“What are you doing here?” The knight demanded. “When did you return?”
“Did Father not expect me back so soon?” I asked, striding toward him.
“So, it’s true,” he breathed. “You did return with the final maiden.”
Maybe I would kill Cerys, after all. While I couldn’t blame her for wanting to save her home, I certainlycouldblame her for alerting everyone to Aethra’s presence.
Tossing my spear up, I caught it above my head and threw it toward the knight. It caught him in the chest, slamming against his armor and knocking him on his back.
Closing the distance between us, I pressed my boot to his chest. “Lucky for you,” I said. “I show mercy, unlike Haimyx.” Grabbing his dropped spear, I plunged it through his shoulder, pinning him to the ground. He screamed, flailing for the shaft.
Grabbing my spear, I walked away. “Are you alright, El?” I thought.
“You threw me harder than you needed to,” he thought back softly.
“Coast is clear. Find Aethra and go.” I turned, following the sound of fighting back toward Seraphim.
Pressing a hand to the wall, Eleos slowly rose. Seeing he was fine, I dashed past him.
“Wait!”
Skidding to a stop, I turned around.
Eleos turned to me. “Did you hear that?”
Whatever Eleos had heard, I’d missed. But Aethra’s following words sang to me, loud and clear.
“If you want your revenge, Seth. Take it now.”
A crash shook the walls, coming from upstairs. A heavy thudsounded above my head, and a woman yelped. Aethra.
Whirling around, I threw open the window to my left and jumped out, unfolding the scarlet wings on my back.
24
Aethra
Crumbling rock tumbled from the ceiling, faltering as its support pillar collapsed. The silence of the Empty had turned its center to dust.
Aeacus dropped me. His head snapped up as a brick plunged from above, narrowly missing his head. Scrambling away from him, I managed to take two steps before the lion was upon me. Its paws slammed into my back, throwing me to the floor.
Yelping, I grabbed my head, shielding it from cracking against the stone floor. Crawling backward, I raised my hand to cast another spell as Aeacus stalked toward me, blade raised.
The glass window behind me shattered, sending shards flying across the room. A streak of red wings rushed over me as Seth crashed into Aeacus and knocked him to the ground. Catching his balance, Aeacus rolled, raising his blade in time to block Seth’s swing.
The clash of steel rang across the room, piercing my ears like a warning.
Breaking away, Seth stepped back, scarlet wings spread to their full length. Aeacus wiped a bead of blood from his mouth. “All these years, and now you choose to slink in her shadow.”
“Say a prayer to Father,” Seth snarled. “You’re going to die today.”
They crashed against one another, blades interlocking. The lion flew from my side, lunging toward Seth’s flank. Raising my hand, I did what little I could to help him.
Silence swept over the room, and the cold wind blowing in from the broken window ceased. A rain of blood showered over us as the lion disintegrated, and a gouge cut through the floor where it had been standing.
Aeacus glanced over, noticing what I’d done. Seth swung for Aeacus’ side in his moment of hesitation. The scarlet sword scraped the commander’s breastplate before his guard reformed, and they resumed their dance.
I’d never seen men fight to the death like this. Furiosity drove their movements, as they sought an opening in their foe’s defense. One advanced while the other retreated before the advantage would shift, and they’d trade places.
