Karat glanced over her shoulder. “Faron’s piss.”
“Is she here for you or me?”
“You.” Karat stepped into the vampire’s path. “Lady Konstana. You’re interrupting.”
“Lady Maud!” Konstana pointed her sword at Maud. “Your mongrel child broke my son’s arm.”
Oh. That.
“I wonder if you would be so kind as to demonstrate to me how she did it.” Konstana bared her fangs.
Around them other people stopped sparring and moved aside, clearing the space. They had an audience now.
“Konstana,” Karat growled under her breath. “She is human and a guest.”
“As you wish,” Maud said.
“Step aside, Karat,” Konstana ground out.
A muscle jerked in Karat’s face. “Do not presume to order me.”
“Alvina,” a female voice said.
Karat froze.
To the right of them, behind Karat, under a copse of trees, four older vampire women stood. The one who spoke was tall, with broad shoulders and a mane of blond hair cascading all the way past her waist. Her plain practice armor hugged her figure. Her gray eyes were cold. Maud looked into them and saw ice.
“Let our guest partake of the Communal,” Lady Ilemina said.
Karat moved out of the way.
Maud walked a few steps farther to the right, giving herself room.
“After I break your arms, you will apologize to me,” Konstana said. “For taking up my valuable time.”
She was about two inches taller, probably thirty-five pounds or so heavier than Maud, and the way she held her sword indicated the South technique, which meant she would favor slash attacks. Right or left, that was the question. Strike from the left would be better. It was a more powerful attack.
Maud tipped her sword up and checked the point. “Is it a habit of House Krahr to waste time with empty threats?”
Konstana charged, slashing from left to right, aiming for a cut across the chest. It was a good slash, fast and deadly. Maud parried, letting the force of the attack slide off her blade, caught the woman’s wrist for a second, yanking her arm into the perfect position, let go, thrust her own sword under Konstana’s forearm, and rolled her sword arm up and over Konstana’s, trapping the vampire’s sword in her armpit. It happened so fast, Konstana had no chance to react. The redirected momentum of her own strike twisted her, and she went down to one knee, Maud’s right hand on Konstana’s wrist, her left flat against the elbow, locking it.
“You asked me how my daughter did it,” Maud said. “She did it just like this.”
She hit the elbow. The elbow capsule popped with a loud crack as the sheath around the joint tore. Konstana cried out. The women around them winced and made sucking noises.
“Exactly like I taught her.” Maud let go and stepped away.
The vampire woman struggled to her feet, her arm hanging useless, and swiped the sword from the ground with her left hand.
“Well fought, Lady Konstana,” Maud said.
The vampire woman unhinged her jaws. “Well fought, Lady Maud.”
“Well,” Lady Ilemina said. “That was quite stirring. I feel myself in need of some exercise. Lady Maud, perhaps you would indulge me?”
Crap, crap, crap. Maud bowed. “I’m deeply honored.”
“Of course you are.” Lady Ilemina walked forward.
Six feet six at least. Close to two hundred pounds. Like watching a tank approach.
Thoughts skittered through Maud, running too fast. There was no way to back down from the fight. Throwing the fight wasn’t an option either. They had too many eyes on them, and Ilemina would definitely view it as an insult. Winning the fight wasn’t an option, even if it was possible, which it wasn’t. She couldn’t humiliate Arland’s mother. She couldn’t let herself be humiliated. It would kill any chances she had for being accepted, and after last night she wanted Arland more than ever.
What to do? How do I handle it?
Arland’s mother was the Preceptor of House Krahr and she got there because she was the best leader. Vampires led from the front. That and the two-page list of titles behind her name meant she would be a superior fighter. Her strength would be overwhelming.
Maud tested the sword one more time, warming up. She was well trained, but in a contest of pure strength, especially against a vampire knight with decades of experience, she would lose. She relied on surprise and dirty tactics, but thanks to Konstana, the cat was out of the bag and the open grassy lawn presented no opportunity for ambush, which meant she had only two things left in her corner: speed and endurance.
I have to outlast her. That’s my only chance. Outlast her and exit the fight with some grace.
Ilemina turned sideways, the blade of her sword held parallel to the grass, raised her hand, and motioned with her fingers.
Oh great.
Maud thrust, light on her feet. Ilemina parried and struck from above. Maud spun around, avoiding the blade by a hair, and slashed at Ilemina’s chest. The point of her blade grazed the armor, drawing a bright red line for everyone to see.
“First blood!” Karat announced.
Crap.
Lady Ilemina laughed. It was the sound of pure menace.
Maud went cold.
You’ve got this. You can do this. Arland’s been the Marshal for the last six years, with Nexus being his first major command, which means it’s been six years since Ilemina really had to get her sword dirty.
Arland’s mother charged. Her blade came crashing down, impossibly fast. Maud dodged. Before she had a chance to counter, Ilemina reversed. It was a beautiful move, but Maud had no time to admire it. She dodged again, dancing around Ilemina.
Strike, dodge, strike, dodge.
Thrust. Maud parried, angling her blade, directing most of the force downward. The kinetic punch reverberated through her arm all the way into her shoulder. Ow.
A direct hit would break her bones. Maud was sure of it.
Ilemina thrust again and smashed her shoulder into Maud’s.
There was no place to go. Maud barely had time to brace. The impact took her off her feet. She flew, spun her legs, and rolled to her feet in time to jump away from Ilemina’s sword.
Arland’s mother chased her.
Dodge, dodge, dodge.
Maud slid between the blows and sliced a diagonal gash across Ilemina’s chest. The tip of the sword caught Arland’s mother’s neck. A drop of blood swelled.
Oh no.
Ilemina charged.
The flurry of blows came too fast to dodge. The blade connected with Maud’s ribs. Pain cracked in her side, dull not sharp—the armor held. Ilemina struck again and again. All semblance of restraint was gone from her face. She tore at Maud with single-minded intensity.
Ilemina’s blade came in a wide horizontal arc. Maud leaned backward, so far she almost toppled to the ground. All of the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. If that sword hit her unprotected skull, she would be dead.
This is no longer a practice fight.
Ilemina’s slash caught her left arm. Pain hammered into Maud.
She had to survive. She couldn’t abandon Helen.
Hold on, baby. Mommy won’t die.
The same sharp heat that always drowned her when their lives were in danger swallowed Maud. She lunged forward. Ilemina’s sword whistled past her. Maud reversed her grip and thrust the heavy pommel into Ilemina’s throat.
Arland’s mother made a gargling noise and backhanded her. The punch spun Maud around. The sharp tang of her own blood wet Maud’s tongue. She whirled and sliced at Ilemina.
They clashed across the field, cutting, striking, snarling, turning into a whirlwind of blades. People scrambled out of their path. One of the refreshment tables loomed at Maud’s back. She jumped onto it and kicked a glass pitcher at Arland’s mother. It took Ilemina a second to bat it away with her sword. Maud used it to jump aside and dash, opening the distance.
Arland’s mother bore down on her, attacking, tireless, like a machine. Another hit. Another.
The world went slightly fuzzy. Maud shook it off and cut another red useless wound across Ilemina’s side. Ilemina shoved her back. Maud stumbled, dodging a thrust with nothing to spare.
I can’t take much more. I have to end it or she’ll end me.
Ilemina delivered a vertical cut, followed it with another. In a split second, Maud recognized the pattern. Arland’s mother reversed her blade again. Instead of dancing away, Maud dropped to the ground, planted her hands, and kicked at Ilemina’s left knee. The knee cap cracked.
Ilemina snarled and kicked at her with her injured leg. Sweet universe, did she even feel pain? Maud saw the boot coming, curled up, took it, and wrapped her legs around Ilemina, trying to take her to the ground.
Arland’s mother roared, bent down, and grabbed Maud’s arm, dragging her up. It was like being lifted by a bobcat. Maud dropped her sword.
Ilemina jerked her up and Maud smashed both hands against Ilemina’s ears. Ilemina screamed and flung her away, like she was a feral cat. Maud sprinted to the practice rack and grabbed a sword. It was too heavy, but there wasn’t time to be picky.
Arland’s mother stomped across the field, unstoppable, her eyes fixed on Maud. Maud bared her teeth.
Helen dashed between them, her back to Maud, holding her daggers, and snarled, right into Ilemina’s path.
“No!” Maud screamed.
Lady Ilemina stopped.
Maud almost collapsed with relief.
Rational thought returned to Ilemina’s eyes. “Oh my,” she said.
Helen raised her daggers. “Don’t hurt my mommy or I’ll kill you.”
“It’s okay, my flower,” Maud managed. “We were just practicing.”
Ilemina laughed. “That is beyond adorable. No need, little one. I surrender. Your mother and I are quite finished, and you’re very frightening.”
She glanced up and Maud read her eyes. Ilemina knew they had gone too far. The fight was over.
“This is Lady Ilemina,” Maud said. “Lord Arland’s mother. We must give her every courtesy.”