A Lesson for the Cyclops (10 page)

Now she was in her fighting stance, trying to match as closely as possible what D’Arbignal had told her. Her legs were already fatigued, and sweat dripped from her forehead, causing some of her makeup to run into her eye, stinging.

She held the rapier in her right hand, point drooping ever-so-slightly too low. She gripped the hilt too loosely, as D’Arbignal had instructed.

“You wouldn’t be able to survive a straight skill-on-skill duel with Alfredo,” D’Arbignal had said. “So we’ll bait a trap.”

She looked in Alfredo’s eyes and saw contempt and fury in them. She also saw that he was smirking, as though he thought himself particularly clever.

It seemed to be the right time according to what D’Arbignal had taught her, so she lunged at Alfredo.

Exactly as D’Arbignal had predicted, Alfredo sidestepped, and then his rapier darted for her sword hand. He had told her that the low point and the weak grip would be too enticing for Alfredo and that he would try to humiliate her with a disarm.

The point of his rapier started to circle her wrist, but she began to circle her blade in the same direction, and she leapt forward, and slashed his thigh.

She quickly retreated out of Alfredo’s striking range.

“First blood!” she cried, pointing at his thigh. “First blood!”

“Why, you little bitch!” Alfredo shouted. “I’ll cut you from—”

D’Arbignal tsked at him.

“Remember the wager, Alfredo. You agreed to the terms in front of all these wonderful people!” D’Arbignal spread his arms as if to encompass the audience “You wouldn’t want to dishonor yourself by reneging, would you?”

The crowd responded with a barrage of cheers and boos. Cheers for D’Arbignal and boos for Alfredo’s disgraceful behavior.

“As a wise man once told me,” D’Arbignal added with a wink, “there’s no shame in losing to a better fencer.”

For a moment, it seemed that Alfredo would choke to death on his own anger. But after a moment, he bowed politely.

“Well played, Cyclops,” he said.

“Well played,
Maria,”
D’Arbignal corrected.

Alfredo turned a little redder, but said, “Well played, Maria.”

D’Arbignal had one last surprise for everyone gathered. He indicated Marco and proclaimed, “As per the terms of our own wager, the ownership of this circus has now passed to me.”

Despondent, Marco nodded his agreement.

“It’s yours,” he said. “May it bring you more luck than it’s brought me.”

“Thank you,” D’Arbignal said. “And in return, I am giving it to Maria.”

“What?” Marco said, looking as though he had been betrayed.

“What?” Alfredo said. His own expression was one of a man whose world had just been turned upside-down.

“What?” Maria said, adding to the chorus.

“It’s your circus now, Maria,” D’Arbignal said with a small bow and flourish. “I’m sure you will run it well.”

“Don’t you want it?”

“I?” D’Arbignal said. “I wouldn’t know what to do with a circus. Besides, I’ve got to get moving. Can’t stay here too long; think of all the trouble I’d be missing out elsewhere!”

Maria’s eye teared up. “You won’t stay?” She didn’t add,
with me?

“No, I’m afraid I can’t.” D’Arbignal smiled gently. “To be honest, I only stayed as long I did because of
you
.”

“Me? But I —” She choked it back, but then thought,
why not?
“I love you.”

D’Arbignal took her hand and kissed it, and the finality of the gesture made her cry.

“Thank you, Maria. And a wonderful love it is. Now find someone who
deserves
that love. Whoever he is, he’ll be a very lucky man.”

He swept up the pile of rubies and placed them in her trembling hand. “Operating expenses,” he said.

He picked up his rapier, tucked it into the leather frog on his belt, and headed for one of the tent’s exits.

“By the way,” he called back to her, “if you need more dresses like the one I gave you, there’s a seamstress in Cerendahl you should see. Her name is Shara; tell her D’Arbignal sent you.”

With that, he saluted her once, bowed, and was gone …

… leaving her with nothing but her rapier. Her rapier, her circus, her rubies, and her future. And for the first time in a long time, the future looked like it might be a hospitable place to visit.

Pahula nodded approvingly as D’Arbignal departed.

“See?” she said, putting her arm around Maria. “It’s like I told you: he’s a very nice men.”

Oh heavens, I’ve written another book! I don’t know what’s the matter with me, but I hold you, the reader, partially to blame. If it weren’t for your enthusiastic support of my stories, I’d never work up the energy to write a single word. You guys sustain me, and I’m not talking financially.

As always, I need to start with a huge thank you to Kate, my girlfriend, my support network, my sounding board, and as always, my Intended Reader. Every word you read here had to make it past her first. (So, um, I guess if you don’t like it, that makes it partially her fault, right?)

Next, I have to thank my editor Barb Caffrey and my cover artist Carol Phillips. Barb takes my mediocre prose and makes it punchy. Carol takes my abstract ideas and turns them into beautiful covers!

Next up are again the holy trinity of authors Chris Boucher (
Doctor Who
,
Blake’s 7
), R. A. Salvatore (the bestselling
Drizzt Do'Urden
series), and Steve Hamilton (the
Alex McKnight
series and
The Lock Artist
). I continue to learn from you every day through your examples. What meager talent I’ve managed to develop is largely a tribute to the lessons you’ve taught me.

Then of course there are my wonderful beta-readers, including (but not limited to): Trin Denise, Connie Jasperson, Becky Kyle, Sabrina Malone, Art Pugach, K. R. Schulteis, Dana Sieders, Ryk Spoor, and Valerie Ward. Thank you so much for all your suggestions, and for putting up with so many typos!

I have to thank Ryk Spoor a second time for those great gaming sessions back in the early ninteties. Not only did they give rise to the character of D’Arbignal, but they were just a hell of a lot of fun!

I continue to feel honored and humbled by the support the late Daniel Copeland gave me, and it is to him I've dedicated this book. Dan was one of the kindest, bravest, and most up-beat people I've ever met. I'm sorry you had to leave this world so soon, Dan, but I am eternally grateful for having had the opportunity to know you. This world needs more people like you.

And of course, I thank Kate first and last because my world begins and ends with her. Thanks for sticking with me, Kate. I know it’s not easy putting up with an aspiring writer! (Don’t tell Kate, but I would have dumped me
years
ago…)

JEFFREY GETZIN
graduated from
Clark University
, where he won the Loring Holmes and Ruth Dodd Drama Contest for an original one-act play. He earned a master’s degree in Computer Science from the
University of Pittsburgh
. Jeffrey currently develops software for
G
o
o
g
l
e
in New York City, and lives in New Jersey with his long-time girlfriend Kate and a seemingly infinite number of cats.

Jeffrey is a lifelong practitioner of various martial arts, and currently holds a purple belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu under
Renzo Gracie
black belt Jamie Cruz and has trained in Muay Thai under legendary fighter Kaensak Sor Ploenjit. He has competed in table tennis at the national level. Jeffrey is an avid film and home theater buff. Also, his mother says he is very handsome.

If you enjoyed this book, please try Jeffrey's other books
Shara and the Haunted Village
and
Prince of Bryanae
.

Prince of Bryanae

Shara and the Haunted Village

A Lesson for the Cyclops

King of Bryanae
(coming soon)

The Greatest Swordsman in the World
(coming soon)