Kole Swordwielder.
His stance was casual yet his attention stayed focused.
The same large sword that he’d worn earlier was strapped to his back. He hadn’t reached for it, but energy thrummed around him.
Neither of the bastard males, nor Kole, showed any awareness of my presence, which wasn’t surprising since I kept my breathing silent and even, and the foliage still hid me.
“Leave now and torment no more wildlings along your journey, and I’ll let you go.” Kole’s voice came out calm and smooth. As he’d been earlier today, his face was entirely devoid of emotion, yet a steady pulse of power emitted from him, like a cloak of menace just waiting to be unleashed.
The first male I’d heard torturing the wildling scoffed. “Perhaps we should be saying the same to you. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but there’s two of us and only one of you.”
Both males stepped forward, hands going to their waists where blades waited to be unsheathed.
The first continued. “You know, you should be more careful. Way out here, nobody will hear your yells. Too many fae are hunting the Stone, and the kingsfae have their hands full.”
Kole’s expression didn’t falter, and his voice was just as even when he replied, “Which I suppose made you two imbeciles think you could get away with murder tonight.”
The second male laughed. “It’s only a wildling. What’s it to you?”
“Wildlings are still fae.”
Both males sneered. “So you’re one ofthose, a siltenite who thinks wildlings have rights.”
Kole’s voice remained steady. “They do have rights. Perhaps not as many as you or me, but murdering an innocent wildling is still breaking the law.”
“Only if you’re caught,” the first replied.
Kole’s composure didn’t break. “I won’t say it a third time.Leave now. Do not harm any more wildlings along your journey, and I’ll let you go.”
Both males laughed again, and before I could blink, they lunged at the same time, giving way to the fact that they’d done this before. Practiced maneuvers had them in Kole’s space in less than a second. I barely had time to inhale before they were on Kole, knives gleaming, and arms swinging to strike.
Kole’s sword appeared in his hand, his movement so fast it was a blur.
Blade met blade, the sound of clashing steel ringing through the Wood.
The wildling mother grabbed her babies and fled, the dozen youngsters clinging to her back in her haste to escape.
Grunts and groans came from the fighting males. Despite the two seeming to be common criminals, their fighting stances were far from a novice’s.
But Kole’s sword met them blow by blow, his expression steady, his movements precise.
Yet the males were right about one thing. It was two against one.
When one leaped behind Kole, his lips peeling back in a gleeful smile just as his knife thrust upward, my eyes widened.
“No!” I screamed and dropped to the forest floor.
Kole’s narrowed eyes glanced my way just as a huge rush of magic shot out of me, ensnaring both males’ minds as their knives twisted to impale Kole.
Both males seized mid-movement.
One jerked, his entire body twitching. The other turned as stiff as a board.
Magic rushed out of me, capturing them completely and halting their attack.
I was breathing so hard my rough pants filled the Wood, which had suddenly turned quiet. Wind brushed over my cheeks, and the night air chilled my skin.
Kole focused on me, not even a flicker of surprise on his face, and the males tipped over, still lost to the magic I had encased them with.
