The silvered edge bit deep into his shoulder, slicing through armour and flesh. Blood spurted as he staggered back, a snarl escaping his lips.
Both dropped their magic in the same instant, Lincatheron’s oceanic wall collapsing into a heavy mist, her crimson clouds dissipating.
Blood seeped into Lincatheron’s leathers, dark and spreading. He braced a knee against the mud, his free hand pressing against the gash at his shoulder, his breath ragged. He should have collapsed. He should have been broken.
But Lincatheron rose. Bared his teeth. “Ashterion’s violent pet.”
“Thispetis making Luceren’s commander look like a fool,” she purred, head tilting in mock curiosity. “Isn’t that all the more embarrassing?”
“I’m coming.”Kaelen’s voice was raw with desperation, and I could feel him above us, locked in vicious combat with something massive and dark.“Don’t do anything foolish.”
Another surge of power erupted from Lincatheron. A wall of crashing water, moving too fast, slamming toward her with enough force to shatter stone. Bloodwitch didn’t even flinch. She lifted a hand, her dark magic expanding into a bloody abyss, absorbing his attack as if it were nothing.
The air hissed, water sizzling into steam, as the two forces collapsed into nothing. Lincatheron staggered again, his blood trailing down his arm from the wound in his shoulder. The woman twirled her sabre, rolling onto the balls of her feet, weighing her next strike.
Some of our soldiers hesitated at the edges of the battlefield. But none moved to help.
Lincatheron turned to me. “Isara. Please.” His voice was hoarse. “Just fucking run.”
I moved.
But I did not run.
“Enough.” I stepped in front of Lincatheron, daggers drawn.
He swore under his breath, staggering forward to pull me back. But it was too late. Cruel amusement lit Bloodwitch’s face as I placed myself between them.
“No.”Kaelen’s snarl was so violent it made my vision blur.“Wildfire, get away from her.”
I ignored him.
“You said you had a message.” I rolled my shoulders as though the whole situation were beneath me. “And if you’re quite done with your tantrum, perhaps you could deliver it and leave.”
“Aren’t you a brave little thing,” Bloodwitch said, her black eyes gleaming. “Stepping in to protect the big, bad commander. How... adorable.”
Lincatheron tensed behind me. My heart thundered in my chest, but I refused to show fear. “I’m not protecting anyone. I’m asking you to get to the point.”
“Oh, but I have time to waste.” She twirled her sabre casually in her fingers. “Do you?”
I scoffed. “You’re clearly not here to kill anyone. If you were, you’d have done it already.”
Bloodwitch laughed. “I wouldn’t say that. I’m not here to kill anyoneimportant.” Her gaze raked over me with lazy assessment. “I’d say the former human before me isn’t particularly significant. I could add you to the pile of bodies without a second thought.”
Behind me, Lincatheron moved. I didn’t think, my hand flew back, pressing against his chest to keep him in place. His heartbeat thundered beneath my palm. His fingers grasped at my wrist, weak but insistent. A plea to move. I didn’t.
The woman tracked the gesture, watching as I held the commander in place. Lincatheron’s chest heaved against my hand with laboured breaths. But I didn’t let my focus slip for a moment.
“What an embarrassment you are, Lincatheron. Tell me, little pet, does Varyth know you’re out here playing hero?”
I ignored the jab. “Your message. What is it?”
“My, my.” She levelled her sabre at me casually. “Aren’t you full of surprises? A human?—”
“You clearly enjoy the sound of your own voice far too much,” I cut in, my patience wearing thin. “Are you done yet?”
Behind me, I heard Lincatheron curse again, but he didn’t move. I didn’t look back, but I felt his stare scraping over my skin.
“Are you fucking insane?”Kaelen’s voice exploded through my head, raw with disbelief and fury.“Stop antagonizing the woman who could turn you inside out with a thought.”
