Feyland: The Bright Court

Chapter Twenty-Six

The sprite laughed and pointed one finger at Tam.

“Brave Knight - so be it.” She stood and vaulted off the bull’s back, leaving the animal facing him squarely.

Before him, the bull’s eyes glowed brighter. It lowered its head and swung it side-to-side, the sharp tips of its horns glinting wickedly. Tam’s throat went dry. Slowly, he circled to the left, turning the animal away from Jennet and giving himself room to fight. The bull followed, pivoting to keep those eerie eyes focused on him.

The bunching of enormous muscles was his only warning. The beast charged, an explosion of deadliness hurtling right at Tam. He threw himself into a tumbling roll, trying not to stab himself on his naked blade as sharp hooves flashed by. Jennet gasped, but he couldn’t spare her a glance.

He took his sword in both hands and swung, scoring a deep gash along the animal’s flank. It bellowed and turned, nicking Tam’s arm with its horn. The sharp tip punctured his armor, tearing a rent in the silvery plate. He felt the sting of blood, beneath. This was not good. So far, his armor had proven impervious to anything Feyland threw at him. Why did it have to fail him now?

“Get off!” he heard Jennet cry, behind him.

No time to turn and see what was going on - the fiery-eyed beast was preparing to charge him again. The bull pawed the ground, once, then rushed forward. Damn, that thing was fast.

Tam darted to the side, and heard the swish of air by his ear as the horn narrowly missed gouging him. He made another quick stab with his sword, but the beast was getting smarter now. The next pass, or the next, Tam wouldn’t be able to jump clear in time.

Brute force wasn’t the answer. He was way overmatched in that arena. So, what did he have? Brains and agility - and high time he started using them. As the animal gathered itself to charge him once more, Tam sheathed his sword and slipped his shield from his arm.

“Tam - what are you doing?” Jennet called, fear sharpening her voice.

There wasn’t time to reassure her. He held the shield out to one side, as far from his body as he could, and waved it up and down.

“Come on,” he murmured. “Go for the shiny.”

The beast snorted and plunged forward - but this time it aimed for the shield. Tam waited, heartbeat crashing in his ears. At the last second, he dropped the decoy and leaped as the animal rushed past. His outstretched hands touched hide and horn, and he scrabbled desperately for a handhold.

His right hand closed over the bull’s horn, but he only had a moment more to get himself up, away from those deadly hooves. With a harsh grunt, he flung his leg up, feeling like his back was about to break from the angle. For a sickening second he dangled there, half-suspended on the side of the bull. Then he managed to grab a tuft of hair, enough to keep him from sliding off. The beast swung its head, trying to find him, and the motion was enough to propel him onto its back.

Tam pulled himself upright and clamped his legs around the animal, hard. He only had a heartbeat before it figured out he was aboard. Praying he wouldn’t be bucked off, he slid his sword out of its scabbard. He grasped the hilt in both hands, took a deep breath, and poised the blade, point-down, right above the beast’s spine.

“Halt!” the sprite cried. She rose into the air, tattered clothing whirling about her, and flung her arms wide.

Tam felt his muscles lock. Beneath him, the bull went still as a stone. To one side, Jennet stood frozen, too, her hands outstretched.

“Sword, speed away,” the sprite said.

With a twitch of her fingers, Tam’s blade spun from his grasp. It fell harmlessly into the grasses, gleaming among the blue flowers.