sweat trickled down his brow, making his long fair hair stick to his forehead.

“Maybe I am, maybe I’m not. You shall soon find out,” Conrad riposted and took several steps back. Reynard hadn’t realized it but he was slowly drawing him away from Tanya’s body.

The men circled each other, neither of them giving in, both of them waiting for the other to raise his blade. Conrad stumbled and Reynard was upon him, his sword rising high, clearly intending to severe his head from his body. Conrad raised his weapon and parried. The blades crashed, sparks flying in all directions. Conrad took a step back and tried an overhand blow at his opponent. Reynard ducked and riposted. Conrad staggered backwards by the sudden move. Conrad ground his teeth together. He had made the worst mistake any fighter could: underestimating his enemy. Reynard was a vicious swine but he was a fine swordsman with experience. Then again, so was Conrad. In a series of fast blows, Conrad lifted his weapon then lowered it. Before Reynard knew what struck him Conrad was upon him. Reynard faltered and Conrad grasped the opportunity. He raised his broadsword and stroke down, piercing skin and bone. Reynard glanced up at him, surprise and then acceptance registering on his features as the light faded from his eyes and death embraced him.

Conrad drew back his bloody sword. He stood petrified to the spot, panting in exertion. Sweat trickled down his back, slowly cooling with the morning chill. His heart pounded in his ears. He closed his eyes. Something akin to panic threatened to engulf him. He had fought in countless battles but he could not bring himself to turn around and see if the women he loved lay dead on the road.

Something small, warm and fragile slammed against him, almost throwing him off balance. Conrad opened his eyes, a tear slipping down his jaw as he embraced a weeping Tanya. Never again would he let her go. A loud cough grabbed his attention. Gregorii and Wybert stood before them, big grins on their faces. Suddenly, Conrad realized that the danger was gone. They were safe.

One year later…

Conrad and Tanya stood hand in hand on the front porch of their very own inn, “The Tavern’s Lady”.

After the battle at the King’s road they had returned to Hadford to recover their leftover belongings. Conrad wanted to return to Leighton, Tanya’s hometown, but she refused. They finally decided to continue down the path until they found a town to their liking. A few weeks later they arrived in Karpathian, the province that belonged to Conrad’s friend, Lord Emeric. There had been some trouble in the province, but with the help of the mercenaries Lord Emeric and his lady were now at peace in their castle. In exchange for their troubles they had received more gold than expected. With it, they had married and settled down at the inn, located near the city’s western gate.

“And I you, Gregorii and you too, Wybert,” she said opening her arms to hug him. The black giant who had been leaning taciturnly against a column cracked a smile and stepped into her embrace. Standing on her toes, Tanya slammed her lips onto Wybert’s. Snaking her hand around his neck she forced him to lower his head and kiss her back. The man didn’t resist and Conrad cleared his voice loudly so that his wife would cease entangling her tongue with his friend’s. Tanya blushed to the root of her reddish hair as she stepped away from Wybert.

“Are you sure we have to leave, Gregorii?” Wybert asked with a husky voice.

Gregorii laughed. “Aye, my friend, we’ve got to leave these two love birds on their own. Besides, the Captain looks like either we leave now or he’ll make us leave.”

Conrad chuckled but said nothing. He possessively placed a hand on his wife’s waist and brought her closer. He refused to admit that watching Tanya kiss his friends had set his blood boiling and his cock twitching. Tanya lifted her gaze to his face, love shining through her eyes and he didn’t harbor any doubts that though she kissed his friends, her heart belonged to him.

Tanya laughed and blushed. Conrad tightened his hold on her. Little Conrads and little Tanyas. He could hardly wait to start his own family. Without another word, the men mounted and spurred their horses down the path to the gate.

Conrad and Tanya stood in silence, watching as their retreating backs became nothing more than thin air. Tanya sighed sadly. Conrad glanced down at her. He gently brushed a few stray tears from her cheeks.

The End

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Other Books by Elyzabeth M. VaLey:

A Decade of Longing

Evernight Publishing

www.evernightpublishing.com