Daegel reaches the weapons pile without trouble. When he pulls out his two long blades, the crowd falls silent. It’s a tense, heavy silence. Even I cease breathing as I wait to see what happens next.
Daegel wastes no time.
Once his weapons are in his possession, he swiftly advances towards the women fighting.
Of course they don’t notice him in time.
He sneaks up on the tall woman. There’s no resistance as his blade slides right into the middle of her back and comes out through her chest. With his blade still inside the tall woman, he whirls them around and slices the space between him and the blind woman with his other sword.
The petite woman leans back and takes a step back. Unfortunately, Daegel’s blade is long enough to reach her throat. The very sharp tip sinks into her skin and glides over her throat in a clean cut. Her eyes widen and she chokes, blood pouring down the front of her body.
It’s a gruesome view. But I can’t look away.
Graciously, Daegel draws his blade out of the tall woman. The moment it’s out, her lifeless body slumps onto the sand with a heavydunk. Blood quickly pools around the corpse.
For a moment, the crowd is utterly still. But when the screams finally break, I have to cover my ears because they’re so loud. There isn’t a corner of Ekios that doesn’t ring with these screams.
Daegel squares his shoulders and turns round. There’s an arrogant smirk at the corner of his mouth.
The same mouth that melted my insides each time it collided with mine.
His eyes find me immediately. He knows exactly where to look. My heart skips a beat. Daegel winks and flashes me a wicked smile.
I push myself up so I’m kneeling with one knee on the branch.
I lift my bow and draw the string. My hands tremble a little as I hold the arrow and focus it right in the middle of Daegel’s chest.
Finally, it’s my chance to end him. To pay him back for all of his deceit, games, and lies.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Let go.
The arrow whizzes through air. Right at Daegel’s chest.
Still keeping my gaze, he lifts one of his blades and aligns it vertically a couple of inches away from his chest. My arrow hits the sharp side of the blade and splits in half.
When the two pieces fall under his feet, Daegel’s smile widens.
Give me hissss ssssoul,Lorca hisses.I want hissss sssoul.
I ignore the trickster. I hate it about myself in that moment, because I shouldn’t feel this way. But oh, the relief of my arrow not landing true is sweet.
Unfortunately, it means there’s only one way.
I lower my bow.
I will have to face him in a fight up close.
CHAPTER EIGHTY
PHOENIX
I swiftly climb out of the tree. My head spins, and my stomach churns all the way down. Only when my feet hit the solid ground does the nausea go away.
Adrenaline floods my bloodstream, and my muscles tremble lightly. But my mind is sharp as a blade.
