Anon overcame him with three moves and slashed Rawn across the stomach. He stumbled back with a wince. Anon came at him, and Rawn barely blocked the next blow before it took his head. He was too slow. Anon’s elbow rammed him in the face, and Rawn staggered back, his vision swaying.
“Inept,” Anon sneered. Their swords crossed, bringing them face to face. “Disgraceful.” He head-butted Rawn, and he dropped. Anon’s knee rammed into his jaw.“Pitiful.”
Rawn dropped to the wet ground. This elf killed his sister and his horse. He would not yield, even if he died here.
Snatching his sword, Rawn lunged to his feet. A blow knocked the air out of his lungs. Gasping raggedly, he looked down at the arrow embedded on the left side of his chest. His wavering sight lifted to the archer standing behind Anon with a unit of Red Highland soldiers. Another arrow whistled through the air and pierced him in the stomach.He stumbled back as blood spilled down his tunic. A third arrow took out his leg, and he plummeted to his knees.
Rawn reached for his weapon, but his trembling fingers couldn’t grasp his hilt. There was no strength in him left.
“How disappointing.” Anon kicked the sword out of the way, and it skittered across the ground beneath a wagon. “You neglect to live up to your legend, Norrlen.”
Red Highland soldiers came forward and seized his arms. They dragged him away to a wheeled cell and threw him inside. He slumped against the wall, blinded by pain and on the verge of unconsciousness as he bled out.
Nisa had asked of him only one thing, and he failed.
Her. His wife. His son.
His Fair.
He failed them all.
“Rawn!” A faint voice gasped his name. In the alley across from him, he spotted Lucenna and Klyde, their eyes wide with horror. She took a step, but Rawn shook his head.
He wouldn’t repeat the mistake of involving others in his troubles again.
This wasn’t their fight.
And it wasn’t one they could win. Red Highland soldiers marched past in a stream. So many sent to capture him.
Surely, he was off to his death. All he could ask of them now was to let his family know he would never come home.
The realization nearly killed him. Slipping off his signet ring, Rawn let it roll out of his cell. It clinked faintly on the ground.
Reins snapped and wheels creaked as they took him away. His waning sight peered past the bars to the smudge of white in the rain.
Forgive me…
CHAPTER 36
Von
Von’s stomach burned as he heaved up sea water on the beach. Sand gritted in his teeth and stung his eyes. Pushing the sopping wet hair out of his eyes, he searched the shore for the Maiden, but she was nowhere in sight. When they fell into the water together, a rogue wave had wrenched them apart.
Von pushed up on his knees, wincing in pain. He stumbled to his feet, wounded and disoriented. Blood leaked from the many cuts on his face and body.
The pier glowed with fire. It teemed with people and Shieldmen working hard to put it out. He glimpsed a Minotaur with an auburn coat running for the town.
Sorren was at last free.
Von clutched his broken arm to his chest as he called out for Dyna. But she wasn’t amongst the faces that passed him. She must have made it out and fled the pier. Or…
His eyes lifted to what remained of Tarn’s ship.
The flames burned high, glowing brightly in his sight. No. He had to believe she made it out as well.
Von closed his eyes as an echo of Yavi’s scream crashed with each wave on the shore. “He is gone, my love,” Von whispered to the sea. “Rest now…”
That monster was dead.
