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Cristen flicks a hand toward the battle. “Yeah, I figured as much. Now go kick some ass.”
My smile widens and I move to leave the sanctuary of the leaves, but Cristen takes my arm and tugs me toward him.
He presses his lips to mine for a moment, then abruptly shoves me away. “By all means,” he says, his eyes dancing with playfulness, “go win my hand in marriage.”
“I think you mean I should go win my throne,” I amend, then crash through the branches.
A scream rattles out of my throat, vicious and violent as I slam a shoulder into an enemy and take her down to the ground.
Cristen sprints out of hiding, my move creating a clear path toward my weapons by the fire. He snatches a dagger into each of his palms, then taunts the warriors with a smirk.
Several women are taken aback by his sudden appearance, but Harmony and Sera make quick use of the distraction, plunging swords into chests.
“Get off of me!” The woman under me growls.
I position my blade against her throat.
Her eyes flash with horror, and her bottom lip quivers. “Just let me go,” she whispers. “I’ll leave.”
I grit my teeth as I move into a straddle, nicking her throat. Blood seeps out, and my heart thrashes into my rib cage. I look back at Cristen.
He moves gracefully between the warriors, but he doesn’t kill. With each opportunity to take a head or tear out a heart, he spins away a few steps and waits for them to advance again.
This isn’t right. I swallow hard and clutch the hilt of my sword tighter, just as something slams into my torso. I gasp and turn my attention back to the woman beneath me.
She grins and yanks free the dagger she knifed through my side.
A pained moan stretches out of me, and in a quick, thoughtless movement, I slice her neck.
She gargles her shock before her body falls limp.
I stumble off her and grip my side. Dots form in my vision.MotherfuckshitGodsdamn— I arc my sword with one arm and slice into the back of a woman trying to knock down Sera.
Sera heaves a large breath, and her eyes widen as I reach for her. She catches my arm and lifts it around her shoulders.
The ground shakes.
The clangs of weaponry subside as everyone pauses.
I lean into Sera with a groan. “Fuck, what is that? Tell me it’s the end of all this bullshit.”
“Afraid not,” Sera says and tugs us toward Harmony. “I think it’s just the beginning.”
I blink my vision clear as someone screams to retreat.
“It’s the river,” Harmony breathes.
I vaguely remember her mentioning something about the river being safe during the day. “Does it come alive or some shit at night?” I cringe at how pathetic I sound.
“Zora!” Cristen jogs to my side. He scoops me into his grasp in an instant. He wraps his large palm over my wound, his eyes panicked.
“Get her out of here,” Harmony hisses. “It can smell the blood.”
“But…fight…badass…” I mumble. The stars above swim around.Wait, do stars swim?
I must’ve tried to swing my blade or something, because Cristen snags the sword from my grasp and sheathes it, all the while holding me against him.
“You strong,” I slur.
