Forest Kingdom Trilogy 2 - Blood and Honor

admittedly, but I have my own magic, and frankly I think I trust that more than I'll ever trust the Monk.
    Particularly after that debacle of his at Barrowmeer. Releasing Bloody Bones from his grave really wasn't a very sensible thing to do, Lewis. I think that's all I have to say to you. You can go now.'
    Elizabeth smiled sweetly at Lewis, and took Dominic's arm. They started to turn away. Lewis flushed hotly as he realised he'd just been dismissed as casually as any servant.
    'You never intended to go into partnership with me, did you, Dominic?'
    'No,' said Dominic. He stopped and looked back. 'If it weren't for the Monk and Ironheart, Lewis, you wouldn't even be in the game any longer. As it is, you're merely a nuisance.'
    'Then why did you agree to see me?'
    'You're a bright boy,' said Dominic, turning away.'You'll work it out.'
    Lewis's hand dropped to his swordhilt, and then he froze as the sound of steel on steel came clearly to him from outside in the corridor. There were angry shouts and more sounds of fighting in the distance.
    Lewis drew his sword and started for the door. He looked back to curse Dominic, but he and Elizabeth and the faceless man had vanished without trace. Lewis swore briefly and ran through the door and antechamber and out into the corridor.
    The narrow passage was full of struggling men, and the air rang to the clash of swords on armour. A crowd of guards wearing Dominic's livery swarmed around Ironheart, trying to drag him down by sheer force of numbers. More guards lay dead and dying all around him. Ironheart moved slowly but remorse-lessly through his attackers, his sword still sheathed on his back, perhaps because there wasn't room to use it in the press of bodies, or possibly just because he preferred killing with his hands. His great mailed gauntlets swept back and forth, leaving a bloody trail of dying and crippled men in their wake. Flesh and bone tore and shattered under his inhuman strength, while swords and axes rang harmlessly from his armour. The guards fought like madmen, often scrambling over the bodies of their dead fellows to reach him, but all to no avail. He moved steadily forward, shaking off their clinging arms and slaughtering all those who came within reach of his blood-spattered fists.
    Lewis roared a challenge and ran forward, sword at the ready. One of the guards turned to face him, and Lewis's sword flashed out to sink deep into his gut. The guard groaned, and sank to his knees. Lewis tore out his sword in a flurry of gore, and kicked the guard in the face. He laughed breathlessly, and threw himself at the next guard. The smell of blood hung heavily on the air, and Lewis grinned like a wolf as his sword rose and fell.
    Ironheart thrust his fist clean through a guard's chest, and the bloody knuckles protruded from the man's back. He died with a look of disbelief still on his face. Another guard ducked under a flailing metal fist, and leaned forward to swing his axe at Ironheart's side. The huge steel blade punched through the armour and buried itself in Ironheart's ribs. As he lurched to a sudden halt, a third guard seized his chance and thrust his sword through one of the eyeholes in Ironheart's helm. The point of the sword jarred to a sudden halt against the back of the helmet. A great cheer went up from the guards, only to die raggedly away as they realised Ironheart wasn't falling. He shook the dead guard free from his hand, and killed both the guards attacking him before they could fall back out of range. He reached up and pulled the sword out of his visor, but left the axe hanging from his side. No blood flowed from either wound.
    Dominic's guards broke and ran back down the corridor, leaving their dead and wounded behind them.
    The last man to go struck out at the Monk in passing, as a final gesture of defiance. The sword didn't even come close. The Monk gestured briefly with an empty sleeve, and the guard burst into flames. He screamed horribly, and careered off down the corridor. The other guards scattered to avoid him. His flesh boiled and ran away like wax from a candle flame. The light from his fire cast strange shadows on the corridor walls as he disappeared into the distance. Lewis wondered idly how far he'd get before the flames finally consumed him. He shrugged, put away his sword, and turned to face Ironheart. The knight pulled the axe free from his side and let it fall to the ground. His armour was battered and dented and dripping with other