Rodry knew he could deal with the woman easily, because all he had to do was reverse his sword, but the moment he did that, the man would be free to strike at Lenore. Even as he thought about it, the strangling rope was tightening about his throat, cutting off his air, making it hard to even think.

He did two things simultaneously: he threw his sword, flinging it point first, and he threw himself backward, throwing himself and his attacker into the wall. He felt his full weight, along with the hardness of his armor, slam into his foe, smashing the breath out of her, loosening her grip even as it sent them both down to the floor. At the same time, he saw his sword plunge into the skull of the man there, bringing him down, sending him toppling backward.

Lenore cried out as he fell away from her, but she reacted faster than Rodry could have hoped. She grabbed for the mans weapon, snatching it up and throwing it in Rodrys direction. Rodrys air-starved brain grabbed for it, and his fingers closed around the hilt. He slammed the short sword backward, hearing the woman gasp as it went into her, feeling the strangling rope finally give way on his neck.

Rodry scrambled clear of her, back to his feet, rushing over to his sister and hugging her close.

Rodry! Lenore said.

Lenore, are you safe, did they hurt you? Rodry asked.

I… Lenore stood there. They… She shook her head. Are they dead?

She grabbed for the sword sticking from the mans skull and pulled it clear. The woman was still moving, but only for a moment, because Lenore brought that sword down sharply, hacking into her neck once, then again.

Rodry took the sword from her as gently as she could.

We need to go, he said. We need to get home.

Home? Lenore said, as if the very idea were hard to take in.

Come on, Rodry said. Stay close to me.

He led the way from the room, Lenore following in his wake. The battle was still raging, and even as he watched, Rodry saw a blade plunge into Seriss stomach, his friend striking back with an axe as he fell to bring down one of King Ravins soldiers. Rodry cut down the next man to step into that space, cutting his way forward through the violence.

I have her, Rodry yelled out to the others there. With me!

His remaining friends formed up around him, as tight as any group of true knights could have been, and Rodry had never been prouder of them than he was in that moment. They fought their way to the door, then out into the sunlight.

A battle was raging around them.