The Silent Enemy by Richard A. Knaak Page B

individually save that they were not Gundermen, but merely guards such as those who stopped him outside the estate.
    He dealt swiftly with the first, who was still startled at the door’s sudden opening. The guard barely had time to raise his weapon before Nermesa ran him through the throat. The knight then shoved his dying foe into the next nearest figure, sending both crashing to the side.
    Acrid smoke wafted past Nermesa’s nostrils. He felt heat coming from behind him. Unable to glance back, he could only assume that either the one skin was now on fire or some previously unnoticed oil spill had slowly burned on, finally spreading.
    Then the third of the guards met him sword to sword. Nermesa avoided two swift jabs at his midsection, then shoved the man’s blade up. He shoved into the other fighter, sending both of them flying out into the corridor.
    Two other men there pulled back in surprise. Out of the corner of his eye, Nermesa saw that one of them was Lord Eduarco. The noble took one look at the knight’s furious expression, let out a frightened sound, and rushed toward the stairway.
    The fighter with him, another Gunderman, grabbed for Eduarco’s arm but failed. With a growl, he turned to deal with Nermesa, who had finally run his other opponent through.
    A furtive glance by the Gunderman warned Nermesa that there was someone coming up behind him. The Black Dragon leapt aside just as the guard he had thrown the body of his first foe against emerged from the room. The man let out a curse as he stumbled between Nermesa and the Gunderman.
    The Gunderman seized the guard and threw him aside before charging his foe. Nermesa ducked the blade. The force with which the Gunderman had swung sent the ponytailed figure turning and before he could compensate, Nermesa thrust, killing him.
    A quick fist to the head of the remaining guard left the way open for Nermesa. He ran to the staircase with the intention of heading down, but shouts erupted from there just as he took his first step. A quick estimate of those voices made it clear that the Aquilonian dared not stand against them. The knight looked over his shoulder, yet not only did he not see another stairway, but smoke now billowed out of his former chambers.
    With no other choice, Nermesa headed up in the direction of the tower. If necessary, he would use Lord Eduarco to bargain his way out of the estate. It was not chivalrous, but his time serving King Conan had taught him that there were moments when chivalry was synonymous with a death wish. Besides, Nermesa had a duty to his liege to uncover the truth about what was happening in Poitain.
    With a two-step stride, the Aquilonian rushed up. He came to the next landing, but after a glance down the corridor suspected that his treacherous host had continued on.
    From above came a loud thump. Nermesa gripped his sword tighter. Yes, Eduarco had to be up there, and the sound was likely that of the noble preparing a trap.
    But as the top of the stairway came into sight, the knight saw his quarry peer down nervously in his direction. Eduarco looked as pale as death and weaved back and forth as if not at all certain which direction to go. With clear reluctance, the man finally stood his ground and drew from a sheath at his side, a fairly cumbersome sword that he did not appear to wield well.
    “This doesn’t have to be like this,” Nermesa uttered as he approached. “Surrender to me, and we will ride out of here. I promise that Count Trocero will spare your life if you tell him all about Sir Prospero.”
    The other knight’s disappearance had to be the reason for the attack on Nermesa. In truth, Wulfrim had initially tried to capture, not kill him. Otherwise, the cloth would have been unnecessary. The Gunderman could have stabbed him through the throat while he had been sleeping. Eduarco’s estate had to be in league with those who had kidnapped Sir Prospero.
    What bribe could make the noble betray a hero of his own land to