An Oath of the Mage by Valerie Zambito

Author:Valerie Zambito [Zambito, Valerie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Valerie Zambito
Published: 2012-04-01T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

Clash of Swords

After Hugo Bassus gave the order to charge, Rogan barely managed to dive out of the way of the last column of horses before the stampede. The cloak fell off Janin’s shoulders when she rolled across the ground, but it was just as well. The disguise would only be a hindrance at this point. His wife immediately fell into a crouch and unsheathed her sword. With the ease of an old dance, she pressed herself against his back at once, and they began to fight their way through the mass of foot soldiers running ahead to close with House Gregaros. With battle lust raging through them, few of the soldiers seemed to notice that they were Dwarves and fewer yet that they were fighting against them. The wound on his thigh where one of the Halfies stabbed him back in Haventhal began to throb in earnest, but he pushed through it, inching closer and closer to the allied forces. Janin, in her element again, screamed her fury at any who ventured too close.

The brutal collision of the two armies and the ensuing clash of men, animals and weapons was deafening. Soldiers younger than he slipped in grass now sodden with blood in their haste to rush to the fight. The full weight of one wounded and staggering soldier hit him from behind and bore him to the ground in a tangle of limbs. He looked up into the man’s eyes, but they were already glazed over in death.

Rogan pushed the dead man off him and jumped back to his feet just as another legionnaire rose up and swung a large broadsword at him. He knocked it aside and Janin made a running leap to bury her blade in the man’s neck.

Rogan hated this.

Men—boys really—sacrificing their lives in combat with their fellow countrymen. But, for what reason? Rogan witnessed firsthand how distressed King Maximus had been when he learned that the living conditions in Iserport had not improved. Given the opportunity, the Iserlohn monarch would have addressed the issue, Rogan was sure of that. But, the nobles had their own agenda for starting this war and it was not necessarily that of the citizens or in their best interests.

Janin cried out when a soldier slammed his elbow into her face and she fell to the ground. The legionnaire immediately jumped on top of her and lifted his fist to strike her again.

Rogan had to fight back the desire to kill, to drag his sword across the soldier’s neck and watch while the blood spilled from the man’s throat. It would take very little effort. Instead, his foot connected with the legionnaire’s cheekbone, and he heard the distinctive crunch of bone.

The soldier fell away from Janin.

Rogan stood over the man who was cradling his face in his hands and pointed south. “Get out of here! Now!”

The young soldier did not have to be told twice and scrambled backward to get away from the crazed look Rogan knew was in his eyes.

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