Maiden of the Woods Pre-Release Excerpt:
Something else in the wood caught her attention, and she marched deeper into the trees with conviction. Then he saw it, and again he smiled despite himself.
Cherries. She must have a sweet tooth.
Suddenly, every sound in the woods fell away. Kiera must have noticed it as well, because she stopped collecting her fruit and turned her head around, looking for the source of the noise, then started back toward the glen. Right toward Cormac. He ducked behind a tree.
That’s why he didn’t see the Romans when they first came upon her. It wasn’t until he heard the depraved words of one of the soldiers that he crept around the tree and gripped his spear.
One of the red-throated soldiers had his hand on Kiera’s arm. Irrational fury unlike anything he had ever experienced surged in Cormac’s chest.
Thunder cracked at his back as he took aim and released his spear, then charged through the brush. The fallen man’s sword laid near Kiera’s feet. In a smooth movement, he reached low as he ran and swept the sword up as he slid in front of Kiera. Then he bounded onto his feet in a low crouch, shielding Kiera with his body.
The third Roman had drawn his sword and was charging on them, his face a grotesque mask of anger. He brought his sword in a hard arc over Cormac’s head, but Cormac twisted around on his heels and swept his blade against the Roman’s leather armor. With Cormac’s lowered angle, the blade’s edge slipped under the leather and sliced through the Roman’s belly with ease. The Roman gurgled blood from between his lips, dropped his sword, and moved his hands to his stomach as if to hold his innards inside. Then he crumpled to his side.
Cormac focused his attention on the remaining soldier as he rose upright. Thunder cracked again and rain began to fall, striking the leaves in a heavy patter that steadily grew louder. Cormac wiped his dripping hair off his face and leapt over the fallen soldier to the first Roman who had finally managed to stand.
Even at his full height, the Roman wasn’t as tall as a Cormac. Though he held his sword before him with a measure of confidence, the man’s eyes betrayed him. Alone, without his other soldiers, facing a wild Caledonii barbarian, and the doubt in his eyes showed. Cormac grinned, the rain plastering his hair against his cheeks, and inhaled his chest to appear larger. He would make this Roman regret coming to the Caledonii land, regret threatening a Caledonii woman.
“Show me what ye have, Roman snake,” Cormac taunted as he whirled his sword in arcing circles with ease.
The Roman roared and swung his sword in a cross strike.
Typical, Cormac thought as he dodged the swing. These Romans were nothing if not predictable in their battle movements.
Cormac waited until the Roman’s swing moved past him, then brought his sword around so it swept across the Roman’s red-scarfed neck.
Stupid Romans. Did they not realize their scarves targeted the most susceptible area of their bodies not covered in armor? Fools.
The soldier’s head flopped on his neck as Cormac spun around. As a final insult, Cormac kicked the man’s back, and he toppled forward in a pool of his own blood that the rain washed into the dirt.
Then Cormac raised his eyes to Kiera.
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