A Battle of Pride and Desire

Chapter Twenty Eight

The earth pounded beneath Brigette's feet as she ran. Her entire body ached and the dark red blood from her hip began to seep through her clothing. She put a hand there to keep pressure on it as she ran forward. Arrows flew around her and she was careful to avoid them. Blood was pounding in her ears and she barely felt in control of her body as she ran to the front lines. It was more vicious up here, the shouting was wilder and the weapons were deadlier. Brigette slowed down slightly as she took in her surroundings. Magmellans fought with all their might as the fae began to push back. They would reach the castle by nightfall if Magmellans didn't push harder. Brigette opened her mind and tried to send a message to Taran but there was still no response. She was definitely closer to him but the line remained hollow. Alive. He had to be alive. She sprinted forward and found herself finally at the frontline. She scanned the crowd and a tall figure caught her attention. Her eyes widened a fraction as she tried to get a better look. That could be him but he was injured, really injured. From here Brigette could see the long gash along his thigh. He was limping as he and another Magmellan fought off a large fae male. Brigette didn't have the time to second guess herself as she ran towards them, grabbing an arrow from her quiver as she ran. It was Taran, that was him, with the biggest wound she had ever seen in her life. Her heart began to beat faster. She sidestepped to the right quickly to get on the side of the fae who was now grabbing at the Magmellan's arms with his nails. Brigette waited for him to angle his neck slightly so she could get a clear shot. She stopped running then and pulled the bowstring back, waiting for him to make one wrong move. She waited and waited and it hurt her to just stand there while Taran attempted to fight the fae off his warrior. But then the fae looked at Taran, quickly she exhaled and let go of the bowstring. She watched the arrow fly through the air as if in slow motion. Taran heard the arrow and glanced over at it as it flew through the air. The fae was too slow though and it struck him in the neck earning a loud cry. Brigette sprinted forward, pulling on her dagger in a frenzy.

"Move!" she shouted at Taran and the Magmellan.

They moved out of her way as she approached the fae who was clutching at his neck and screaming. She threw the dagger at him with all her might and it flew threw the air with a whistle. It landed directly in his stomach and Brigette could hear him gasping. She slowed down slightly as she approached him, aware of the fact he was a lot larger than her. She watched him fall to his knees and when she was certain he was down she stood above him as tears streamed down his face. She watched him writhe with sick pleasure. Reaching down she pulled the dagger from his stomach, earning a scream. She placed a dirty boot on his stomach and she definitely wasn't in control of herself as she watched him struggle with the arrow in his neck.

"Let's end this now," she said and killed him with one swipe of her dagger.

She watched him grow still, his eyes wide in horror. She cleaned the dagger on his tunic and sheathed it once more. Putting her bow over her shoulder, she turned to Taran with raised eyebrows. His skin was pale and he was losing a lot of blood. Brigette looked down at his leg and the wound ran from the top of his thigh to his knee. Someone had dug deep, trying to render him paralysed. Brigette shook her head at the sight and she made eye contact with Taran finally. His face was trying to hide the pain he was in and Brigette tried not to cry at the sight.

"You need a healer," she said finally.

"There are none."

Brigette looked at the Magmellan who now had scratch marks running down his forearm. He was tall, almost as tall as Taran, with golden hair and blue eyes. Brigette looked at his armband; he was part of Taran's battalion.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Who are you?" he retorted.

Brigette raised an eyebrow and looked around her for any approaching fae, there were none, "I asked first."