Page 29 of Anywhere

My sword rang with a distinct trill that sent a shiver down my spine as I drew it from its sheath. This was my father’s sword, and whenever I drew it from its resting place, I felt his essence inside the blade. My thumb ran over the delicate wires that formed the McGregor family crest. Pulling my phone out, I hit the unlock and pressed Mari’s name before tossing the phone to Rook.

“Dat will only attract more. Do as me said and kill any dat pass me, but otherwise, dinnie get in me way. Tell Mari what be happenin’,” I said and cracked my neck. “All right, ya fuckers. Ya wanna dance? Let’s dance.”

Stepping forward, I released the shield, unable to hold it and fight. I could only hope that Rook paid attention to some of his training. Arrows and blades sailed through the air. Holding up my free hand, I used the armour on my arm to block the ones I couldn’t knock out of the air with the sword. The group pulled their dual long knives and moved as a unit as they descended on me with a unified precision that told me this group was experienced.

With a roar, I attacked the Hunter closest to my right and blocked a blow from the left with the thick armour that protected my forearm. With a twist of my sword, I sliced the first Hunter across his wrist. He jumped back with a yell. Jumping, my foot connected with the guy I’d blocked the blow from and sent him flying backwards and over a table with a crash. I ducked away from the knife coming for my face, and my blade blocked another blow.

The sound of metal on metal was loud as the ultimate dance began. Spinning, I caught a Hunter coming in behind me and dragged the sword across his stomach. With a scream, he dropped to the floor, trying to hold his insides in place. I leapt over the blade coming for my legs and caught the next attacker in the arm. A shrill scream filled the pub as both knife and hand went flying, severed by my sword. I remembered my first fight with Hunters and how scared I’d been. How if it hadn’t been for Mari and a little bit of dumb luck, I wouldn’t be breathing now.

I turned to block another attack and caught a fist in the face. Stumbling back, I got my sword up just in time to stop the knife from sinking into my heart. Soon, the battle of blocks and hits became a blur, one blending into another.

They were good, too good, and I was wearing down faster than I could take them out. I was going to have to resort to magic, and I hated the idea of sending up a beacon like that.

Panting, I stumbled back from the group and noticed that Rook was exchanging blows with one of the guys. Their knives were locked in a stalemate. Pulling one of the throwing knives from the sheath strapped to my chest, I threw it at the back of the man Rook was fighting. He yelled as it pierced him through the back, and I hoped that was enough to give Rook the advantage as I turned back to the seven remaining Hunters.

“Fuck,” I mumbled.

I was preparing to use my magic when two of the guys in front of me began to spit blood. I smirked and stepped back as the bodies fell forward to reveal Mari. Belle was standing in the doorway, looking as fierce as her sister. The Hunters jumped away from the newcomers, and suddenly the playing field was a lot more even. On the island, it was mandatory that everyone, part of the Faction, learned to fight. The handful of unchosen were something far deadlier. Mari was one of the silent killers, but that didn’t mean that Belle couldn’t fight just as fearlessly.

My heart soared at the sight of her in her fighting gear, bloodied short sword in hand, and a fierceness in her eyes that could rival any man I knew. There was no one better I’d want by my side in a fight.

“I hear ya have gotten yourself in a wee bit a trouble,” she teased.

“Took ya long enough ta show up. Taught ya might ‘ave gotten lost on da way,” I said cheekily as she drove her sword into the stomach of the Hunter charging her.

She was as fluid as water as she spun and brought the sword around to decapitate the man before he even registered the first wound. We smoothly slipped into position to have one another’s back.

Mari moved with all the grace of a ballerina, her hair in its ponytail whipping around as her blade sank to the hilt in the next Hunter’s chest.

“I was just making sure there were some left fir ya. Ya know, wearin’ ‘em down and such,” I teased back as my sword connected with another blade.

“Aye, is that what you were doin’? Looked more like you were baffled by all the sharp pokey things coming at you.”

“Oh, a cock joke? Me sees how it be,” I said, laughing at her.

“Me dinnie know why me had ta come. There was only a speck to wipe away, and me was in da middle of me mani-pedi,” Belle complained as she dropped the man she’d been fighting to the floor, his throat slit. His eyes were wide as his mouth gaped, trying to draw a breath, but she stepped over him like he was invisible.

“No whining at me. You know you like it,” Mari said as Belle grabbed a full beer off one of the tables and chugged it down as the last remaining Hunter ran for the door.

“Oh, I dinnie tink so,” I said and switched my grip on the sword.

With a yell, I threw the sword like a javelin. The sharp sword stayed true, sinking deep between his shoulder blades. The Hunter fell to his knees and coughed up blood before falling face-first on the floor, silent.

With the threat neutralized, I turned to see Rook’s eyes darting around the room, taking in the carnage, then fixing on the dead man, sightlessly staring back up at him. His eyes were a little too wide, and he had a death grip on his knife.

“I think this might be his first rodeo,” Mari whispered as she followed my stare.

“Aye, I tink yer right. Cheers for comin’,” I said.

Her eyes were sad as she looked at Rook’s hand, then up into my eyes. Those blue eyes always reminded me of a cool winter storm, but her tongue was always devious.

“You don’t even have to ask. You know that I’ll always come for you, no matter what,” she gave me a smile before making her way to her sister.

“Yer made of pure gold,” I whispered under my breath so only I heard.

“Belle and I will start clean up. You better go talk to him.” Mari nodded in Rook’s direction, snapping me out of my thoughts. Rook was staring at us, but his expression was hard to read.

“Dis been a weird night,” I mumbled as I headed towards Rook.