him. Gwaynn immediately felt the tension in his body melt away and the stormy torrent of his thoughts begin to abate.
Moments later, his hands still working through the steps, he felt his being split and project. Without hesitation his projected self shot off toward the southwest. Colchester was only about thirty miles away but it seemed to take a lifetime to reach. In actuality, Gwaynn’s projected self arrived in moments and he instantly spotted the large array of tents located just north of the town, but he did not pause to look for Samantha… instinctively he knew where she would be.
He was struggling mightily to hold the two halves of his self apart as he moved through the town’s square and into the home of the magistrate. Up he went to the very room where he and Samantha first slept together, but she was not sleeping now. She was standing, her back against the wall with the traitorous Cyndar Huntley advancing on her with both kali drawn.
Gwaynn cried out soundlessly and placed himself between the two women, hoping he could rejoin before it was too late. A second later the vortex howled and the bridge opened.
“Trav…” he said, but was unable to hold the bridge any longer. His body was sucked through with incredible force, but there was not enough time for Tarina Grace to even start forward before the bridge and the King of Massi vanished with a small pop.
?
Cyn de Baard moved ever closer to Samantha, who now stood stock still, terrified like a rabbit trapped in a hunter’s gaze. de Baard continued to grin, her eyes tracking down toward the distended belly of the pregnant woman.
“No!” he said, wavering slightly and trying hard to stand upright. Even though the distance was slight, the additional Traveling drained nearly all of the energy the food helped him to regain. His knees felt as if they might buckle at any moment, but he willed himself to stand tall.
“So be it,” Cyndar whispered, her voice husky and sensual. Her black silk shirt hugged tightly to her heaving breasts. She gazed directly into his eyes for a moment and then launched into a furious attack.
Samantha screamed and it was only Gwaynn’s training and instinct that kept the fight from coming to a deadly end in the first few moments. It helped that de Baard herself was injured and not one hundred percent. Even so Gwaynn was hard pressed to keep the whirling blades of his attacker out of his mid-section and away from his throat. During the opening moments it was all he could do to keep her off of him and he had no thoughts at all about countering. With mounting dismay he realized he should have fought to keep the bridge open longer and sent Tarina Grace in his stead. But he was weak and there’d been no time. His strength was gone and by Cyndar Huntley’s smile, he knew she was aware of his growing weakness as well.
Again and again she pressed him, and it was only with the utmost concentration that he was able to repel her attacks. His entire being narrowed, focusing only on the slashing kali and their master. The war disappeared, the room disappeared and at that moment even Samantha and the baby disappeared for him. Only de Baard remained…Cyndar, the Executioner. And it was then as she twirled about in her deadly dance that Gwaynn realized his only chance was to get in close, inside her attacks and tie her up, keep her from using her speed. But de Baard would not cooperate. In the small room she did her best to keep her distance from Gwaynn. She realized he was not right, not himself. He was slow…much slower than normal and if she couldn’t kill him immediately she would wear him down.
“Perhaps you shouldn’t Travel and fight,” she advised with a smile, growing more confident as it became clear that Gwaynn’s strength was leaving him.
Gwaynn said nothing, just continued to defend himself and jockey for position until finally he saw his chance and though he was nearly exhausted he suddenly shot forward. He dropped his left kali and latched on to Cyndar’s wrist, holding it tightly as she fought to free herself. Gwaynn used his right kali to ward off Cyndar’s left, and though he could not get at her with his weapon he positioned himself so that she could not get to him either.
They stood locked together, nearly cheek to cheek for a long moment, each straining against the other, each making slight movements in an attempt to gain the advantage. And slowly, very slowly Cyndar’s strength was beginning to win out.
“I could have been your queen,” Cyndar whispered, her full mouth less than an inch from his. Her breath was sweet and mingled with the faint smell of her sweat and the more powerful smell of cherry blossoms. “We would have been oh so good together. You need a whole woman, one worthy of your love.”
Again Gwaynn did not answer. de Baard strained against him until the tip of her right kali turned and pointed toward the base of his neck. She pushed with all her strength and it slowly began to advance. Gwaynn’s arm trembled and he feared his strength would be completely gone in moments.
“What a queen I would have made,” she added with a smile, her eyes glinting with pleasure as she pressed her lower body seductively into his. She bumped her hips softly against his as her kali moved ever closer.
“I know you want me still,” she whispered passionately, the voice of a lover in bed. “I can feel your need. A cock never lies,” she added sweetly and moved her leg between his and smiled. The point of her kali was now pressing into the base of his neck and Gwaynn felt a prick of pain.
Cyndar smiled beautifully. They both knew it was over and that he could hold her off no longer, but for a moment she hesitated.
“Tell me you love me or die,” Cyndar whispered, but before he could answer she grunted and her eyes flew open wide in shock.
“Get off my man…bitch!” Samantha whispered, her mouth pressed close to de Baard’s right ear, her one hand holding tightly to the hilt of the needle knife that was now buried deeply between the Executioner’s shoulder blades.
Gwaynn felt Cyndar stiffen as her eyes shifted to his, holding him locked in their gaze. They fluttered once, but before the light was completely gone, Samantha leaned in closer.
“Even with one hand, I’ll cut your head off as I did Navarra’s,” she promised then de Baard slumped and died, falling gracefully to the floor at their feet. Gwaynn sagged and would have fallen on top of the Executioner, but Samantha moved forward and supported him, holding him up and kissing him hard on the mouth.
“I love you,” he whispered and allowed her to pull him to the bed.
“I love you too,” she answered, “but what in the hell kept you?”
They smiled, kissed again and then slumped back onto the bed together, both exhausted. But later that same night, while Gwaynn slept oblivious to the world, Samantha pulled de Baard’s lifeless body downstairs and outside. The night air was still and quiet; the moon had set long ago. As the town of Colchester slept peacefully, Samantha kept her promise and under the black sky of deep night she removed the head of the Executioner Cyn de Baard.
XIII
Captain Fatima Wicks stood at the bow of the Universe, the flag ship of the Toranado navy, and watched as the gulls swooped low over the waves, hoping to catch some unsuspecting meal stirred up by the passing of the great trireme.
She wore her captain’s uniform, though technically she was now in overall command of the entire navy, and therefore held the rank of admiral. She’d not officially been awarded the position, so like any career military person; she refused to wear the insignia due to her. And frankly she could have cared less at the moment. What she wanted
