Enemies

Chapter 8

*switch PoV*

He can't move. He feels everything so acutely, the cold blade against his neck, Thanatos's arm locked around him, her body pressed against his. He feels her heart beat wildly, and knows that the only reason he's still alive is because her reason prevailed over her emotions. He knows her fits of rage could change her mind whenever they came. He should be afraid. 

So why isn't he? Why is he so stunned? Why was he captured so easily, blundering right into her trap? A path opens up between the crowd, and Thanatos lets go, the sword at his back as she forces him to jog, then sprint out of the Tesze fortress, jabbing at him threateningly when anyone dares come close. He can see the dilemma in his soldiers' minds: their most feared adversary, or their greatest Commander? When they both make it out alive, he smiles gratefully at their respect and belief in him. She drives him deeper into the forest, so far that soon he's hopelessly lost. The silence is so complete that the only reason he knows she's there is the sword digging into his back. They finally stop, hours later in front of a huge tree, its roots interlaced with the ground, its branches wide and reaching. When he can no longer feel the pressure of the sword, he considers running, and quickly discards the idea. She'll run him down and stab him. He can only hope that whatever force made her hestitate during yesterday's hunt will keep him alive now. He slowly walks over to the tree and sits down between the roots. He tries to think of a way to escape, but instead flashes back to that stunned, sudden moment, the blade gainst his throat, her fierce heartbeat hammering against his spine. What's wrong with me? He wonders. 

*Thanatos PoV*

During that entire run, I hold myself back, making myself wait just one more second, one more breath, one more step, before I run him through. Trying to come up with a more profitable way to make use of him, but I can't think through the red haze. I want him gone. So I can go on living like before, without this shame that has lodged itself inside me since I let him get the best of me. He's made my life misery, and once I kill him, everything will be all right.

I watch him sit down wearily, resignedly, on the ground. It hurts to look at him. I let rage override me, take the sword, and once more focus on my prey.

"Last request."

I whirl around and point the sword at his chest, but then the words register in my mind. The one thing I can't refuse, the last request. I curse him silently for holding me to the first oath I ever made as a Huntress, spoken in the Common Tongue.

I meet his brown eyes, unfathomable as always, and a chill goes through me. Thinking of him in any terms, much less familiar ones, makes me want to be sick.

"Say my name." He says, in the Tesze tongue, the language he taught me.

Furious, I lift the sword and strike him with the flat of the blade. His head snaps back, and he slumps against the tree, unconscious.

Idiot. He knows exactly what to do to stay alive, make the one request I can't fulfill. I hate him, hate him more than ever, for the hold he has on me, the pain he's caused. I take the sword and slam it into the ground. My wrists scream and the sword skitters away. I hate him.

I throw myself on the ground, take deep, slow breaths, and call back the frozen, calculating mind that is the key to dealing with this artful pretender. Cold head. Closed thoughts.

Author's Note:

Against my better judgement, i wrote two points of view in one chapter... i should probably stay with one for more than a few minutes shouldn't I? I want to apologize for the short updates, but what can I say? Inspiration is fleeting...Hope you like it!

Fleetingly yours,

Writer16