Page 137 of Ravenrose

He’s got his sword; I’ve got—nothing.

The male is huge, towering over me by at least a foot; his body rippled with the muscles of a seasoned warrior. He takes my measure, smiling a wide, feral grin at his assessment. I hold up my hands, my bow still too far away to be of any help, sidestepping carefully as we circle each other.

He lunges.

I dodge the bite of his blade, striking fast—landing quick blows on his head, arm, and leg—but I’m just not strong enough to knock the sword from his hand.

My heart races. I need a weapon.

Anger and frustration propel him forward, and again, I avoid his blade—but not his fist.

Pain explodes across my skull when he makes contact, and I go down, seeing stars.

When my vision clears, I find my gaze locked with Ayer’s. He’s watching me from across the square as he drives his blade through the last of the three raiders he was fighting.

A fourth raider emerges from the trees behind the Kovari captain. The tip of his blade pointed as he rushes Ayer, who doesn’t see him coming because his eyes are still on mine…

The other raider is on me instantly, holding me down with his weight before pinning my wrists to the dirt to stop me from clawing for his eyes.

I fight, twisting and straining against his grip, trying everything I can think of to buck him off of me. But he sits heavily, his menacing smile widening as he takes control, enjoying my struggle—so much so that he drops his sword, letting go of one of my wrists to close his hand around my throat instead.

Strangling me.

My eyes fall to Ayer again, he rips his blade free from his opponent, taking a step toward me, still not seeing that raider at his back.

My breath cuts off and I claw at the raider’s face with my free hand. I dig my nails deep, tearing raw streaks of red down his face before going for his eyes. The male screeches in agony, releasing my throat when I pierce one of his eyes with my thumbnail.

I suck in air— “Look out!” I scream at Ayer, but it’s too late.

The charging raider buries his blade deep within the gap in Ayer’s dark leathers and armour. The steel tip slices clean through to his front, and Ayer stumbles forward.

Ice floods my veins.

Even from where I’m standing—hundreds of yards away—I know.

It’s a fatal strike.

“No…”

Ayer stays on his feet, gripping tight to his sword as he advances on the last remaining raider of the four he was fighting. The male scrambles backward, desperately searching for help—for anything that can help him fend off the furious war captain.

Ayer raises his blade, and metal meets metal with a sickening crash as the fight spills into the forest, disappearing from sight.

“Rowan!”

My gaze snaps to the right just in time to see Theo throw something. It lands right beside me.

A knife.

I don’t hesitate, snatching up the knife and driving the blade with little mercy into my attacker’s throat. His eyes go wide, gaping at me in surprise. Blood pours from the wound—his mouth—and he chokes, spluttering and drowning in his own blood. I watch, my own eyes icing over. It only takes a few seconds before his eyes roll back and he collapses down on top of me.

Before I even have a chance to panic, his weight is gone. Both Theo and Hayes appear above me, hauling the dead raider off me. I scramble out from under the body, and they drop him back down in a heap on the ground. Both men stare at the body, at the knife still sticking out of the male’s throat, and then at me.

Theo lets loose a low whistle. “Damn, girl, remind me never to piss you off.”

I narrow my eyes at him, but when he extends his hand to me, I take it and allow him to pull me to my feet.

Hayes goes to retrieve my bow, and I rip Theo’s knife from the raider’s body before handing it back to the prince.