Moonshadow (Book 1 of the Torrent Skies Saga)

Chapter Twenty-Six: Juen'tal the WIldrun, Pt 2

Katerin watched in horror as Juen'tal's sword was in his hands in an instant. He drove it down, then forward. Through Fykes. He lifted him up, slamming him into the opposite wall of the hallway before Fykes could even react.

Katerin screamed as she charged Juen'tal. Everything felt slow, her own voice echoing in her ears. The warmth of Fykes' blood on her face turned her stomach. Her staff struck Juen'tal in the stomach, and he grunted as she collided with him in the narrow, ornate hall.

Fykes fell from Juen'tal's blade and slumped onto the floor. His blades were in his hands but useless.

Juen'tal kneed Katerin hard in the stomach, pushing her away.

"Brazen!" Katerin coughed, not waiting for the air to find its way back to her lungs. Lilly grabbed her by the hair, pulling her down the hall, away from Fykes. A dagger plunged for her back, but found her disguised armor instead, twisting sideways and only nicking into her arm. She wrenched free of Lilly's grasp, losing some hair in the process, and called flames to her hand as she grabbed behind her for the woman's face.

*

Brazen appeared next to her, axe already in hand, and swung at Lilly. She took a bone-crushing blow in one greave and turned her attention to the new threat, with a confounded expression.

Juen'tal advanced on Fykes, who sat shaking and trying to breathe. Blood was seeping from his armor, covering his hands.

*

Arjiah's bolt of ice stabbed through Juen'tal's arm, leaving droplets of blood to freeze on the rug in this narrow hall. He only looked at her a moment, eyes glowing a soft muted red color that mixed with the green and made him even more terrifying to behold. He made no move to attack her. She dove forward, holding her hands over Fykes' wounds. Healing all she could. It slowed the flow of blood, but she did not know if it was enough. There was no way it could be enough.

*

Juen'tal scoffed and reached for her, and Katerin collided with him once again.

"Leave them!" she said, anger and terror sparking in her blue eyes.

Juen'tal pushed her away again with another knee, this one to the ribs, and a glancing blow from his fist caught her cheek. He stared at her for a moment, as if surprised, before his blade flashed just beside her. She struck out with her staff, bringing it down across his elbow.

He barely flinched, paying her little heed.

*

Fykes gasped on the floor, reveling in his ability to breathe and spitting blood, as Arjiah ducked away. Righting his grip on Ahlindrion, he blocked the blow that arced for him, struggling to get to his feet. He managed to stand, if only halfway, supported by the wall at his back.

*

Lilly's blades flashed back and forth towards Brazen. One left a nick on his shoulder as he drove the axe into the side of her armor, staggering her and denting metal. She screamed at him and drove her blades low, and he battered her again with the axe, leaving a cut across her arm. One of her blades clashed with his shield and the other stabbed him in the thigh. As big as she was, she fought like a whirlwind, with quick and precise strikes.

*

Fykes' vision was clearing now. He slid along the wall, dodging another blow from Juen'tal. He did not know how he was even conscious, so instead he attributed it to adrenaline and Arjiah's near-constant stream of healing magic. Another swing caught his shoulder, dropping him again to his knees, leaving a smear of his blood on the wall behind him. His vision danced with black and white speckles.