Esme coughed softly.
The Lirien looked up.
Dammit!
I had to act. Now.
The blade spun through the air, a streak of deadly silver—then stopped, caught cleanly in his gloved hand.
His eyes snapped to mine.
What?
Adrenaline surged as I darted behind the closest tree. My cheek scraped bark, pain bursting across my skin.
I’d never seen reflexes like that. Had he been expecting me? Watching me? My foolish arrogance stung as I swallowed hard, scrambling for a plan.
I never should have hesitated. My strength was no match against a man his size.
I gripped a branch, sharp needles stinging through my glove as I hauled myself up. Swinging my feet toward my hands, I hoisted myself into the tree as the Lirien’s quick footfalls approached me. He lunged from behind the trunk, toward where I’d been moments before.
I dropped from the branch, slamming into his back with all my weight.
He thrashed, his grip faltering as I drew another dagger. This close to him, I had the advantage. My blade slashed his throat, his gurgled choke cutting through the silence.
I let him fall, his body crumpling onto the forest floor in a heap. Blood pooled beneath his twitching body, its sharp tang heavy in the air.
That was too close. My shoulders heaved as I wiped my dagger on the ground below me, my heart still racing.
“Impressive,” a deep voice said.
I froze.
Another man stepped from the darkness. A sword tip poked between my shoulder blades.
The chill of the sword at my back seeped into my skin. The muted rustle of leaves broke through a sudden ringing in my ears.
Godsdammit.
I was going to die in front of Esme.
Or worse.
“You might kill me, but my scream will bring dozens of Vangar.” I turned slowly, unwilling to admit defeat even while the blade hovered inches from my neck. A flick of his wrist would end me.
This man wasn’t as tall as the first. Still, he had a commanding air. A dark, hooded cloak shadowed his face. The earthy scent of pine and decay mingled with his clove-and-rosemary scent, an unsettling blend.
“You won’t scream, Seren.” His tone was amused, yet it carried a dark weight that twisted my stomach.
He knows my name?
“Then you’re underestimating the lengths I’ll go to see you dead.”
He tilted his head, studying me like a predator weighing effort against reward. “Oh, I’ve underestimated nothing. The question is: how far will you go to save her?”
He gestured.
Another man stood at the base of the tree below my post.
