He rose, darkness swirling around him as the batalin hurried to strike him again. Marquin was blasted back by a cloud of black, striking a tree and severing it in half.
Vade stalked closer, wincing. He frantically looked around like he was searching for her.
The look cost him.
“Watch out!” But her warning wasn’t quick enough.
Marquin tackled him and the two went tumbling. A swirl of light and shadow surrounded the two and she couldn’t see what was happening, just groans and the sounds of bones breaking.
Orelia tried again to get her arms free, but the seidr bindings wouldn’t budge. She gathered all her strength, but it wasn’t enough.
Marquin managed to roll away from Vade and she watched in horror as he loosed an arrow before falling to a knee.
The arrow struck Vade in the chest.
“No!” Tears lined her eyes as Vade groaned, sitting back on his heels. When he reached for the arrow, a flash of light burst from Marquin’s staff and tied Vade’s hands behind his back.
Orelia sobbed as the batalin stopped a few feet from the love of her life, looming over him. “Why are you doing this?” she asked between sobs.
Marquin finally acknowledged her. “You keep poor company, witch.” He panted, wiping blood from his mouth.
She didn’t know how he knew what she was, but all that mattered was Vade. And he hadn’t gotten off the ground.
“I’ve been following you for a long time, fae. And standing here now, I guess it is true what they say. ‘All good things come to those who wait’.”
Each of Vade’s breaths were gargled as he sat on his knees, hands tied behind his back, arrow sticking out of his chest. “Who—who are you?” he managed.
The guard knelt, forcing Vade to look at him. “I’m going to be the last thing you see.”
Orelia whimpered.
Vade spit a mouthful of blood in his face. Crimson painted his lips and dripped down his chin as he gave Marquin a bloody smile. “Fuck you.”
Marquin wiped at his face, then reared his arm back and punched Vade in the jaw so hard that she wasn’t sure how he didn’t fall over.
Orelia screamed through her tears.
Vade blinked a few times like he was seeing stars and more blood came out of his mouth when he coughed.
The batalin rose and gripped the handle of a weapon she recognized sitting on his belt.
Vade’s seidr axe grew and glowed in Marquin’s hand until the double-sided blades had fully formed. They looked even sharper than before, like Marquin had primed the weapon for this occasion.
He began circling Vade. “I’ve been tracking you ever since I found my half-brother in the woods.”
Orelia searched her mind for whatever in the hells he could be talking about.
“The Arbor,” Vade said breathlessly.
“I was on a mission and happened to stumble upon him. Carried his dead body until I found a necromancer. Foul vermin, those necromancers, but I was able to learn what you looked like from my brother’s speaking spirit.”
Vade took slow, labored breaths, blood dripping out of his mouth in thick lines. His wings slumped, holes in them everywhere. “Should have made sure I killed the fucker for good and beheaded him with that axe. Lesson learned.”
Marquin punched him again.
Orelia cried out as Vade fell to his side, groaning.
Marquin grabbed him by the collar and yanked him back to sitting. He hit him again, and again, and again. “You took my only family from me!” he yelled, spit flying.
