Page 21 of To Kill a King
Elessan ducked underneath, jabbing his spare dagger at Therolis’ ankles. “What are you talking about?” What was it with everyone assuming the elves wanted to collect humans?
The man leapt over the thrust, and brought his blade down, seeking to pin Elessan’s weapon in the dirt.
Elessan tumbled to his right, bouncing to his feet with his swords pointed at the other man’s neck. This one was actually skilled with cold steel. “Personally, I’d love nothing more than to end this war and go home to my quiet hamlet to live a boring life.”
Therolis stepped out of range. “Knife-ears aren’t to be trusted.”
A prickle of magic tickled the fine hairs on Elessan’s arms. He smirked. Ah, hah. He took another step sideways as Therolis lunged.
The farmer took a couple steps left, trying to flank him while Elessan was distracted.
Elessan rolled his eyes as he jumped toward Therolis’ unprotected side. “Our goals are the same. Listen to me.” He counted the second human’s footsteps as he countered his opponent’s next attack.
Three… two… one… Now!
He spun, sending one sword end-over-end at the errant human. The farmer’s eyes grew wide, and in his panic, he ducked in the wrong direction. The blade embedded halfway to its hilt in his chest.
Valek.
The girl with the frizzy hair screamed. “Derek!” She ran to his side and cradled his head in her lap.
Therolis froze.
Elessan ripped his opponent’s weapon from his grip and slid the tip up the man’s inner thigh to rest against his groin and growled, “Don’t move. Unless you want your artery severed, or to become a new man.”
The woman raised a tear-stained face and glared at Elessan. “You’ve killed him! Why? He did nothing to you!”
“I only meant to warn him off—he stepped right into it!” Elessan shook his head and turned his attention back to Therolis. “The Mage Underground. And the depot’s latest orders. I won’t ask again.” He tilted his head.
“You want mages?” The girl spit at him. “You’ve got them!”
She leapt to her feet, spinning her hands in a complicated routine.
A globe of water appeared in front of her, and she shoved it toward him faster than he could track.
He raised his forearm to block, and the liquid encircled his bicep.
She screamed a word he’d never heard before.
The water froze.
It burned.
She bared her teeth in a vindictive grimace.
He flung his arm frantically, trying to shake the biting cuff of ice. It weighed more than he expected, throwing him off balance.
Therolis cried out.
His scream ripped Elessan’s attention to the man.
Blood spurted from his inner thigh.
Valek.
Why couldn’t his wrist have twitched the other way? The man would have survived a castration, at least, but the severing of a major artery?
“Don’t die on me!” He still needed information.