Out the corner of her eye Perri was aware of both Alia and Talac tangling with Regal’s cohorts, Wilton already dead on the ground, but Perri didn’t allow herself to be distracted, her goal here was Regal. Hopefully to kill him, but at the very least keep him occupied long enough for Levi to be gotten to safety.
Rage searing through Perri as her gaze rested upon Regal’s oh so smug handsome features. He was smiling at her. Smiling! As if the outcome of this melee were a foregone conclusion.
All the hatred Perri had for him threatened to burn her from the inside out, consume her… and then, just like that, a blanketing winter whiteout descended, all that hatred turning quiet and cold, so very, very cold.
Regal could smile smugly all he liked. All his suppositions of the outcome were based upon two women he had known ten years ago. A meek, obedient, easily manipulated young wife, and her younger, flighty, tomboy of a sister. They were not those girls anymore… Regal was about to suffer a nasty shock, and Perri couldn’t be more delighted that she was going to be the one to bring that fact home to him.
Watching as he made a pithy gesture in the air to the bodyguard hovering at his side. Hah, it appeared her estranged husband didn’t believe she was worth the effort of him getting his hands dirty, or working up a sweat to end her. He was requesting his servant step up… as if Perri’s demise was a chore to be dealt with.
The bodyguard was about the same height as Regal, but twice as broad across the chest, with meaty arms and large hands. Next to Regal he seemed ugly, though no doubt if you just came across him in the street alone you would think him average, if not pleasant to look upon. It wasn’t until she gazed into his dark eyes that Perri understood why he willingly did his Master’s bidding. Because he got to do things such as this, hurt her, kill her, under his Lord’s instructions. This man was a killing tool, and the glitter of anticipation shining in his eyes let Perri know that he enjoyed his role very much.
That cold burn of hatred, if possible, added another layer or two, encasing Perri’s heart. She knew, gut deep, that this man had hurt her son in the past. Happily so when instructed, and probably snuck in a few cruelties when Regal wasn’t looking, just because he could. Because he liked to see those weaker than him hurt.
It was probably why he didn’t reach for the rapier holstered at his belt, instead, clenching his fists, warming them up. He planned to beat Perri to death and then likely throttle her for a final flourish whilst her not so dear husband watched on.
Perri remained silent, unmoving, as Regal’s dogsbody began walking towards her. He expected her to run, or flinch… or perhaps beg. Yes, she could imagine he liked to hear his victims beg.
What he wasn’t expecting was for Perri to begin running towards him. She’d removed several petticoats from her most serviceable grey dress, and raised the hemline a good foot. Making the dress so much lighter and easier to manoeuvre in. She could run fast in it, her sturdy work boots making a thudding sound against the loose dirt.
Regal’s personal killer looked a little puzzled by her speedy advancement, but he didn’t appear worried in the slightest. A mere slender woman against him, he was very sure of what the outcome of this encounter would be.
Three steps away from him, Perri wasn’t slowing down. He raised his arms wide, assuming perhaps she intended to duck past him and attempt one futile bid at damaging his Master. But Perri didn’t duck, all she did was yank a small woven pouch secured on the belt at her waist. Several medicinal aids had been tied to it. She would have liked to have brought more, but didn’t want to weigh herself down, so only the essentials were present.
And the contents of this particular pouch were about to prove very essential.
One step away from the bodyguard now, she wasn’t trying to duck around him, so he began to reach for her instead. Taking a deep breath and holding it, Perri hurled the small pouch directly into the man’s face and then darted sideways. One of his hands missing her by mere inches. Backing up several paces she came to an abrupt halt, staring intently at the dead man still standing.
The pouch had broken upon impact, the contents sending up a dust cloud around the man’s head. He waved it away, unconcerned for a moment. Though that quickly changed in about two heartbeats. The man’s eyes suddenly widening in consternation, his fists coming up instinctively to his no doubt stinging eyes, even as fire coated the back of his throat. He coughed, managing to suck in a little air. Bad for him, good for Perri.
He tried to wipe away the dust that was now clinging to his cheeks, even as tears rolled down them. Releasing gasping breathless groans, one of his hands now clutching frantically at his throat, as if to clear the way for air, or ease the pain. He fell to his knees, bloodshot eyes wide with terror and pain. Another groan escaping from him as abruptly he turned a deathly pale, his mouth opening wide, a torrent of blood escaping in a flood to gout down his tunic to the ground. Two seconds later his eyes glazed over and he fell face down with a thud. Unmoving. Quite dead.
Perri approached the body and with the hem of her skirts extracted the man’s rapier from its holster, wiping down the handle carefully before rising to face Regal unhurriedly. As if she had all the time in the world. Noting that his smile had dropped away. His clear blue gaze travelling to her waist, counting the number of woven bags still attached to her belt. Wondering perhaps if she intended to attack him in the same manner.
Unfortunately, Perri didn’t travel with much wesdeight dust. Needs for its application were rare and she’d used her entire travelling supply on the bodyguard. Of course Regal had no way of knowing that. Appearing to consider Perri much more seriously as a threat now, drawing his own slim sword from its sheath. But still there was arrogant unconcern on his face, tinged with just a hint of mockery, probably intended to rile her. But Perri was too icy cold and focused to let Regal goad her into making a mistake.
Dashing forward, Perri didn’t try to hide how good she was. Striking at Regal with a flurry of hits and jabs that forced him to work hard to fend her off.
“Someone’s been practising.”
Perri might be a healer but she knew how to use bladed weapons. It was mandatory at the Lair. Whilst during her youth Perri hadn’t taken the lessons very seriously, following the incident ten years ago she’d used the training bouts to take the edge off of her inner anger. And she’d been very angry indeed.
She didn’t bother explaining that to Regal, just slid two feet to the right, engaging him again.
“You were always a quiet one, that was one of the few things I liked about you Perri-winkle… that, and the way you used to adore me so utterly and completely.” Regal huffed noisily, having to work hard to avoid a jab to his throat. Just sidestepping in time.
Perri had trained with pirates and ruffians, they liked to say there was nothing better than facing off against an aristo. All those fancy polite rules meant nothing in a real sword fight.
She could tell by Regal’s uneven breathing that he was having to work to block when she went in below the belt or aimed for his eyes. Problem was, the longer this sword fight continued, the more the tide was turning in Regal’s favour.
Too much time had passed. He would know she didn’t have another poisonous pouch at her disposal. All she had was the sword. He was taller, stronger, fitter than she was… able to last longer and hit harder. Already Perri’s shoulders were screaming.
She wondered if Brandth had managed to rescue the boys as yet. But she dare not take her eyes off Regal for even a second to check. Worry for them gnawed at her relentlessly. It felt like an age since she first engaged Regal, but perhaps only a few brief minutes had passed. Perri biting her lip in determination, trying to freeze out the pain. But muscles were funny things. When they reached their limits, they tended to let you know in quite a dramatic fashion.
The spasm came from nowhere, Perri’s back involuntarily arching, her hand automatically unclenching, releasing her weapon. Seizing the moment, Regal brought his sword around brutally fast, he knew when an opponent was in trouble.
Perri allowed herself to collapse to the ground, the swish of Regal’s sword loud as it travelled through empty air. He’d committed whole heartedly to the strike and travelled two feet to the left with the force of it. It gave Perri precious seconds to arch her back twice and hunch, releasing the spasm. Unfortunately, that still left her on the ground, vulnerable.
She looked for her sword, but Regal was already there, kicking it out of reach. Staring down at her, his cheeks flushed, eyes glittering in a fashion that was horrifyingly familiar, reminding her of the look in his eyes ten years ago, when he sought to kill his brothers and rode on by, leaving Perri for dead.
