Lily Rose: Legendary

Chapter 34: Party Crasher

The Jackal stood in the entranceway.  

I bent down, prepared to whip out the dagger strapped to the leggings underneath my dress.

"Where is Crossbow?" he boomed.

James moved in front of me protectively.  I pushed him aside and stepped forward.

"I am here," I replied.

Hundreds of gasps echoed through the room.  The men and women stared at me in shock.

I guess King Henry hadn't told anyone who Crossbow truly was.

Except his royal adviser of course.

But how had Amber known?

Her father had told her, no doubt.

The Jackal turned to look me in the eye.

"You got a fatal jab to the stomach," he said as he walked toward me.  

I stealthily pulled my dagger out from under my dress.  I kept it hidden from view.

"Yet here you are," he continued. "But tonight I'm going to turn that around."

Suddenly he launched himself forward, sword raised.  I quickly blocked him with my dagger and slipped away.

"You know," I said. "It isn't polite to interrupt a party."

The Jackal swung his sword again.  Again I blocked him.

"You've only gotten lucky all those times," The Jackal said. "But you won't this time."

I remembered the advice I had given the king and his men.

I showed no fear.

"Oh, I don't think it was luck," I replied.  I swiped my sword and cut his arm. "Oh, puppy dog, it was not luck."

The Jackal growled and launched himself forward.  Then we started a sword to dagger fight.  

It wasn't fair.

It wasn't painless.

And It wasn't fun.

My smaller knife gave me a disadvantage.  He kept giving me small, but deep cuts on my hands and wrists. 

No one had gotten any fatal or major points.

Then I tripped over my dress.  I cried out as I hit the floor.  The Jackal stood over me, sword raised.  It came down, but James blocked it with his sword.  Then him and The Jackal were sword fighting around the ballroom.

It was the deadly dance.

I rose to my feet, only to trip again.

Darn dress.

Forgive me, Greta.

I ripped the bottom of the dress so I wouldn't trip over it.  I charged forward, but The Jackal blocked my jab and threw me back.

I rolled back on my hands and jumped to my feet.

I knew I should have brought a sword.

I grabbed my sack of throwing stars from my thigh and started throwing them at The Jackal.  He growled and charged toward me.  I jumped away and ran as fast as I could to one of the food tables.  I leapt onto it and jumped toward the railing.  I grabbed on and flipped myself onto the balcony overlooking the ballroom.  

The Jackal bounded up the staircase, four at a time.

I quickly assessed my situation and surroundings.

Just as The Jackal reached the top of the stairs, I jumped onto the balcony railing.

"Lily!" James screamed. "What are you doing?"

I looked behind me and saw The Jackal drawing nearer.  

Then, I jumped off the railing.

A/N Sorry for the cliffhanger! I'm going to try to write another chapter later today! Thanks for reading and don't forget to comment--->

Ciao,

SiSi