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Rædwald nodded at Brand to go with Sythric. His lance was already loosed from its holder and he urged Lys forward. He could see the others as he passed along, some engaged in fighting singly, but a number in little groups of two or so, holding off their attackers. He harried the Easterlings in his path, killing two of them as he made his way toward Meghan.
He wished he might have brought the armor for Lys that he’d had in his younger days as several of the Easterlings managed to wound her as the two pushed onward. The horse, however, had not slowed down or shown the least halting in her gait from the cuts, which made him assume they were only superficial.
There were two Easterlings attacking Meghan. One of her arrows had hit the nearest one’s cheek, near the eye, causing him to fall back with a scream. The other plunged toward her with his blade, and she fired another arrow at him, missing. He swung at her, using the flat of his blade. His intention was to knock her from her horse and take her captive.
The force of the blow nearly knocked her from her seat, but she rallied as he rushed in to grab her and kicked him in the neck with her boot. He reeled back; then, catching his breath lunged at her again . . . this time only to meet the sharp tip of Rædwald’s lance as it pierced him in the side, delivering a mortal blow.
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