I wasn’t going anywhere. I had no weapon. They all had swords. I cut my eyes toward my statue. Nothing there I could use as a weapon. The best I could do was scrabble up and perch on the top, but they’d be able to yank me down easilyenough.
I. Was.Screwed.
And every single one of them knewit.
The female leader drew closer, lifting her weapon. Heart hammering, I raised my fists before me. Even though I would never survive this thing, I wouldn’t go down without a fight. I’d at least give her a broken nose for herefforts.
With a roar, she sprang toward me. I darted to the side, letting my training kick in. Even without my weapon, my magic slithered through my veins, moving my body at an impossiblespeed.
When she pulled back, I tried to dart to the right, but a traitor blocked my path. Narrowing my eyes, I glared at him. He didn’t move. He didn’t even blink. He just stood there like a stone guard, unmoving,unfeeling.
“What’s this all about?” I jerked my thumb toward her fellow traitor as she tightened her grip on the hilt of her sword. “There’s one of me and eleven of you. Why not attack me all atonce?”
She chuckled. “Do you want to get yourselfkilled?”
“No, I am honestlycurious.”
“You’re Moira Talmhach, one of the best warriors alive. I want to take you down myself. One on one. A fairfight.”
“Not really a fair fight when you won’t let me have a sword,” Imumbled.
But she didn’t care. She swung her sword at my face. I ducked just in time to avoid losing my head, but the sword just kept following. It ripped through my shoulder, slicing deep into my skin. Pain lanced through my entire body as blood spurted into myface.
I fell to my knees, screaming. If the Sapphire had dulled pain and fear before, it didn’t now. I couldn’t even think around it. I could hardly evenbreathe.
Grabbing at my shoulder, my hand slipped against the thick blood coating my skin. I pulled my hand away and stared down at the red. There was so much of it. I was down on my knees. I was weaponless. All alone, surrounded by a dozenenemies.
I was going to die heretonight.
A deep-throated roar echoed through the courtyard, sending a new wave of panic through my gut. The stench of blood and char filled the air as the darkness flashed withlight.
Gritting my teeth, I pulled my gaze up from the cobblestones to see the traitors scurrying away from me, like ants away from rain. The female leader hesitated, flicked her gaze down at me, spat, and thenran.
The cobblestones rushed up to meet my eyes as I collapsed forward. Inwardly, I was desperate to see this new terror that had entered the castle, but my body refused to remain upright. My head was fuzzy, and a distant ringing had filled myears.
Two strong arms wrapped around my body, and a dark pair of eyes peered into mine. Lugh. My heart constricted. He washere.
“Go after them,” I let out in a hoarse whisper. “They have Saoirse. Don’t let them getaway.”
His mouth set into a grim line, but he didn’t move from my side. “You’rehurt.”
“ButSaoirse—”
He cut me off by lifting me from the ground. The cobblestones fell away, causing a new wave of dizziness to rush through myhead.
“You have to go after them,” I said in a muffled voice as I realised that he was carrying me away from the square. The scent of char grew strong, and I caught sight of his five-pointed spear over his shoulder, smoking into the icy wind. “I’ll befine.”
“You won’t,” he said firmly, jaw clenching. “You’ve lost a lot of blood. She got you with the same weapon she wounded mewith.”
“Oh.” My eyes slid shut. That made sense. No wonder I felt as though my life-force was flowing out of my body like a river. Because itwas.
I cracked open my eyes to see the healing ward disappearing behind us. Frowning, I whispered, “Drop me off with the healers. You might still be able to catch thetraitors.”
“No. You’re coming with me. They’re busy with Uisnech. And besides, they don’t have the antidote for thismagic.”
My mind tripped over his words. “Uisnech? Who the hell isUisnech?”
“The hobgoblin.” He cast his gaze down at me. “His name isUisnech.”
