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nothing significant enough to provoke a fight. Their two ‘witnesses’ might be Nadan's reinforcements, but like all sorsvasus , Mason and Peyt were more likely honor-bound to relay to the Court and the Circle what they saw. Nadan was looking for a provocation, so Lucien stated the terms for the battle that now seemed inevitable.
    "If I win, you and all others leave us be. I'll take Lady Aislan to the king myself."
    Nadan's mouth tightened. “And claim all the glory for yourself? No, Lucien, the lady goes with us. Anyhow, we only need her head.” In one quick motion, he extracted a small knife from his belt and threw it at Aislan, aiming for her heart.
    Cursing, Lucien extracted his dagger swiftly and threw it at the flying knife in order to divert its path. The blades clanged in midair before falling several feet in front of Aislan. He quickly drew his sword as Nadan leapt forward and began a series of offensive strikes. While he countered the parries, Lucien deliberately moved along the bank to place Aislan behind him.
    Nadan was young, strong, and physically up against an equal match. Lucien sensed Aislan's movements behind him as she got out of the water, but he could not afford to take his focus from Nadan or the other two men, who stood aside watching warily. Hearing a faint clinking, Lucien knew she had picked up one of the weapons. Nadan saw what she did and attacked in earnest as he waved his free hand at Mason and Peyt. Lucien would not let anyone detain Aislan if she wanted to escape, so he leapt and placed himself between her and the men. He saw out of the corner of his eye Aislan running back into the water, and then he heard a splash and saw Nadan's outraged expression. As the two men ran for the water, Lucien blocked their entrance. Flicking the tip of his sword at the first's belt, he cut through the leather without cutting skin, and then followed up with the other man just as quickly, all in a space of a few eye blinks. He parried Nadan again, who was fighting madly now, exerting enough energy to force Lucien to defend himself in earnest.
    Mason and Peyt, hands holding their loose braes, managed to enter the water anyway. Lucien spun around so he faced the river and saw the two men standing in the water looking around. Aislan was nowhere in sight. Lucien had suspected she might have an affinity for water. From the reconnaissance's story from several days ago, Lucien suspected the renegade sorceress, Narisse, had abducted Aislan long ago for a ritual sacrifice. A Fluid sorceress, Narisse might have passed some of her abilities onto Aislan. Nevertheless, Lucien could not control the flash of fear that chilled through him because she had not surfaced.
    "We will find her, dead or not.” Nadan stopped in the midst of his attack.
    "Why so fervent in your need to have her dead?” Lucien felt the frantic need to go after Aislan. “She is but a defenseless woman with child."
    Nadan's expression flickered, showing he was still human, but his resolve hardened quickly. “The king and the Sorsverein want her head, and so I shall deliver it!” He attacked again.
    Lucien moved from his defensive mode and channeled his energy, focusing his attack. Waves of power also exuded from Nadan until it almost palpitated in the air around them. The need to end the fight as quickly as possible fueled Lucien as he bore down full force on Nadan. He saw the startled expression on Nadan's face and heard his angry shout for reinforcements. He fought all three of them, swords and torches dancing. Because his power was stronger, Lucien knew he would defeat them eventually. However, as opportunities for a deathblow against both Peyt and Mason arose, Lucien did not take them. They all served the same king. As sorsvasus brothers, they all trained under the same sorcery master. Lucien was the one defying orders. He could not cause serious injuries to, let alone murder, his comrades when they only obeyed orders.
    The clanging swords and