I nodded as I pulled out the dagger. To Darcke’s credit he didn’t even flinch, although it could have been because the pain from the one sticking out of his side overshadowed anything else.
Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I inspected the wound. It was deep, with dark blood oozing out, but it was the bubbles by his mouth that worried me the most. Especially with the pressure lacing my own chest and the wheezing breaths trying to find their way into Darcke’s lungs.
“Elvara!” Ottoh called.
I turned my head over my shoulder. Ottoh’s arm was wrappedaround his sister’s shoulders, and she had her head turned into his chest, her weight entirely on her left foot. There was no way she could fight if there were more of them out there.
“Go,” I urged. “We’ll come after you.”
The heir shifted back and forth.
“It’s fine! Go!” I screamed again.
Ottoh gave me a final look before he started dragging his sister out of there.
Darcke coughed. “You should leave me behind.”
“I die if you die, you idiot,” I snarled.
Ivren and Viljan had managed to take down one of the men, but the three others had axes in their hands as they spread out before them, wicked smiles on their faces as the heir and his second started backing up.
“Otherwise you’d be long gone, right?” Darcke asked.
“Otherwise I’d be long gone,” I agreed against the thudding in my chest.
Blood stained Darcke’s teeth when he smiled.
“What’s that for?” I asked as I eyed the area around Viljan and Ivren.
“It’s the first lie of yours I didn’t mind,” Darcke said.
I stilled for a second before he coughed again, his blood splattering onto my face.
“We need to get you out of here.” I looked up once more. Viljan was fighting two men while Ivren was cornered against a tree, ducking the axe driving into it.
“I…” I gestured to them. “I’ll be right back.”
Darcke’s hand found mine as I got up.
“Make Helheim proud.”
I felt his smugness as if it were my own when I giggled.
“Bastard,” I mumbled as I rose, sneaking behind a tree.
Viljan needed my help first. He was trying to get the men to hurt each other with the vicious swings of their weapons, but they were too well trained. The axes whistled through the air as Viljan spun and ducked and flew backward to avoid thesharp edges.
Behind him was a low-hanging branch. Sprinting around the men, I waved to my guard, praying that I wouldn’t accidentally cause his death with my distraction. When he caught my eyes, I pointed to the branch, then to myself, and he gave me a quick nod before he started his dance of death.
Running back so fast my chest hurt, I scaled the back of the tree I’d pointed at while Viljan drew the men my way. My back was pressed against the bark, and I waited until Viljan was two feet away, then I took a deep breath and climbed out on the branch.
“Now,” I screamed as I threw myself at the closest man.
It had the intended effect. They both looked up at the same time, and Viljan was able to kick the axe out of the hands of the man I aimed for. As I crashed into him, I locked my legs around his neck. When we hit the ground, I shut out the sound of cracking bones as I twisted my body until his neck snapped.
I shuffled backward as Viljan evaded the other man’s axe. When the attacker turned his back on me, I stuck out my leg, tripping him. Viljan’s foot followed, and he stomped a wide hole in the man’s chest, crushing his heart under his boot.
“I’ve got him,” Viljan screamed as he spun and sprinted to Ivren. “Get to the bay.”
