Free The Two Tanists (A Bard Without a Star, Book 2) by Michael A. Hooten Page A

raised yet,
but it will be, and I guarantee that this time, the men of Dyfed will not let
Kyrnin chase us alone.”
    They left the five pack mules
behind, along with all their unnecessary gear. They had only gone another few
miles before Gwydion heard shouts on the wind. Kyrnin’s voice was clear,
ordering quick search parties to try and catch the thieves, and to spare no
life, despite the also clear protests of his father. But the men of Dyfed
remembered the shame of the first Gwydion, and the blood lust was evident. He
told Bran, who simply loosened his sword in response.
    They made good time at first,
but Cofach began demanding more and more rest stops. “It’s not me,” he said
when Gwydion demanded an explanation. “This pampered cow cannot keep the pace
you want.”
    Gwydion cursed the animal,
and scanned the road for signs of pursuit. “Do you still think it wise to keep
to the high road?” he asked Bran.
    “It gives us several
advantages,” Bran said. “Speed being the primary one. Cutting through back
country is very slow, especially with animals.”
    “What else?” Gwydion said.
“We’ve got warriors coming up quick.”
    Bran said, “Here, the
wilderness favors Dyfed. They have allies in it, they’ll have men who know it
well and can use the terrain to their advantage.”
    “But those advantages will
switch to our favor once we cross the border,” Gwydion said.
    “If we get there,” Bran
said. He pointed to a dust cloud on the road behind them.
    “The first scouts,” Gwydion
said. “Everyone get ready!”
    “Can you tell anything about
them?” Bran asked.
    “There are ten,” Gwydion
said. “They’ve been riding hard from Arberth, and their horses are nearing
exhaustion. Their orders were to get the word to the border lairds and get
them armed. I think they’re going to be surprised to see us here.”
    “Good,” Bran said. “But we
can’t let them pass.”
    “Agreed,” Gwydion said. He
looked around. “Cofach! Take that blasted beast and keep going! We’ll catch
up to you when we finish this!”
    “Aye, Tanist!”
    “Dirgan, Llygad, get your
bows ready. Shoot when your arrows will find marks, not before. You’re only
likely to get off two flights at most. Gil, you and Bran are to use
claymores.”
    “And what about you?” Gil
asked. “Are you just going to stay back and direct us?”
    “Nope,” he said, drawing his
sword. “Throw me your regular sword.” Gil looked doubtful, but Gwydion caught
it in his empty hand. “Now, let’s see how Dyfedians do in battle.”
    They spread out across the
road and waited. The dust cloud came closer, resolving itself into a band of
armed men riding hard towards them. As soon as they realized that the road was
blocked, they pulled up, but Dirgan and Llygad got off an arrow each, and two
of the men went down. The Dyfedians didn’t pause long, making the Gwynedd
archers drop their bows and pull their swords.
    Gwydion recognized Gwillim’s
chief warrior Adaf at the same time he spotted the Tanist. Adaf spat and said,
“Kyrnin said it was you.”
    “Who else?” Gwydion asked,
pressing forward to the attack.
    Adaf held his own through the
first flurry of blows, but Gwydion found his opening and plunged his sword into
Adaf’s thigh. “Damn you to hell,” the chief warrior said as he fell to the
ground.
    Gwydion made two more quick
strokes to make sure he was finished, then turned to the rest of the battle.
Gil and Bran looked like they had each dispatched an opponent, but Dirgan and
Llygad were hard pressed. Gwydion saw the last Dyfedian trying to sneak past
the melee, and he charged him with a bellow. The man threw up his sword and
caught one of Gwydion’s, but fell to the other in surprise. Gwydion then
assisted Dirgan and Llygad, while Bran and Gil finished off their opponents.
    Gil was beaming as he wiped
his claymore, but Bran still scowled. “If we have to do that again, we’ll
never make it to the border.”
    “I’m not