Page 112 of Come the Morning

“Who sent you?” Ewan demanded again.

The man started to laugh. “Ah! How fight an enemy when the enemy can never be clearly seen? Suspicion is a fierce weapon, tearing upon a man. You’ll not know, MacKinny. Come, fight me if you will.”

Ewan beckoned to the man. “Aye, you mercenary dung. We’ll meet, and see who it is who kisses death!”

Igraina shrieked as their swords clashed.

Again, and again, and again.

The men moved around the yard, one taking the offensive, and then the other. Ewan leapt upon a stand of rolled hay, his strange foe dropped and rolled just in time to miss the plunge of his blade.

The man was speaking. Quietly. Threatening Ewan, taunting him.

But Ewan would not be put off guard.

The burly man spun, ready to slice her brother in the middle; Ewan jumped back just in time, and the sword slashed through the air. Then the men rushed together, and they were locked in the moonlight and the shadows.

The Viking shouted, calling upon his gods, Igraina thought. Because he was losing. Ewan was going to kill him. Or …

Keep him alive. And they would know why the Vikings were attacking.

But the burly Viking wasn’t calling the gods. He was calling for help. He knew that someone was near. Someone who had been watching all this time …

“Ewan!” Igraina called, trying to warn her brother.

As the burly man fell, another man suddenly came from the shadows. He stepped forward, fresh, rested, ready. His sword came clashing down upon her brother’s; they locked in deadly combat.

The man drew back, turned, and ran, disappearing into the shadows.

“Ewan!” she cried, and raced for her brother.

He turned to her.

“Ewan?”

“Igraina …”

He smiled sheepishly. And then she saw that he clutched his middle. Blood streamed through his fingers.

He fell, clutching her. “Get help, don’t be with me, don’t be alone. A man remains out there. They are with … Daro,” he whispered.

“What?” she cried, looking around, confused, afraid. Oh, God, he was bleeding. So much blood.

His eyes found hers. He moistened his lips to speak. “He told me he was with Daro as we fought. He told me we will fall like Rome, from within.”

“Daro, but Ewan—!”

“Get back inside, get help, shout for the guard in the tower … they have to know, don’t be alone. He is gone, but could come back.”

“Ewan, be still, I’ll get help, I’ll be safe.”

“Someone has eyes within, and tells them what goes on in the fortress.”

“Ewan, hush, please!”

His eyes closed, and he lay limp against her.

“Ewan …”