Twilight of Queens by Anne Stevens

Author:Anne Stevens [Stevens, Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781521006368
Google: cS-fswEACAAJ
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: 2017-04-05T07:17:08.469000+00:00

“Then climb down from your horse, and let us finish this, here and now.”

“You would kill a cardinal?” Baglioni asks. “Do you not fear the retribution of God?”

“Not your god, Baglioni,” Will calls back. “What are you, but the bastard son of a Paduan bandit? Your brother was a better soldier than you, and, for all his evil doing, he did not run away from me. You are a coward, Cardinal Baglioni.”

“Kill him!” Angelo Baglioni orders, and Captain Paulio obeys, without hesitation. He hands the cardinal his own reigns back, and draws his sword. It is a heavy cavalry sabre, designed to slash, and cut, from horseback. Will tightens his grip on his own trusty German-made blade, and nods at the big Italian mercenary.

“You have fought well today, my friend. Surrender, and you will be given honourable quarter,” he calls. In answer Paulio swears at him, in Italian, and spurs his horse into a gallop. Will kicks his heels, and his own, smaller mount leaps forward. The Italian leans to the left, and delivers an expert cut with his blade, but Will Draper sways away, and they pass one another, without harm.

Paulio drags his mount around in a tight semi circle, and comes racing back. Will charges, and waits for the next swing. The Italian reverses his tactics, and, leaning to the right, attempts to run the point of his sabre into Will’s throat. The Englishman catches the man’s point with his own, and lets it run up, and over his right shoulder. They are almost past one another again, when Will Draper delivers a swift backhanded swipe, which rips through the mercenary’s leather jerkin, and slashes open a shallow wound in the man’s back.

Paulio turns, and feels the searing pain. He knows that he is losing blood, and that he has one last chance of victory. Throwing caution to the wind, he rides straight at Will, and sends his mount crashing into his. Both men tumble to the hard ground, roll apart, and leap to their feet. The Englishman loses his grip on the fine German sword, and it falls, several feet from where he lands. Paulio sees that he has the advantage now, and lunges at Will. He is a fraction too late with the thrust, and Will Draper is able to step inside his guard, and duck away. He darts to one side, and forward rolls as the Italian cuts at him again. He hit’s the ground, and comes up, with his sword in hand, just as Captain Paulio closes in on him, his blade poised for the death blow.

Will manages to bring his own blade up, to block the savage downward cut, and deflects his enemy’s blow. He performs a neat half turn, allows the unbalanced man a moment to pass him, then flicks the tip of his sword up at the man’s face. He screams in pain, and staggers back, with his left eyebrow split open. The Englishman sees the rage in his opponent’s eyes, and knows the moment is here.

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