I heard a whizz, and then I was tumbling forward. My elk screamed as an arrow lodged in its leg. It fell, throwing me from the saddle.
Shrieking, I hit the snow and rolled down the hill. Clutching Cierthine to my chest, I struggled to my feet.
My elk lay on his side further up the hill, blood pooling on his leg and seeping into the snow. An arrow fletched with black feathers was lodged deep in his thigh.
There—between the trees. Men in ebony armor leaned out from behind the trunks to draw their bows.
I knew no nation nor group that donned ebony armor. Who were these people?
I lost sight of Reese. All I saw were the knocked bows ahead of me and the gap between us: too far to cross before I'd be stuck like a pincushion.
Dancing forward, I mimicked the opening steps to a waltz—and threw myself forward.
Crackling lightning ripped from Cierthine and enveloped me. No, more than that. I became the lightning.
Woman and blade vanished into the streak of violet and surged toward the trees. Time slowed as I felt myself beingconsumed by the kind of magic only a Paragon weapon could produce.
Less than a second passed. The lightning fell away, and I stepped from its embrace, a pace from the archers, bows still drawing back. Raising Cierthine above my head, I brought it down on my foes.
The black blade cleaved across the man's shoulder down to his opposite hip, ripping through his armor and tearing his flesh. He screamed, bow slipping from his hand.
I froze. Blood dripped from Cierthine onto the screaming man at my feet.
Everything had happened so fast—had I really done that?
My heart hammered against my ribcage.
Wood cracked across my side, throwing me against a tree. I returned to my senses as another man in ebony armor threw aside the bow he'd struck me with to draw his sword. Ducking, I avoided his swing. It slashed across the tree, carving a line in the trunk.
Panic swelled in me. Fighting people was nothing like fighting monsters.
They would not hesitate to hurt me.
Thrusting my hand forward, I shoved him. Shadows burst from my fingertips and wrapped around him like creeping vines. They tightened around his windpipe and squeezed.
I heard a bone snap, and the man went limp. Stumbling back, I stared at my hand in horror.
The body crumpled to the snow. Shadows streamed from his body and melted into the night.
Saints—what determined if lightning or shadows emerged? Why couldn't I control it?
If I were the curse plaguing this land, I'd die trying to stop it.
Whirling on my heel, I ran toward the scáde's hum. Fire plumed into the air to my east—Reese.
Let him deal with these people. I didn't have time.
The scáde had to die before the city of Tsuyan became naught but rubble and ash.
Breathing in, I felt the cold melt from the air. The night welcomed me into its arms. I imagined a shadow stepping from the stars and taking my hand, twirling me in a dance.
As I spun, the shadows wrapped me in their ebony embrace, concealing me from all who watched.
The shadows came to me so easily. It was as though the night itself wanted me to wield it.
Men in ebony armor ran past me, toward the fire. Toward Reese. They didn't glance in my direction.
The hum grew steadily louder. And louder.
