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Speed and agility. Those were my two strengths when it came to physical fights. I needed to be quick and take advantage of any careless moves he made. And he made a lot of them.
Over and over, he lashed at me. He wielded his heavy blade like a reckless child, showing little concern for where or how he struck—just as long as he did. He managed to get one lash in against my calf and I screamed as the hot searing pain ran through me.
But he foolishly gloated over his one small victory, allowing his sword to fall slack, and I seized the opportunity to drive my blade straight into his belly. His face morphed from triumph to confusion as blood began to spill from his mouth. He sputtered before falling to the floor, and I forcefully removed my blade from his lifeless body.
I turned back in time to see Cyrus vanquish another foe as well. They’d both been scrambling on the ground, but Cyrus dealt a fatal blow to his chest, driving a small knife into his heart.
The soldier went still and Cyrus’s face paled. He was covered in blood. His face was splattered with it and his shirt was soaked in it. In fact, it seemed to grow redder by the second. He slumped and clutched his hand to his side.
“Cyrus!” I yelled, dropping to the ground beside him.
It wasn’t just the blood of our enemies on him—it was his blood. I could see through a gaping hole in his shirt that he’d been pierced and dark red flowed freely over his hand…over my hand as I tried to stop the bleeding.
I looked around for a piece of fabric to cover the wound. I looked for someone to help, but all I saw was a blur of unrecognizable faces. The world moved on while I held Cyrus’s head in my lap.
“Help!” I cried, but no one paid me any attention. They were too preoccupied to stop and listen.
“Emilie,” Cyrus said. “It’s okay. It’s barely a scratch.”
I could tell he was lying. There was so much blood. I pulled his shirt back to get a good look at the wound. It was a clean cut and even as I watched, the flow of blood seemed to slow. But the edges…the surrounding skin was turning dark like a bruise. Something wasn’t right. I quickly covered the wound and applied more pressure. “You’re right. It’s fine. We just…we just need to get you help. We need a healer.”
He saw the concern in my eyes. “What’s wrong?”
I searched the battlefields, looking for someone strong enough to carry Cyrus back to the healers’ tent. When I finally caught another soldier’s eye, I waved him over frantically. He nodded and began to run in our direction.
“It’s okay, Cyrus. You’re going to be alright.”
“Emilie?”
Chapter Forty-One
Ladon
I walked through the raging battle and roaring chaos focused on one mission—kill Reyna. It was by the grace of the gods that very few chose to approach me. Each soldier that did met a swift end.
I scoured the battlefield for her, but she was nowhere to be found. I don’t know why I expected anything different. She was a coward. She only put on a brave face when there were others to do her bidding.
Stepping over dead bodies and crimson puddles, I headed toward a familiar landscape. Among a dark and dreary valley nestled between onyx mountains stood a tall wall of hedges. The rare sight of greenery was a stark contrast against the ominous mountain range.
I knew what lay on the other side of that maze of hedges. I entered with my back straight and my chin held high.
I made it halfway through before I ran into the first trial—Reyna’s surviving hound, Nova. Immediately, I knew I was on the right track to find her. She wouldn’t have let her precious pup behind if she were anywhere else, especially since the first had already been slaughtered.
The dog slobbered and growled, pawing at the ground as it prepared to pounce. Taking a step forward, I twirled my blade in a circle as a grim smile appeared on my face. Nova faltered and took a step back. I guess it was a bit more timid without its twin.
“Not so scary now, are you? Come on. Don’t you want to play?”
It leapt into the air, and within two steps, was snapping at my face. I grazed its belly with my sword and the hound yelped, retreating only for a moment before it dashed around me to attack my other side. I whirled on my heel and slashed across its snout. The dog’s mouth, which had been open, snapped shut as it retreated in pain.
It circled me, looking for a weak point to attack, finding none. I made the first move this time, sending a seismic wave through the earth. It stumbled, and I lurched forward, striking its hind leg. It tumbled to the ground, but not before it whipped a heavy paw in my direction. I was able to dodge it, barely missing those sharp claws. I struck again, and this time, my blade pierced the hound’s eye. It shrieked in horror—both at the pain and the loss of sight.
I almost felt sorry for the creature. It was only a product of its environment, never standing a chance with Reyna as its master.
It howled again before limping off through the hedges. I drew a small knife from my belt and flung it through the air. The blade hit its target—right at the base of the hound’s skull. It fell to the ground, legs still twitching as its spirit left this world.
After allowing myself a second to catch my breath, I approached the beast and retrieved my knife. I kept it drawn in case another one of Reyna’s abominations appeared.
Mist hung over the hedge maze, cooling me to the bone. It somehow tuned out the din of battle beyond the tall green borders, leaving me feeling incredibly isolated. I might’ve felt lost with terror if I hadn’t spent so much time in these hedges. I knew my way around now.
