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Facing him, movement caught my attention before we began, and I glanced beyond him to find the Elevated Warriors placing a hand to their hearts. For a moment, I thought it was another sign of solidarity, until I noticed they all held up three fingers.
Three strikes.
They were reminding me that I only had three strikes to take Lachlan down, because that was what he would try to do.
I took my stance, watching him do the same.
“You may begin,” Evie declared.
I lunged for Lachlan, at the same time that he leapt into strike one of the triple death—just like Asher predicted. My body whirled in the opposite direction, clearing his spear until my sword sliced his left arm. I didn’t cut it off, but left a nasty gash.
Shocked, he stumbled back for a split second, seeing the blood begin to soak his bicep.
“One!” Harrison and the other Elevated Warriors shouted in unison, and rage distorted Lachlan’s features.
Oops.
He jumped again, but I stepped away, arching my body backwards until my left hand touched the floor, and his spear swept the air above me. Instantly dropping to my knee, I spun right as his body naturally turned left with the motion of strike number two in the triple death. The tip of my sword sliced his back like Asher had done to me.
“Two!”
A roar of war erupted out of Lachlan, eyes flaming with ire, and he jumped the other way. His knee crashed into my ribs before I had a chance to react, forcing me to the ground from the force. Jumping to my feet, I swung at him, but missed his shoulder when he blurred into a one-two-one action. Our weapons clashed against the other with each blow, but barely. His experience superseded mine.
And then it happened.
He sprung left, but I anticipated the strike, lunging in the opposite direction to land a blow of my own. Except, he turned at the last moment, the broad of his blade slicing across the width of my torso. Sparks flew from the friction of the blade against my skin, and pain flared like wildfire through me. Alarmed gasps erupted from those around me, but it was Lachlan’s horrified expression that made me look at myself.
Instead of my intestines hanging out, like they should have been after that thrust, smoked steel looking scales spread over my stomach—just under the sliced layer of skin.
I didn’t even stop to analyze it. Jumping, I whirled in the air and slammed my knee into Lachlan’s back, taking advantage of his shock and the adrenaline rushing through me. The hit snapped him out of his disbelief. He twirled the spear over his head, bringing it down on me until I swept my sword upwards, cutting through his wooden handle like it was butter and making him lose his stride. Without waiting for him to react, I jumped into a scissor kick, catching his neck between my legs and flipped in the air, slamming his body against the ground.
Standing, I thrust the sword at him, pressing the sharp tip to Lachlan’s Adam’s apple.
Evie’s hands flew to her mouth, and I briefly caught the relieved breath that left her. Willow pressed a hand to her chest while she grinned as though she knew I could do it, but I didn’t allow it to distract me.
“Three!” I announced, panting while keeping him under my blade. “You are dead.”
“Then do it!” Lachlan growled. “Sink your sword into me and end this now. I am a warrior, I welcome an honorable death.”
My insides trembled as my eyes bore into his. The tip of my blade drew blood from the pressure against his skin, but I couldn’t do it. I had learned my lesson, and I knew I should kill when necessary, but this wasn’t an honorable death. It was a stupid one, born of rivalry and jealousy.
That was not the man I wanted to be. Not the one who deserved to stand beside Evanna.
“This war between us is done. I won’t kill a warrior who is better served fighting by our side.” Pulling back my sword, I offered my hand to him instead.
Lachlan blinked, definitely not expecting that, and quickly glanced at the others. When he accepted my hand, I pulled him up, but as he stood, he stepped closer.
“This isn’t over,” he seethed against my ear. “Whatever it is you are, I am not afraid of you. You might have them all fooled but I know you are hiding something. I can smell the lies on you. With the gods as my witnesses, I will find out what that is, and show the princess your deceit.”
Stepping away, Lachlan grabbed the pieces of his weapon and left the altar. His men rushed after him.
My gaze fell to my stomach to find my skin fully healed, like nothing had ever happened to me. Like I hadn’t just seen FREAKING SCALES inside of me.
When my attention lifted to the others, I found pride and appreciation in their eyes, especially Asher’s and Kingston’s. My brothers and sisters rushed to my side, hugging me, punching my arm, or ruffling my hair all at the same time.
“And that is how it is done,” Harrison boasted, and lifted his hand for a high five.
“Yes!” I shouted, smacking my palm against his excitedly. I had finally brought them over to the dark side.
