“Rowan,” Balor snorted, “has been far too distracted of late. You may have fooled them all into thinking that you are divinely chosen, but I know better. A pathetic waste like you could never be chosen.”
My hand inched closer to my pocket.
“I have been looking forward to our rematch,” he said, eyes falling to my hand just as it slipped into my pocket.
Then he smiled once more—I’d been caught.
Balor lunged at me, and I barely sidestepped his attack. I heard the scraping of his blade on stone. I pulled the knife out of my pocket and clutched it tightly. He saw the weapon and sneered at me. He clearly remembered how it had come into my possession, and that fueled his hatred even more.
He lunged again—and I dropped to the Ground, barely missing his attack. I was getting slower and more out of breath.
“Do you really think that little blade will save you? Go on—show me your courage,” he growled.
The whistle of steel cut the air before I even turned—Balor’s dagger missed my ribs by inches.
“Come on! Fight me!”
Once Balor pivoted to strike me, I grabbed a handful of dirt from the trail and threw it at his eyes. He cursed as I temporarily blinded his vision. His boot caught on something—small, gnarled, and buried under the dirt. A root. He stumbled, still half-blind.
He pitched forward, off-balance, rubbing at his eyes.
In that second, I reacted. I didn’t plan. I didn’t aim.
I stabbed.
The knife drove into his side—not deep, not clean—but it hit.
He howled and swung wildly, still not able to see clearly, slicing my forearm.
He took another step back, but this time his foot missed the ledge.
His bloodshot eyes widened.
“No—”
Balor flailed, trying to grab the edge—but there was nothing to hold. He tumbled backward into the abyss.
I stood there for several seconds, blood dripping down my arm, processing the haunting look of a man on the brink of death. A death that I had called forth. I dropped to my knees, and my limbs shook violently.
“Are you hurt?” The voice pierced the ringing in my ears. I turned to the source, only to find Renata carefully assessing me from several paces away. I bent over and hurled up everything I’d eaten that day. “You’re going into shock. Put your head between your legs.”
I bent over and did as she bade me. I heaved, but nothing more came up. Renata came closer and took a piece of cloth and bound it around my wounded arm.
He had sliced me good.
“Why?” The word was broken, but it was all I could muster.
“No one was there my first time, and I wish someone had been. It makes the burden a bit more bearable—to share that with someone.”
“Don’t… don’t tellhim.Please.”
“He’ll have to know about Balor, but everything that happened after will stay here—it won’t follow us.”
“Thank you.” I sputtered a sigh of relief.
“Control your emotions, otherwise everyone will know everything.”
Renata sauntered off, leaving me panting and gripping my legs with bruising strength. When I could muster the energy to move, I tentatively lifted the knife from the Ground and stared at all the blood. I could look nowhere else. The blood was everywhere.
