AllFreeNovel
Share Us
While I was pondering my next move, Beth had begun climbing the tower. She was already past the halfway mark when the first eiddigwyrm approached. I knew what those monsters could do on the ground, where they were not particularly agile. But in the air with their unnatural wings? We only had seconds to save her.
The dark mage raised his arms, continuously muttering his incantations. He was within range of a well-aimed arrow, and I knew what to do. He would not expect an attack from inside the arena. I turned my body slightly so the soldiers could not see my right hand. When I had Mal’s attention, I gestured to the man on the platform.
Mal blinked in response, and then things happened so fast, it was over before the guards could react. I only needed one arrow and two seconds. Sidestepping the Fae next to me, I grabbed him by the shoulders, spun him around, and ripped the bow and arrow off his back.
Mal waited until the first soldier raised his sword as I notched my weapon. Then he pounced. As my companion disposed of two guards, I raised my bow, praying the arrow would fly true. The mage stumbled back, blinking stupidly at the shaft growing out of his chest. Then he fell to his knees before collapsing sideways.
I did not care if he lived or died. The moment he stopped his incantation, the flying creatures attacking Beth popped out of existence. The tower did not heat or cool. It was once more an ordinary structure, and my gaze followed the future queen’s slight figure as she scrambled to the top.
And then the mayor’s voice pulled me back to the presence. “One of the competitors has committed an act of unspeakable treachery. Guards, seize them all and put anybody to death who offers resistance.”
There were still enough Fae alive in the arena that the mayor’s order resulted in immediate mayhem. Several guards descended on Mal and me, but we fought back to back as if we had never done anything else. I was one of the best fighters in Gwerin, and Mal, as the former captain of the royal guard, was not far behind.
The contestants had long given up on the trials. The mayor had clearly forgotten they were all armed, albeit now only with short swords and knives. But in skilled hands, these were just as deadly as the guards’ weapons.
I kept my eyes open for members of the Eryr Eyra, but the soldiers attempting to round up the group of fighters were ordinary Fae. Nobody who came near us was a match for our skill. Soon, the guards learned to keep their distance if they wanted to stay alive. Yet the constant needling of the few men who moved in and out of reach of our swords sapped our strength. Eventually, they would wear us down. Mal was already huffing, and my sword arm was growing tired.
And then backup arrived through the tunnels. Scores of uniformed Fae poured into the arena, screaming as they charged. Anybody who still put up resistance was mowed down with ruthless efficiency.
Mal turned his head and shouted, “It was good fighting with you, friend. May the goddess grant you easy passage.”
I did not answer, but prepared myself to battle to the very end. I had lost sight of Beth long ago, but hoped with all my heart that her companions could keep her safe. I had done what I could.
Soon, we were busy warding off blow after blow as the guards kept throwing themselves against us. I lost count of how many times I lifted my sword to block a strike, twisting under yet another attack. Each time, my arm grew heavier until it dragged me down as if it had turned to stone.
It was only a question of time until a blade would find me. And then it happened. My arm no longer obeyed my command, and a hard kick against the side of my leg brought me to my knees. I dropped my chin to my chest, waiting for the death blow.
Instead, I heard somebody say, “Do not kill him. The king wants him to stand trial.”
The hilt of the commander’s sword connected with my temple. The world swam out of focus as I went down. Lying in the sand, I caught a glimpse of something that gave me joy despite the pain.
The three males ushered Beth out of the arena while the soldiers were distracted. Beth’s eyes were fixed on mine until my vision tunneled and I fell into blessed darkness.
Chapter thirty-five
BETH
Whenthemagicanimatingthe flying monsters stopped, so did the energy swirling the tower. There were no more patterns of random magic nauseating me. The black stone structure was so much easier to climb without the visual distraction.
After the creatures had disappeared, I’d gone into autopilot mode. Never looking down, moving one hand up, jamming my fingertips into the gaps between the stones. Moving a foot up, grappling for a hold. Repeat.
When I reached the top, I held on with a death grip, brushing one hand across the flat top. There was nothing there. Shit. Now what? I rested for a few moments until I heard screams below me. I didn’t mean to look down, but in the end, my curiosity won out. Making sure my hand and feet were secured against the blustering wind that buffeted me this high up, I twisted and looked down.
There seemed to be a fight, with scores of Fae guards streaming from the tunnels toward the center. Two men stood back to back, surrounded by shouting soldiers.
Something about one of the men looked familiar. I squinted, but couldn’t be sure from this distance. The guy had long hair, and he moved like a deadly dancer… Could it be? He looked an awful lot like Bleddyn when he’d tried to teach me how to use a bidog. As I watched, the number of bodies falling under his blade increased with each step he took.
“Beth!” Dyf bellowed from below. “Come down!”
It didn’t take me long. Getting down was much easier with the monsters gone, but I’d pushed myself too hard. My calves were cramping, and my arms were shaking with fatigue. I was still ten feet above the ground when I lost my hold. My eyes widened, and I squealed in terror. The sudden movement pivoted me until I twisted around my other hand to the point where I had to let go.
As in slow motion, I leaned away from the wall and gravity took over. Fuck, this was going to hurt. But instead of my back colliding with the hard ground, two sets of arms stopped my fall. The impact knocked the air out of my lungs, but I was alive and back on my feet so quickly, my head swam.
Than and Dyf had caught me. Without saying a word, the three males surrounded me and ushered me away from the fighting that was still going on a short distance away. I turned as several voices howled in triumph.
Bleddyn was down. He lay on his side, blood trickling from his temple. A guard kicked him hard in the ribs, but he barely reacted. Our gazes connected, and what I read in his dark eyes was resignation and regret.
As my companions dragged me to the tunnel entrance, his eyes closed, and he stopped moving. I pressed a hand against my chest, as if to hold my aching heart together. I’d thought Bleddyn had abandoned me. Why was he here now, fighting the arena soldiers and giving us an opportunity to escape?
