Page 40 of To Kill a King

An intense sting bit across her left shoulder as her opponent’s blade swung away, flinging drops of her blood at Elessan. Dropping the injured limb to her side, she stabbed at his waist.

Dravin swatted her sword away, spun around, and rammed a concealed dagger between her ribs.

Pain flooded her body then settled where warm liquid gushed from her torso, sharp and agonizing. Aliya’s vision went white as she fell to her knees.

Elessan roared, his voice coming from far away. “You cheat!”

The kernel of light within her exploded like a supernova.

She grabbed Dravin’s wrist, still holding the bloody knife buried in her gut. Energy crackled, flowing from her fingers and slammed into his chest. He flew backward, landing several feet away.

Elessan’s “Valek!” blended with the curses and exclamations of “She’s a mage!” from the four remaining brigands.

Someone knelt beside her. Elessan’s worried expression came into focus as he pressed her hand against her side. She fought back the scream of pain.

His hood fell back, exposing his pointed ears. “Keep pressure here,” he said in Elven. “I’ll be right back.”

One of the thugs screamed, “Hey! He’s an elf! Kill him!”

Elessan leapt over her and disappeared. Her vision went black, and she knew no more.

Elessan’s voice caught in his throat. “Cowards! Cheats!” He charged, swinging his sword for the leader’s neck. Humans were scum, liars and thieves—he should have killed these trash when he had the chance.

A familiar “Whoop!” sounded from across the clearing. Zadé rolled down the hill in a lopsided somersault. She tumbled into the group, knocking two of the bystanders to the ground. A thrashing of fists and elbows followed. A heartbeat later, she stood, the two unconscious thugs at her feet. “Elsan! What’re ya’doin’ gettin’ in a fight without me?” One of the men groaned. She kicked him again.

“Aliya’s wounded!” His pulse thudded past his ears, drowning out the humans’ cries.

She paused, mid-kick. “Well, that’s rough. You’re a terrible bodyguard.”

He bared his fangs. “Trust me, I know.”

Parrying the next thrust, he lunged for the human’s hip. His sword found its target, plunging into his opponent’s liver. Dark blood spurted. Elessan smiled. The man didn’t realize it yet, but with his internal organs punctured, he was a dead man.

Zadé tripped over her own feet and stumbled into the last brigand standing. The two crashed in a tangle of limbs. Her foe’s head hit a rock with a final-sounding crack, and he stilled.

The leader finally swayed and fell to his knees before collapsing.

Leaving Zadé to guard the remaining four, he ran back to Aliya.

She was unconscious. Crimson fluid leaked slowly from around her fingers, which still lay against her side where he’d put them. Gently, he moved her hand and lifted the lower edge of her shirt to examine the gash. It was a clean cut, though it needed stitching and would scar. Elessan sighed as his shoulders drooped. The blade missed her liver.

“Woah!” Zadé came up beside him. “Crazy!”

“The damage isn’t as bad as it could be, thank Abaddon.” He pressed his hand over Aliya’s, trying to staunch the bleeding.

A sulfurous stench rose from the wound as he applied pressure. Leaning forward, he poked at the area. The edges of the severed tissue were turning green.

His stomach turned to lead. Bloodbane.

He stared at Dravin’s dagger, on the ground several feet away. The iridescent sheen on the metal glittered in the early morning sun, mocking him.

“Not as bad...? Name somethin’ worse than that.” Zadé gestured wildly in his peripheral vision.

At her tone, he raised an eyebrow. She pointed at Dravin’s still-smoking corpse. The limbs lay contorted, the muscles locked in spasm. Blackened lines, jagged like lightning strikes, striped his skin.

Doing a double-take, Elessan wrinkled his nose. He’d been so distracted he’d completely missed the stench of charred flesh.

“Aliya’s a mage,” he said, looking away from the gruesome sight. He didn’t realize she manifested anything other than fire. He bent to pick her up. “She’s been poisoned and needs a doctor. Does Westcliff have a physician?”