The Brave One

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Evera’s hair flashed red in the moonlight as she fought with her former classmates. Blood had seeped from both from her nose and a large graze on her arm. Red smeared down to her fingers and splashed bits on her black dress. Five others lay cold at her continuous feet, each step a twisted dance of wrath.

Two large men fought her, one on either side. As one lunged sword to her head, she dived under the other’s legs, slipping underneath and kicking him from behind; the sword was only a pinch away from colliding with his nose. He was tossed forward into his comrade knocking them both to the ground. With their fall, the fighter turned her attention to her next target.

A woman, who had been previously hit down, came after her with the very dagger Evera had escaped with. The blade slashed through the air, whipping with such strength the air seem to suck in its own breath. With a block of her wrist, Evera took the woman’s arm, twisted it and stole back the dagger. In a single move, Evera threw the blade behind her, directly hitting one of the men in the neck. His blood dripping down his fingers glistened in the moon’s glow.

A whimper of fear roused William from his trance. Ilayda held to his shoulders firmly, her nails digging into his skin. Her face tried to hide itself into his back but her eyes kept glancing at the fight. It was truly mesmerizing to watch. Evera was instinctive, agile. She moved with speed and precision, her attacks hitting her adversaries’ weak points.

The two dismounted the horse, William running forth to try and help. He searched for any weapon before entering the battle but found only a broken branch. It would not do for striking but the end was sharp enough. He grabbed it and rushed forward.

Being closer to the combatants, William saw the face of the woman Evera had taken the blade from. She was the one who had tried to seduce him in the forest before he was taken to Morag. Perhaps it was the recognition which made him cry out when Evera twisted her arm torturously behind her back. His yell rang loud in the trees distracting Evera long enough for the remaining man to seize the fighter from behind and drag her to the ground.

With the woman’s arm released from its hold, she scrambled to a dripping knife on the ground, taking it from a dead Fae’s hand. William kicked at her, but her fingers wrapped around his ankle and pulled him hard to the ground. After fiercely turning his wrist and ridding him of his only weapon, the woman climbed on top of William and held the knife to his chest, the tip prodding into his skin.

“Finis, mando!” The woman cried out in the same language William supposed was the tongue of the Fae. Evera, still held back by the muscular man, stopped struggling immediately when seeing William on the ground.

Ilayda, who had stepped closer until the complete halt, had picked up the broken branch William was forced to toss away. She held it with shaking hands, barely gripping the splintered wood.

“Stay where you are,” shouted the man whose arms were wrapped at Evera’s waist. Cautiously he stood. Ilayda dared not move, already terrified by being so close to blood. Her dress, which until now kept perfectly white, seemed to draw in the red it fell upon. The Unseelie woman gave a crooked smile when she saw the stained material.

“I see you found the Cursed one.” She let out a dark giggle and climbed off of William’s stomach with a creature-like grace, all the while keeping the blade aimed at his heart. She dragged the tip grotesquely to his throat and forced him to sit upon his knees. “Did you think you could help little Angel? With all your good deeds I would not have thought you to be caught in battle.”

Evera’s suppressor grabbed her wrists and held them together in front of her in an almost romantic fashion. He nuzzled his ripped and bloody lip into her neck, blending the blood from her hair and his face. The Unseelie woman who held William did a similar gesture and rubbed her hands over his chest like a cat toying with its prey.