Kushiel's Mercy

presence over me like a mantle. This was what I was meant to do. I was as certain of that as I’d ever been of anything in my life. And Serafin L’Envers y Aragon was half D’Angeline. There was Kusheline blood in the line of House L’Envers. He returned my gaze for a long moment, and mayhap the bronze wings beat faintly in his blood, because in time he nodded.
    “A swift horse and an hour,” Serafin said. “I swear it.”
    There was a roar of protest at his words, but Astegal jerked the blade again. Blood trickled down Sidonie’s throat and she closed her eyes. The roar faded. “I don’t trust you,” Astegal said to Serafin.
    Serafin shrugged. “Bring him a horse.”
    It was done. I watched Astegal weigh the decision, wondering if he could trust Serafin’s word, wondering if there was some other way. I picked my words carefully, driving them like a wedge into the fault-lines on his soul. “I killed your kinsman, Astegal. I watched Bodeshmun die. I led your Amazigh into ambush and killed three of them with my own hand. Are you sure you’re not afraid?”
    He lowered the sword and shoved Sidonie violently from him. “Come and see!”
    Fingers tightened on the triggers of crossbows. “Hold!” Serafin shouted. “Give him his chance!”
    “Are you all right?” I asked Sidonie, steadying her.
    “Yes.”
    “Good.” I kissed her lips and went to fight her husband.
    Astegal was waiting for me. He’d wrapped his cloak around his left arm to serve as a makeshift shield. The end was dangling and I thought he might try to use it to foul my blade or distract me. He had the hilt of the executioner’s sword firmly gripped in his bleeding right hand. I wished I’d donned my vambraces and I wished my leg didn’t hurt so damnably much. It would slow me down, and my speed had always been one of my advantages. Astegal was reasonably quick, too. I’d seen him spar. And he was a tall man.
    He had a few inches of reach on me.
    I looked forward to killing him.
    He circled around to my left, angling to get the rising sun in my eyes. It made me smile.
    Elua knew, Astegal wasn’t going to defeat me that way. I pivoted right on my good leg and positioned myself behind him. He jumped to face me before I had a chance to land a blow.
    “What the hell are you smiling at?” Astegal growled.
    “You,” I said simply.
    His left arm snaked forward, folds of cloak unwinding in the direction of my face. I ignored it and parried the low thrust I knew would come beneath it. His breathing quickened as he took a step backward and rewound his cloak around his arm. For the first time, I saw fear in him.
    We traded a few blows, testing one another. If Astegal had had a shield, we might have been evenly matched. We weren’t. I didn’t press him yet. I didn’t want to risk making any mistakes, fearful that my leg would give out beneath me if I made a careless move.
    But when I parried his blows with ease, I saw the realization dawn on him that he was truly in grave danger.
    He was good with a sword.
    I was better.
    Still, Astegal was a fighter. He sought to goad me as I’d goaded him, sending a pointed glance in Sidonie’s direction.
    “Very romantic, seeking to defend your beloved,” he said smoothly. “She’s a wanton little thing, isn’t she?”
    I didn’t answer.
    He essayed a quick jab at my face, hoping to force me off balance. I held my ground and parried, sweeping his blade to one side. “So willing and eager,” Astegal said, taking a step backward to regroup. He licked his lips. “She tastes sweet like honey.”
    I kept silent, holding my sword angled before me.
    Astegal’s expression hardened. He came at me fast and our blades crossed and locked.
    Both of us strained for leverage. My left leg trembled. I tensed my muscles and willed it to steadiness. He leaned toward me, close as a lover. “She suckled my root like no one has ever done,” he whispered in a confidential tone. “I miss that.”
    I held my tongue.
    Patience.
    “Betimes . . .” Astegal raised his voice. “Betimes when I was finished with her, she would beg me for more.” The crowd around us murmured. He searched my face for a reaction and found none. I felt frustration weaken his resolve and took a quick step backward, resettling myself. “Gods!” Astegal spread his arms slightly, dropping his guard.
    “And you call yourself a man ?”
    I plunged my sword hilt-deep into his belly. “I do.”
    Astegal’s mouth gaped. The