Page 89 of To Kill a King
One of the humans swung at her, the vibrations from his blade ricocheted up her arm. Her shield’s guard buckled and crumbled to the ground like ash.
Aliya pulled another strand of power, imagining a short sword weighted like Elessan’s. An identical copy manifested in her other hand.
Well, here went nothing. She’d need to keep her elbows tight to her waist. Wrists loose. Weight on her toes. Just like Elessan had taught her.
She attacked the closest human. Her weapon bit deep into his side.
Aliya smiled as he cursed and stumbled back.
The other man raised his weapon and lunged for her. She lifted her blade to parry.
His broadsword cut through hers like paper.
What? How?
The assassin smirked, his white teeth sticking out from underneath his dark hood. “Your sorcery won’t work on us, elf. Our weapons are infused with iron. And antimonite.”
Aliya’s jaw went slack. Valek.
Cressida’s magic had withstood iron.
Such a thing wasn’t supposed to be possible. And whatever antimonite was, it sounded even worse.
And she’d blasted through Cressida’s defenses trying to protect Lindir. She’d killed them all. A wave of despair washed over her. Heat constricted her chest and seared her lungs. She blinked, forcing the tears from her eyes and the tightness from her throat. Now was not the time to give in to guilt.
Lady Brightleaf was still alive, and Lindir may live yet, too.
The younger elf still lay face-down. His arm twitched.
Aliya glanced around the clearing. “Where are those reinforcements?” she called in Elven, risking a peek at Cressida.
She didn’t respond.
Reaching for her magic once more, Aliya flicked a ball of power at the closest human.
The fireball surrounded him. With a scream, he dropped his sword, slapping his chest and arms.
Jumping forward, Aliya grabbed his blade and shoved it into his gut. Freeing the steel, she sliced the side of his neck. Blood splashed across her face and torso. “Severed artery,” she snarled. “You’re dead by your own weapon.”
The man tumbled to the ground. Ichor soaked into the grass with each beat of his heart.
Leaping to the one she’d wounded earlier, Aliya took her new sword in both hands, closed her eyes, and swung. She met the satisfying resistance of flesh and tore through.
The second assassin fell with a gurgle as red leeched from his throat.
Lady Brightleaf relaxed with a sigh. Her bubble of magic flickered and winked out.
No! Aliya’s core turned to ice. “Cressida!”
“Death to the knife-ears!” Steven stepped forward and plunged his blade into Cressida’s chest.
Lindir screamed.
Lady Brightleaf didn’t react.
There was a thump and the snap of broken ribs, and the young archer’s cry choked off. He lay on his side, blinking, clearly dazed. One of the men pressed a dagger under his jaw.
Aliya froze. Not Lindir, too. Elessan would be next…