Chasing Ghosts (under construction)

Chapter twenty-six

The glass roof shattered and glass and debris rained down on the two of them. Kit didn't have time to react as a large chunk of wood hurtled towards him.

"Kit!" He heard Ty shout and then something heavy shoved him to the side. Kit and Ty rolled away as the wood caught impact on the ground where Kit had just been sitting. The two of them scrambled onto their feet, Ty looking around frantically, his long sword brandished in front of him. Glass crunched all around them.

"Christopher Herondale. We meet again." As if from nowhere, a lilting female voice sounded, echoing across the room. Ty nudged Kit, and both of them looked up toward where the roof used to be and watched in horror as the Seelie queen levitated down until her bare feet touched the floor. Automatically, Ty shoved Kit behind him and readied his sword.

"You can't have him," He said, the anger evident and almost frightening in his voice.

The Queen laughed bitterly, humourlessly. "Adorable. you think you have a say in this." She looked at Kit, and he felt his breath hitch.

"We can do this two ways, boys. Christopher can come willingly, and I won't have to hurt you. Although I must admit I have been yearning for a fight."

Ty straightened his back resolutely.

"You. Can't. Have him."

The queen clapped her hands together and threw her head back gleefully.

"Wonderful," she clicked her fingers. "Boys? Dispose of the black-haired one. Leave Herondale for me."

Kit heard the thunder of footsteps, and out of nowhere, at least a dozen fae warriors descended down on them.

Ty leapt into action, striking his blade down on man after man with ease. Kit stumbled backwards, trying to summon his magic. He wasn't ready. Not for this. He needed quiet. He needed to concentrate to summon the magic. he couldn't do this.

A fae man, at least seven foot tall and suited up in metal-plated armour descended on Kit with a furious roar. Kit yelped and ducked out the way of his arcing scythe. He turned and ran for the weapons wall, grabbing the first thing he saw: a bolas with a jagged metal ball at the end of it. He swung it, aiming in the general direction of the fae. The fae grabbed hold of the metal ball as it flew inches next to his face, and grinned a toothy grin at Kit, full of malice and disgust. With all the strength of a seven-foot-tall fae warrior, he yanked the bolas sideways, and Kit, still holding firmly to the rope, was thrown sideways and into the back wall. He felt something crack in his back and a searing pain shot up his spine. Stars shot up in front of his eyes and, once his vision had unblurred, he was staring at the slender legs of the queen, who looked down at him with a mix of pity and amusement.

"Well, this worked out better than I could have imagined," The queen leant down and wrapped her claws around Kit's neck, lifting him up until they were eye level. She turned him around so he could see the carnage. The training room was completely destroyed and in the centre, Ty was fending off five warriors with his sword, not faulting once.

"Watch," the Queen whispered in his ear. "Watch as my men tear him apart."

"Stop," Kit croaked out, the fingers around his throat constricting his speech.

"What was that?"
"I said stop... Please. Don't hurt him."

"Oh yeah? Or what? What will you give me in exchange for this mortals life?"
Ty had been knocked onto his rear, and despite his best efforts, the men were closing in. Kit knew he had to do something quickly, or he'd watch the love of his life die.