AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He lifted his sword just in time to parry a blow from the leader, then twisted as one swung toward his side. He spun, forcing the leader back with a savage slash across the man’s thigh, and ducked under the whistling blade of his third opponent—a blow that would have taken his head clean off.
The whole thing happened in a matter of heartbeats.
Their swords clashed, rending flesh and sending splatters of blood across the stage, almost faster than Riona could follow. The largest man drove his blade toward Auberon’s stomach. The prince knocked the blow aside and lunged, opening a gash in the man’s side and earning a shallow cut in his shoulder in the process from another attacker.
Where one man faltered, another struck, keeping Auberon on the defensive. Every time one of the attackers tried to slip past him and get to Riona, Auberon lunged into the man’s path, warding him back with a slash of his sword.
Riona unsheathed the emerald-hilted dagger, desperate to come to his aid, but she couldn’t see an opening. Auberon fought like a tempest, his blade whistling as it cleaved the air. Blood sprayed, splattering across the skeletal metal trees. She edged closer to the fight, and Auberon’s wide eyes met hers. The moment of distraction earned him a deep gash in his upper arm. A hiss of pain slipped through his lips as he tore his gaze away. He had only glanced at her for a second, but the message in his eyes had been unmistakable:Run! Run now!
No. She wouldn’t leave him to die. Auberon was a skilled swordsman, but even he couldn’t take on three men for long. As he moved, she caught glimpses of the gashes in his doublet, blood soaking the fine fabric. He was wounded, and tiring quickly. Riona gripped her dagger tightly, her palm sweating.
She was no warrior, but she’d been trained by an excellent teacher.
As Auberon turned to meet one man’s blade, Riona ducked behind him and caught another’s sword. She twisted, using her momentum to slip behind him and slide the dagger across his throat. Crimson sprayed, and the man collapsed, gurgling. Riona whirled to help Auberon with the others.
Two left.
They had somehow positioned themselves between her and Auberon, and were slashing at the prince mercilessly, relentlessly. Forcing him away from her. He staggered backward, trying to ward off their attacks. She was going to watch him die. She started toward him, her fingers tightening around the grip of her dagger, just as movement flashed in her periphery.
Riona turned, and a hand closed around her throat. A man—a fourth attacker. She saw his eyes, twin pools of darkness. She saw his face, twisted in cruel, smug victory.
She heard the whistle of his dagger cleaving the air.
And felt white-hot agony when it sank into her chest.
ChapterFifty-Nine
The Liar
“RIONA!”
Auberon let out a roar of fury as she slumped to her knees, blood bubbling on her lips. He lunged toward her, but his two opponents swiped at him in unison, forcing him to yield another step. One carved a shallow cut in his arm, but he barely noticed it. He could do nothing but watch as the bastard who had stabbed Riona ripped the dagger out of her chest and raised it to stab her again.
Over my dead body!The attacker on his left swung his sword low, and Auberon knocked it aside, plunging his own blade into the man’s gut. He cried out in pain as Auberon shoved him off the end of his sword and into his other opponent. They went down in a heap of bloody, tangled limbs.
Auberon charged toward Riona. Her attacker’s dagger swung toward her chest, but she met it with her own, locking their blades. Auberon’s heart leapt at the rage on her face. She would fight the Creator himself to survive. Riona swayed, blood pouring from her wound, but it did not stop her from pushing to her feet and burying her dagger in her attacker’s chest.
Again.
And again.
And again.
She didn’t stop until he was sprawled flat on his back, his torso a mess of bloody ribbons. Riona stared down at him, breathing hard, the dagger in her hand dripping crimson. For a moment, she swayed, her trembling fingers rising to the wound in her chest. Then all the strength left her body. Auberon caught her just as she collapsed.
“Hold on,” he gasped, easing her down to the floor. “Hold on, Riona. Stay with me.”
There was movement across the stage. Auberon looked up to see the last attacker shove the other’s body off himself and stumble to his feet. Auberon had managed to carve a deep gash in the man’s side. The wound wouldn’t be fatal if he found medical assistance soon, but Auberon didn’t intend for the bastard to live that long. The attacker pressed a hand to his side and ran.
Auberon raced after him, his pulse rushing in his ears. He was near blind in the backstage darkness, just barely able to make out the silhouettes of props and costume racks. Fortunately, the coward who had attacked them was suffering the same problem. Auberon could hear him stumbling somewhere just up ahead. The image of the dagger sinking into Riona’s chest burned in his mind. As soon as he caught the man, he would flay the skin from his bones.
“Auberon…”
The word was nothing more than a ragged gasp, but it was enough to stop him in his tracks. He returned to the stage and fell to his knees beside Riona, heedless of the blood that immediately soaked into his pants. Her eyes were shut, but her chest rose and fell weakly. With every shallow breath, more blood poured out of her wound.
“Au—Auberon, I can’t…”
“Shhh. It’s okay. I’m going to get you out of here.” He gathered her into his arms. Her hand flopped limply to one side, the emerald-hilted dagger slipping through her fingers and thudding on the stage as he raced down the steps. “Riona, stay with me. I need you to open your eyes.”
