Page 45 of Defy the Highlander

So far, the fights that morning had involved groups, but as Brody came to a halt several feet away from his opponent, Axel waved off the other combatants who were gathering to fight. It was clear that this row was going to be a two-man event. He stepped between the pair, motioning them closer to one another, which they did so reluctantly.

“Titus,” he said in his heavy Germanic accent. “Meet the Highland Protector. At least, that is what he told us he used to be called. Mayhap you can put that name to the test.”

Titus grinned, but it was without humor. “Gladly.”

Brody sensed a distinct challenge and it raised his hackles. “Eagles dunna live very long,” he said, running his finger along the edge of his dull wooden sword. “And they tend to eat the leavings of other animals. They’re scavengers.”

Axel had to bite off a guffaw as he stepped back from the pair. Titus’ smile turned genuine. “Indeed, they are,” he said. “And they pick the bones of their enemies.”

“Of which, I am sure, they have many.”

“Mayhap they do. But eagles always come out on top. Shall we?”

“At yer pleasure.”

When it became clear that the giant ego was about to go up against the immovable pride, Axel spoke before the battle could commence. “Since these are friendly bouts, no intentionally cutting a man down or drawing blood,” he said pointedly. “Avoid injuring each other if you can. First man who falls to the ground is the loser.”

The words weren’t completely out of Axel’s mouth before Titus was flying at Brody. Literally. Brody saw legs going up in the air and he took a powerful kick to the head before he could raise his arms to defend himself.

The lights went out.

*

Brody wasn’t quite sure how long he’d been staring at the stone ceiling.

In fact, he wasn’t even sure how he got here.

Suddenly, he sat bolt upright, realizing he was in the holding area that was next to the arena. It was a massive chamber cut into the side of the hill and it was where the competitors gathered before the fights, cool caverns that reeked of smoke and sweaty bodies. But the swift motion of sitting up quickly had the world rocking and someone was pulling him back down to the bench he was laying on.

“Lie back,” a woman said. “Ye’ve got a nasty lump on yer head, so lie still.”

Looking up, he saw a beautiful woman with red curls tied at the nape of her neck and skin like cream. She was holding a cold compress against his head.

He blinked.

“What happened?”

The woman lifted the compress and wrung it out in a bowl. “Ye tangled with The Eagle,” she said. “Do ye not remember?”

He thought a moment before realization dawned. “Christ,” he muttered. “I remember… something. What did he do?”

“He kicked ye in the head.”

Brody thought on that for a moment. Then, he started to laugh, ironic and embarrassed laughter when he realized he’d been made a fool of. All of that confidence he’d displayed had cost him. A hand went up, feeling the bump on the side of his head.

He’d never felt so stupid in his entire life.

“Cam warned me,” he said. “I suppose I should have listened tae him.”

“Aye, ye should have,” the woman said. “My husband is usually right about such things.”

“Ye’re Cam’s wife?”

“My name is Isadora.”

In all the weeks he’d been here, he’d never met his trainer’s wife. She never came around the men, which was probably wise considering how pretty she was. Brody sighed heavily, wincing when she put the cold compress back on.

“Well,” he said. “’Tis a hard lesson learned. I should have paid closer attention.”