Unto the Shadow (Completed)

(Ch.29) Broken Arrow

Graynin heard a struggle coming from further down the hall. He had no choice, he couldn't risk helping whoever was being attacked, he had to get Ryder out of the house. They were on their own.

Turning away from the conflict he rushed for the stairs, Ryder still clinging to him. Relief washed over him as he entered the dark kitchen, only one more door before they were outside. A sudden squeak of hinges stopped Graynin in his tracks. A man clad in black entered through the door Graynin had intended as their exit.

The man lunged for them, dagger already in hand.

Graynin managed to toss Ryder behind the kitchen island before the assailant reached them. Unfortunately, he had no time left to pull his sword, instead it clattered to the ground next to the disheveled heap that was Ryder. Graynin used the only weapon he had, his body, catching the arms of the dark assassin as his dagger wielding hands bore down to meet Graynin's exposed chest.

Their arms shook in a stalemate. The attacker whipped his knee around and up into Graynin's thigh. Pain erupted in Graynin's leg and it threatened to give out, but his years of brutal training served its purpose, and he forced his leg to stand. But Graynin was stuck, if he went for a kick he would go down, and if he risked a strike there was a very high possibility he would be stabbed.

Before he could decide which bad choice he would make, the man's grease smeared eyes went wide. Without questioning it, Graynin embraced the stunned moment, wrenched the man's knife from his hands, and slammed it into the artery on the side of his neck.

Graynin released his fistful of the assassin's robes and he crumpled to the floor. Revealing Ryder standing there with a large kitchen knife, the blade covered up to its hilt in bright red blood. Ryder's white knuckled hands shaking around it.

Graynin stole a look at the man lying face down, there it was, blood trickling from his back, right where one of his kidneys resided. A masterful strike. Graynin looked back to Ryder, she was still quite pale, but she had lost the distant ghost-like expression, her eyes raged with purpose.

As if the knife might explode if she moved to fast she gently placed it on the counter. "I couldn't let him hurt you." She whispered looking down at the counter. If Graynin hadn't been hyper alert he might not have even heard her quiet confession.

He reached up and gently cupped her face, making her look at him, and not at the bloody knife. "You did the right thing Ryder."

Her large amber eyes seemed to be searching his soul. His heart was raging, her look awakening so many dormant parts of him. Then, without a word, she turned and walked through the open side door, her bare feet not making a sound on the cold tile floor.

She asked peaking back around the door frame. "Are you coming?"

Graynin had to collect himself, he was still in shock of the woman in front of him. She had been like a frightened lamb not two minutes ago, and now she was a shaky, but focused warrior doing what she needed to stay alive. He was impressed, and slightly in awe. He couldn't hold back the smile that pulled at his lips. He grabbed his shirt and sword from the floor and followed her out the door.

He swung his shirt over his shoulders, and the baldric followed over his head, the weight of it grounding him to a focused purpose. Survive.

Graynin gently forced Ryder to the wall so that she was hidden by the shadows of the large house. There was still so much he had to teach her. He paused at the edge before stepping into the open backyard. It appeared clear.