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An odd sensation began weighing heavy on Khalstorm. His strength was waning.
Is it my imagination?
Seeing an opening, he rushed Lockheed, but Lockheed’s instincts were sharp, and he evaded. The counterattack came just as swiftly; sharp metal cut through the air toward Khalstorm. Once more he maneuvered out of striking distance, narrowly escaping the kiss of metal against his throat.
Lockheed dropped to the ground and kicked out, attempting to sweep Khalstorm’s legs out from under him. Khalstorm jumped, but Lockheed expected this and struck out with his sword in quick succession.
Pain exploded in Khalstorm’s arm, shoulder, and lower abdomen. Thrown off balance, he landed on his back. Vulnerable to attack. Just as Lockheed stabbed down at him, Khalstorm scrambled into a backward somersault and sprang to his feet. Short of breath and fighting pain, he reached down to grip the wound at his side, felt warm liquid ooze through his fingers. Nausea swam through his head. The collar around his neck felt somehow tighter.
In an attempt to regain his bearings, he added distance between himself and Lockheed.
“Dare to mock me now,” Lockheed said, gloating, “I told you I was well trained.”
Khalstorm forced a cocky grin and snorted with derision. “I might believe it if you hadn’t left yourself open there at the end. You managed to scratch me, but I spared you a death blow. This is your last chance to end this now and walk away with your life.” Bluster. Feign confidence. It was a long shot, but worth a try.
Lockheed scoffed again, but looked to be mentally replaying the last few moments of their fight, suddenly not so sure. Would he see the bluff for what it was?
“What do you say?” Khalstorm pushed. “I’ve no plans to stay in town. No one even has to know we had a scuffle. Your reputation will be safe. I’ll be gone. We can both go on. Life as normal.”
“I don't want the kingdom to go on as normal,” Lockheed shot back. “We’re lost. We have no true leader. No true home. If our enemies swooped in, they could demolish us easily."
“And you think the clan needsyourleadership? A man who would attack others without provocation? Without diplomacy?"
"I'm no’ attacking some random dragon, I'm challenging the rightful ruler of our clan. Our people live in fear and uncertainty of the future. You think I haven’t waited for someone worthy to step up? Someone who can take control and bring our people stability? Someone has to. Why not me? Why not now? All I need is your head.”
Khalstorm considered his words. Was the clan really so bad off? Yes, they’d lost their home, but they should have regrouped. Rebuilt. Or organized to reclaim Garnath. “And what if I saidIwould step up and reclaim the throne? Bring our people back home? Become the leader you’re so desperate for? Would you still want to challenge me then?” Though he knew his statement was a fallacy, there was a part of him that longed to reunite his people. Why hadn’t the clan already banded together to expel the witches from the palace?
Was there really no one to lead them?
Would his people even be willing to follow him?Why am I even thinking about this?The notion was laughable . . . and moot. He reminded himself that his goal here was simply to stall Lockheed and give Celeste time to flee.
He imagined her dashing through the forest in a panic.Away from me.Alone in the dark, with only faint moonlight to guide her; her heart thundering as she burst through the thicket. How far away might she be now? Had he taught her well enough to spot every sinkhole, even when the light was so low? Could she find more ripe berries to forage and feed herself?
Would she be glad to be away from me?How could she not be? He thought of his behavior towards her. The callousness and cruelty.Her nose had twitched!He’d been wrong about her. How was that possible?
Distracted, Lockheed got the drop on him, cutting through the air with slashes so quick the blade left silver trails in its wake. Khalstorm barely managed to defend, the metal of their weapons screeching with each violent encounter and causing painful vibrations to zing up Khalstorm’s arm. He began to grow winded; the collar tightened.
On the last hammering swing of Lockheed’s weapon, Khalstorm raised his sword breaker. A sparking clang rang out, disturbing even more squawking birds.
Khalstorm looked down and grinned. Lockheed’s blade was trapped within the sword breaker’s hook-shaped teeth, locked in place.
With a snarl, Lockheed attempted to yank his weapon free, but the metal only locked deeper in the jagged teeth.
With a decisive flick of his wrist, Khalstorm twisted his sword breaker, subsequently ripping the sword from Lockheed’s grip and sending it flying several yards away. Lockheed’s eyes blazed green with fury. His muscles bulged, and his body seemed to double in size. He may not risk shifting in this thickly wooded area, but he was drawing on the strength of his dragon all the same.
Khalstorm tried to do the same, but he still couldn’t feel the dragon’s spirit within. Disarming Lockheed might have given him a small advantage, but without the strength to match his opponent’s, this battle had only one ending.
13
Khalstorm would fight with every ounce of his being until every muscle succumbed to exhaustion.Must give Celeste more time.
He lashed out with his sword breaker, aiming for Lockheed’s heart.
Drawing from the strength and power of his inner dragon, Lockheed dodged with super speed.
Meanwhile, Khalstorm’s energy continued to wane. The more he exerted himself, the quicker his stamina seemed to erode. The collar now had a chokehold around his neck. Was it bespelled to react to aggressive behavior?
Enraged by the humiliation of losing his weapon, Lockheed kicked the sword breaker from his grip with such force that the blade was embedded into a nearby tree. Then Lockheed rushed him, punching and jabbing with a seething ferocity, landing blow after blow.
