6 | Brittlewood (II)

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Kymalin growled into Xanthy's ear

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Kymalin growled into Xanthy's ear. "What do you want with me?"

This witch caused so many of her problems. This...hag dared show her face? Would Xanthy mock her and claim Kymalin deserved it? Xanthy planted her foot on Kymalin's stomach. She flew a few distance backward, her heels slamming against the earthen wall. Black spots danced in her vision as she coughed. Xanthy picked herself up from the ground and regarded Kymalin.

Kymalin put her arms in front of her face, lowering herself into a lunging stance. That's the first thing her first trainer in Cardovia taught her. If faced with an enemy whose back was to the exit, defend yourself first.

Instead of acknowledging Kymalin's apparent aggression, Xanthy threw her arms up. "Look, I don't mean any harm."

Kymalin narrowed her eyes and dropped lower into her stance. "What are you doing here?" she said. "How did you get past the guards?"

"What are you doing here?" Xanthy fixed the bow slung across her shoulder and picked at the arrow tail jutting from the quiver by her waist. "Why did the Heiress ditch you?"

That question drove a snarl off Kymalin. She didn't need to be reminded of her failure by the person who caused it. "None of your business," she said. "Tell me one thing that's going to stop me from killing you."

Xanthy frowned. She wasn't impressed. Kymalin expected the girl to do her Virtakios magic but nothing happened. Kymalin also had the perfect window to attack again but this time, she found herself frozen on the spot. Has that been Xanthy? Didn't look like it.

Kymalin's hesitating. Which was surprising since she rarely ever hesitated. But now... "How did you find me?" she didn't rise from her stance. "Are you here to exact vengeance?"

Xanthy snorted. "Vengeance? Oh, I wish," she chuckled a little. Who in their right mind would find amusement in a time like this? "The others will be surprised and probably angry when they see you. No, I didn't come here to get revenge. I came here to save you."

Kymalin blinked. "What?" Her arms dropped to her sides. What's going on?

"I'm willing to forgo every bad thing you've done to me and my friends if you help us now," Xanthy stepped closer.

"Help you?" Kymalin knitted her eyebrows. "What makes you think I'll help you?"

Xanthy glanced at the ceiling. "Well, will it be better if you just die here?" she said. "As much as I want to leave you out here to rot, I have to take a chance to convince you to come with me. I have a plan."

"A plan to what?"

Xanthy pursed her lips.

"A plan to what, Xanthy?" Kymalin prodded.

The Virtakios flinched before scratching her arm through her long-sleeved tunic. "A plan to even out our game against the Heiress and the Sovereign," she said. "I can't do it without you, Kym."

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