Terena nodded as if she’d heard both men, but Lerek’s words kept creeping back into the forefront of her mind, insidious poison making her forget the task at hand.
“Everyone ready?” Soros shouted and the men behind them roared.
Terena blinked, frozen. What were they doing? What?—
“Over here!” Rydon grabbed her, and she sighed as everyone mounted their horses. A moment later she was astride Nyx, pulling on the reins to follow Rydon.
Shouts behind her rumbled to a roar, and Terena spun.
“They’re here!” Soros shouted, raising his sword high as he called out last minute orders and the men lifted their shields ina wall. Lances and swords lowered in defensive positions, and Terena glanced behind her to see their archers on the ridge.
“Ready?”
Terena looked at Rydon. Although her heart had sped up, her blood tingled at the battle to come. Excitement made her skin prickle.
“Oh, I’m ready,” she said with a wink at the merc.
“Try to keep up.”
She tossed her head back, laughing as she splayed her hands. The Twins formed, the runes etched on the blades lighting with the red glow of her power and she felt the bloodlust of her sire turning to fire within her chest.
Solon’s army appeared on the horizon, and she felt the anticipation build in her veins. As they neared, their war cries crescendoed, the earth shaking from the approaching horde.
At the last moment, Terena jumped from Nyx’s back, slapping her rump. As the horse reared and galloped away, Terena took off running, a primal scream ripping from deep within her, her left arm raised to the sky as she charged.
“The God of War is with us! Victory is ours!”
At Terena’s words, Captain Soros and his men roared as she raced to the front of their lines. Out of her periphery, she saw Rydon and Gabriol charging with their weapons raised, their mouths wide; they, too, bellowed for blood.
She did not stop running. Screaming as the Heylisians drew within striking distance, Terena leaped impossibly high before slamming onto the soldiers in front of her. Her arms swept out and let her short swords have their first taste of Heylisian blood. Her vision blurred red for a moment before it cleared, everything focused more keenly than she’d ever seen in her life. Like a woman possessed, she snarled as she hacked at everyone within her reach. Blood roared in her ears, and Terena danced through the mess of soldiers, their cries music to her ears.
In the thick of Heylisian soldiers, she lost sight of Rydon and Gabriol but she did not fear for them. She had no fear at all, only the driving force of her bloodlust, insatiable no matter how many she slaughtered.
More.
More.
More.
Terena grinned as she caught the terrified expression of a soldier a moment before she carved his head from his shoulders. Spinning, the Twins easily sliced through the bodies around her like hot steel through butter. Never had her blood sang with such vitality before and she was drunk with the power thrumming in her veins.
And then she saw him.
A vicious growl rumbled up her throat from the bowels of the underworld when she spotted General Peleon, his helm gone and his dark hair plastered to his head with sweat and blood. He fought behind two of his men, thrusting one in front of one of Soros’s men, who caught the blow meant for the slimy bastard.
Terena laughed as she took off running. Her breath caught when Peleon locked onto her. A look of surprise flashed across his face at how close she’d gotten. Then the coward turned tail and ran.
Someone grabbed her from behind, and Terena lifted and swung her sword reflexively, blinking in confusion when Rydon swore and ducked away.
“It’s Daris!” Rydon shouted in her face more than once until she nodded dumbly. “Daris and the Liodari are here!”
Cries sounded all around as Soros’s men fought with renewed ferocity, their sorely outnumbered ranks bolstered by the oncoming Liodari and Hermes’s men.
Terena’s eyes were wild as she looked where the others were pointing, swords raised in the air as more and more of their soldiers roared at Daris’s arrival.
Her breath hitched when she caught sight of him, spellbound as Daris leaped from his mount.
Rydon shouted in her ear, yanking on her arm. She stumbled away as he drove his sword into the belly of her would-be attacker. Shaking off the stupor, Terena rejoined the fighting, spinning and weaving her way through the mass of Heylisians pressing in around her.
