He continued trudging forward, his body lopsided, hisstance crooked. From his belt, he drew a dagger and angled it toward me.
A hot lump formed in my throat. I shook my head, my back meeting the wall. I had nowhere left to retreat. My hand shook as I brandished my dagger.
He attacked, blade swinging. I blocked his strike, then jabbed my dagger toward his arm. I just had to cut him. Just one cut…
His blade met mine, the sound of clashing steel ringing through the throne room. With a swift movement, he twisted my wrist, and the dagger fell from my grip. He kicked it away, and I watched as it skittered along the floor, too far for me to reach.
Theron raised his dagger again.
“Theron!” I cried, lifting my hands as if I could stop him. As if I could do anything.
Theron thrust his dagger forward. I dived underneath him, dodging the swipe of his blade. He struck again, and I ducked. Back and forth we fought, him slashing and me dancing away from his advances. Sweat poured down my neck, drenching my tunic. My breathing quickened, my pulse racing. A flush crept into my face, making the room feel too hot.
Swipe. Dodge. Parry. Thrust.
This couldn’t go on forever. I couldn’t win by avoiding him.
I had to disarm him. I had to get the knife out of his grasp.
Blood and ice, what if I accidentally killed him? What if he was still alive in there, but I wounded him so badly that he would never wake up again?
With his next strike, I aimed a jab to his abdomen. He letout a keening groan and hunched over, arms wrapped around his stomach.
“No!” I shrieked, covering my mouth with my hand. “Theron, I’m sorry?—”
He lashed out, his knife meeting my forearm. I screamed, jerking backward as hot blood gushed down my arm, dripping onto the floor. From behind Theron, Calista licked her lips, eyeing the pool of blood hungrily.
Shit.
Theron’s dagger was wet with my blood. He brandished it toward me, eyes still closed, face still cold and impassive.
“Theron,” I said again, my voice raspy. Blood continued dripping from my arm. “Theron,stay with me. You can fight this. You have to fight this!”
“He cannot hear you,” Calista hissed, inching toward me. Her nostrils flared, her eyes fixed on my blood on the floor.
All she needed was one drop. One drop, and I would be at her command.
She could order me to hold still while Theron slit my throat.
She could order me to cut out my own heart.
My stepmother wouldwin.
“Theron!” I sobbed, trying to snap him out of this. But he didn’t flinch. He didn’t even crack open his eyes.
My perfect, rugged hunter was gone.
I sank to my knees. Theron stood over me, looming like a specter about to shepherd me to my death.
My face was moist with tears, my arm soaked in blood. I stared up at Theron, my heart shattering into pieces at the sight of his body being used like this.
He would hate this. With every fiber of his being, it would destroy him if he knew he was doing this.
“I love you, Theron,” I whispered.
He aimed the dagger for my throat.
Just before he slit it, a gleam of pale blue ignited in the air. Without thinking, I grabbed it.
