Tristan was shocked to see her hesitate, one of her hands still desperately clinging to his arm. She didn’t move to take the hand that was offered.
“Valeria!” Rufus raged at her. “Come away from him.”
She gave Tristan a defeated glance, her eyes wet with the start of tears, and stepped out of his arms and over to her fierce protector. He felt the loss of her warmth like a punch to his gut. He hadn’t been prepared to have feelings for her and he was having a hard time dealing with them. But deal with them he must. He’d push Valeria so far from his mind that he’d forget she ever existed.
“How do you want to die, Pict scum?” Rufus aimed his heavy sword at him.
Tristan tore off his fur pelt and tossed it to the ground, then drew his own sword from the sheath at his waist. “Not quietly, if that’s what you had in mind.”
“Rufus, stop this.” Valeria stood in front of him, blocking him so he couldn’t attack. She would not let him kill Tristan.
“Get out of my way.” Rufus tried to shove her behind him.
Valeria fought him, and her bare feet slipped around in the snow. She didn’t even feel the cold, only the frantic need to protect Tristan from a sure death.
“I mean it, Domina.” Rufus stared down at her, his brown eyes boring into hers, his mouth set into a severe line. “Move out of the way.”
He shoved her harder this time and sent her flying to her back on the ground. She lay still for a moment, unable to believe he’d gotten so rough with her. It wasn’t like Rufus to treat her in such a bad manner.
“Is that the only way you can handle a woman?” Tristan asked in a mocking tone, provoking Rufus to a fight. “By knocking her around?”
Rufus chuckled a deep, booming laugh. “You’re one to talk. Forcing yourself on innocent young women hardly makes you heroic.”
The two men stared each other down, their swords held at the ready. Rufus attacked first. He lunged forward and slashed his sharp blade, but Tristan blocked the blow and propelled him back.
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