Warriors of Camlann by N. M. Browne Read Free Book Online Page A

Bryn. I have Rhonwen, but I need to get Dan’s sword.’
    She paused. She could not ask Bryn to walk through the circle of monsters that would seem both real andsubstantial to his eyes. Anyway, although he was not small for an eight-year-old he was too small to restrain Rhonwen. She made a decision – she would have to rely on Larcius. The illusion of menacing demons still grunting and waving their silver spears was just dense enough to block her view in Bryn’s direction.
    â€˜Is Larcius with you, Bryn?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜Larcius! I need you to hold on to Rhonwen while I get the sword. Walk through the circle of demons – they won’t hurt you!’
    â€˜How can you be so sure?’ Larcius sounded scared.
    â€˜I was a sorceress once – trust me.’
    â€˜Lady, I fear you are a sorceress still – you have enchanted me!’ She could tell from his voice that he was dismounting and moments later, passing through demons, wielding his knife like a sword. The demons ignored him and, having no independent reality, they continued with their incomprehensible series of grunts and ineffectual spear waving.
    â€˜See – it’s not real!’ Ursula added, encouragingly.
    Sweat poured down Larcius’s perfect face, leaving rivulets of clean skin through the grime, like a tear-stained child. He bowed to the two women and, keeping his knife extended, walked cautiously to Ursula.
    â€˜Keep the blade at her throat – if she tries anything, kill her,’ Ursula said harshly, indicating Rhonwen with adismissive jerk of her head. Larcius looked at Ursula, warily.
    She was fleetingly aware of how frightening she herself must look, then dismissed the thought. If she kept them alive, did it matter?
    Ursula deliberately walked through the demons and goblins in front of them. Realising the illusion was destroyed, Rhonwen allowed the apparition to dissolve. Ursula marched forward to the place where Dan’s sword protruded from the ground. She turned to face the Aenglisc and indicated that the Latin speaker should translate her words.
    â€˜This is a Combrogi sword. It was borne by the bravest man I have ever known. It shall never rest in enemy hands. Men of your people killed that man and this sword will have its vengeance!’ Afterwards, she would have found it impossible to explain why she made such a speech, but it felt fitting. Her eyes blurred with tears as she lifted the sword easily from its sheath of earth and held it aloft in triumph. There was a gasp from the Aenglisc. Through the blurring effect of her tears, Ursula could make out the illusion that Rhonwen had created round the sword – a huge boulder surrounded by a cairn of smaller stones, a more fitting memorial to Dan than to his sword.
    One of the Aenglisc had returned with a horse complete with leather bridle and Roman saddle. Ursula sawthe fear in his eyes as he handed her the reins. She kept her own face impassive as a rock. It was hard not to break down and weep. She had forgotten Dan’s sword had moulded itself to the very shape of his hand. She was almost overwhelmed by grief. She managed to mount the horse without assistance – there were no stirrups but she was used to that. She rode over to Rhonwen and Larcius. Rhonwen’s face was closed and grim. Larcius looked astonished.
    â€˜Tie her up!’ she said to Larcius. ‘And gag her! I want no invocations following us.’
    She kept Bright Killer pointed at Rhonwen’s throat.
    â€˜I will not kill you, Rhonwen, though I could. I give you your life for Macsen’s sake but in all this’ – she slashed at Rhonwen’s belt with its assortment of fetishes – ‘I fear you bring him shame. Is this the way a Combrogi priestess and princess debases herself!’
    Like the previous speech the words came to her mouth unbidden. She did not know why she was saying them but Rhonwen flinched. Ursula knew