The Skin Thief

Chapter 27

Kiora

The attendant screams as an arrow slams into the back of the attacker. Blood splatters everywhere as the arrowhead bursts from his chest. Kiora's eyes widen in horror as she watches him splutter and cough up blood.

He drops the sword and clutches at his chest. Then, with a heavy thump, he falls face-first onto the ground. The carriage shakes roughly. The attendant continues to scream. Kiora stands.

"Lady Kiora, wait," the attendant gasps. Kiora crouches onto the ground and starts pushing the body out of the entrance to the carriage.

Around them, the shouts and screams grow louder. She forces herself not to think about the ongoing battle outside. Instead, she continues to push the dead attacker out of the way.

His body falls to the ground outside and Kiora reaches for the door which hangs on the outside of the carriage.

Her eyes fall on the guard who had initially warned them. She thought he had died. However, besides the carriage is another body. Blood spills out across the road and a great gash sits over his neck. The guard fights two more attackers only metres from the carriage. His armour is covered in deep red blood. Kiora knows it is not his own.

For a moment, she allows herself a brief look around. More attackers, wearing ragged clothes, their faces hidden by mangy, dirty scarves, continue to burst out of the jungle. They are mowed down horribly quickly.

Kiora's eyes are wide as she watches the soldiers fight. They are brutal and impossibly fast. The attackers don't stand a chance. Three take on one soldier at the same time, yet somehow, the soldier manages to finish them off and make it look easy.

"Lady Kiora, close the door and get back inside!" she is ordered.

Kiora snaps back into gear and reaches for the handle. Just as she starts to pull the door shut, she sees a glint of silver.

Pain erupts in her leg. She lets out a shocked gasp and the attendant screams behind her. Despite the stinging pain, Kiora gets the carriage door shut. She stumbles back into her spot and looks down at her leg. It throbs angrily. Kiora grits her teeth and wraps her hand around the shaft of the arrow.

"No, don't remove it!" the attendant gasps and throws herself down at Kiora's feet. "It could have hit-"

Kiora interrupts her by yanking the arrow out. There is a strange grinding sound as she does so. The attendant lets out a panicked yelp and throws Kiora's skirt up to inspect her leg.

The attendant freezes.

"I'm fine," Kiora says calmly, the pain already ebbing. She pulls the skirt back so she can see her thigh. There is a hole in her skin. Beyond, instead of blood, and muscle, is ice. Cracks have broken out beside the wound. Slowly, the wounds begin to seal themselves back together.

The attendant watches with her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide. Kiora throws her skirt back over her leg and sits back. Already the pain is gone.

"The emperor doesn't find out," she instructs the attendant.

"Why?" the attendant asks.

"What will he do to the soldiers if he finds out they let one arrow slip through and that arrow struck his new bride?" she asks, raising a brow. The attendant gulps and nods her head.

Kiora reaches down for the arrow and slides the little window slightly open. Then, she drops it out.

"He won't find out," the attendant agrees and they both fall into nervous silence.

Soon, the sounds of battle begin to fade. When the door opens, both women jump and then sigh with relief as they see a guard standing beyond.

"Are you okay, Lady Kiora? I saw an arrow shot in here?" he asks with a shaking voice.