Greenwood Knight

Chapter 28

Drew's point of view

Once more his enemy charged. Drew blocked another blow that left his hand tingling. Using both hands, he held but his foe pressed with unnatural strength. With a deep growl, the enemy glared at Drew in a way that raised the hairs on the back of his neck. In the next heartbeat the pressure on his blade lessened.

---

Erec heard the sounds of battle raging round about him.

He was not dead then. Not yet at least. But he would need to move if he was to stay that way.

With considerable effort, he forced his eyes open. His head throbbed, pounding a steady rhythm with each beat of his racing heart. But that was not so urgent as the corpse pressing down upon him. With a grunt he rolled it off of himself and screamed in agony as the arrow in his shoulder rubbed and shifted within him.

Drawing a breath, he clenched his jaw and grabbed the arrow's shaft where it met his chest. Sweat dripped from his brow as he let loose an agonized moan and snapped the shaft. Tossing the broken arrow aside, he squeezed his eyes shut tight and hissed air through clenched teeth as he fought against the pain.

The clash of swords rang entirely too close. Snapping his eyes open his hand swept upward from his waste, remembering too late the dirk was in the body next to him. There was a roar and Erec turned, recognition flaring.

Drew! Holy Christ! If Drew was there, then who in God's name was guarding the baron's gold.

Bracing himself, he let his rage burn hot before he rolled to his side. He screamed as he discovered his leg was pinned. Sweat popped on his brow and lip. His head swam. Resisting the darkness that threatened to pull him under again, he gave a roar born of his pain, desperation, and rage and snapped the arrow shaft.

Jerking his leg free, he once more had to take a moment to fight off the shock of pain and the threat of unconsciousness.

At last free of the ground, Erec managed to get to his knees and get one foot under him. As he knelt, pausing for breath and to keep upright, he had no strength to stand. He watched Drew battling a foe that was slightly shorter, but very well matched. Drew would win, but it would not be an easy thing, Erec thought seconds before he saw the man go for the knife at is belt.

---

"And this room is there still?" Gwyndolyn could scarce believe it. "Truly it would be a perfect place to hide...but the horses would give us away."

"There is room in the mausoleum for a horse or two to stand. Elsewise, the horses would needs be hidden in the woods beyond. Mayhap a shelter of sorts made of tree branches would help disguise them as your mother's flowering pot disguised or stone stack. People only see what they expect to see. When they look at a forest, they expect to see trees..."

"And when they look at a flower pot, they expect to see flowers." Gwyndolyn smiled at the simplicity of it and recalled that snakes and birds employed the art of disguise with equal success. "We should need a ladder, and blankets...tools... I can manage this."

"Then I have done all that I can. Trust no one child. Be cautious as a serpent..."

"And innocent as a dove." Gwyndolyn finished, then frowned. "I fear there is no place for innocence in this. But I think it would do me well to give the appearance of it, even as you also have. You spoke true, my dearest friend. We are not so helpless."

"You know that the baron and I do not have children. Our only daughter did not live beyond her first year. But I would like to think that if she had lived, that she would be like you."