Page 84 of Under Arthur’s Protection

Rick threw the first punch.

Arthur blocked it and drove a counter into Rick’s ribs.

Rick absorbed the blow, barely moving. “Still leading with your left. Some things don’t change.”

Arthur reset. “Who are you working for?”

Rick threw a combination. Arthur slipped the first, took the second on his forearm, and fired back. Rick was already moving. The punch hit air. But Rick’s fist connected with the bandage on Arthur’s right arm.

“Fuck you!” Arthur growled through gritted teeth. His guard dropped, and Rick drove through the gap into Arthur’s body.

“Your father would have sent a team.” Rick landed a hook and put a knee into Arthur’s side. “That’s what a man who knows how to use his resources would⁠—”

“I’m not my father,” Arthur spat out as he dodged, then jabbed. He was slower than he had been when the men attacked us at the archive. Either slower, or Rick was that much better than three men coming at him.

“No. You’re not.” Rick caught Arthur’s counter and twisted his right arm, forcing Arthur into the side of the Land Rover. Arthur hissed in pain. “He’d name a price and sell me what I wanted.”

Arthur threw an elbow into Rick’s jaw, snapping his head sideways. Rick stumbled.

Was it over?

No, Rick wiped his mouth and came back with a blow to Arthur’s head, knocking him into the SUV again.

I hadn’t budged from the open door. The knife, which had lodged in the sword’s case, was in the back seat. Where? Could I find it in time? Would it help?

Rick’s foot found Arthur’s thigh, and Arthur went down.

Do something useful!

Ten feet away, a cluster of stone planters sat, their flowers long since dead.

Arthur grunted, but got up and kept fighting.

Somewhere, deep in my soul, I knew Arthur Penn would never let anything happen to me. He would do everything to protect me, including sacrifice himself so I could escape alone.

And I couldn’t let him do that.

I darted for the planters. Grabbed one. It was so heavy!

Maybe Arthur saw what I was doing, maybe he didn’t, but he exploded off the car, using his momentum to drive Rick toward the house.

But Rick pivoted them both. He slammed Arthur against the wall, his forearm landing across Arthur’s throat. “Give up, Penn.”

“Fuck you.” Arthur tried bringing a knee into Rick’s side, but it lacked strength.

I hefted the planter, the stone rough against my palms. I aimed for his head, but wasn’t strong enough. It cracked against his neck, and he staggered forward, collapsing on Arthur, then to the ground.

Arthur shoved himself off the wall, gasping, but brought a foot down hard on the man’s back, below where I’d hit him, and another couple into his side.

Rick stayed down.

Arthur put a hand in front of me, pushing me backward. “I said get in the car, Gwen.”

“You always needed someone else to fight for you, right?” Rick rolled onto his side, clenching his teeth. “First Uther, now your girlfriend?”

Arthur stiffened, but continued herding me toward the car. “Who are you working for?”

“You’re carrying a dangerous secret, Penn.” He didn’t move from his spot on the driveway, but clutched his side where the second or third kick had landed. “Give me what you have, and no one has to get hurt.”