I'll be here forever

chapter 62

"You killed Festus," I hissed, unsheathing my sword and gripping it tightly in my hands. I hoped I could distract him long enough for Leo to get in position.

"Was that its name?" he asked, sounding almost amused. His right hand closed into a fist, then opened again, but other than that, he was still. Too still. Terrifyingly still. He made no movement to reach for a weapon, to run, nothing. Again, I began to doubt.

But then I thought about Festus. And how this person killed him. And how he dared to call him an it.

"It was his name," I said, my teeth grinding together involuntarily, "and you're going to pay for it."

"Sorry, don't have any money," he replied, head tilting slightly, but still not looking up. I found tears welling in my eyes. How dare he?

"That's- gah! Just... why would you do it? You didn't have to kill him," I asked him, my voice breaking against my will, the question that had been burning in my mind ever since we'd stumbled onto Festus's body. This person could've done anything else- subdued him, knocked him out, ran away. Instead, he felt the need to murder our friend.

"Yeah, I did. He attacked me first, so I don't know what to tell you," he said, unconcerned, shrugging. It made me even more angry how calm he was- he didn't seem worried about anything, his gaze still trained on the ground, standing strangely still.

I opened my mouth to start screaming at him; but thankfully, before I could, I saw Leo coming up behind him. That shut me up quickly.

And then the last part of my plan fell into place.

Leo poked the dagger into his back- the guy didn't even flinch.

"Choose your next words very wisely," Leo snarled, his face contorting in anger. I felt a proud smile spread across my face.

But mine disappeared when a chilling, matching triumphant grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Your dragon," he smiled, "fucking deserved it."

And with a start, I figured out his plan.

He had known Leo was there all along.

He had wanted him to threaten him with the knife. While I thought things were going according to my plan, we were actually playing right into his hands. Suddenly everything made sense- his twitching right hand, itching for a weapon it didn't have. His calm demeanor. Not flinching in surprise when Leo started to threaten him. I'll admit, grudgingly, I was impressed.

"Leo, wait!" I cried, but I knew I was too late.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. I was too far away to do anything, but I lunged forward anyways.

Leo drew back his arm to strike his dagger into the guy's back, crying out in grief, and I could only watch his plan play out in horror.

He twisted his body, ducking, using his foot to kick him off balance and using Leo's own momentum to shove him past. He wrenched the knife from Leo's hand quite easily.

I knew what was about to happen, but I couldn't look away.

Leo stumbled forward, but spun quickly on his heel to face him, lighting both his hands on fire to retaliate, but he was too slow.

Because the person who had murdered Festus lunged forward and plunged the dagger into Leo's stomach.