Threads of Fate

Chapter 46 ~ No Longer One's Own

    "Bastard!" Kahari seethed, swiping her staff from where it had been secured to her fallen mount.

    Bits of gore and blood stained her hands, but the female showed no signs of noticing. The clustered crystals in the dome of her staff flared with power and something sparked within her deep green eyes like a blaze of fire.

    "I'm not the bastard here, my Dear," Roshan sneered. "You are the half-breed, after all."

    "Not another word," Talarion snarled at him, barely taking a step forward. "You're a fool if you think we're going anywhere with you."

    "My, my. You would abandon your ally to me to save yourself?"

    "To keep my sister and the Phoenix from your grasp, yes." Kahari's gaze snapped to Talarion at his admission, and Azael tensed. He was standing closest to the female, and if she intended to turn her wrath onto Talarion, he would have to be the one to stop her.

    "You are more ruthless than I gave you credit for," Roshan chuckled. "It seems I've misjudged both of you. Even you, your Highness." He tipped his head to Azael. "I thought you were just as useless as your parents. But plans can be adjusted to compensate for such technicalities. And now, I'm done waiting. Come, Children. And you." He pointed at Kaius, and Talarion bared his teeth, magic flaring at his fingertips.

    "I'll send you to Hel just like everyone else who's tried to bring us back to you," Talarion hissed, and Azael barely had a chance to blink before the male lunged at his father. Roshan dodged the imperceptible blow with fluid ease and brandished his own sword, catching Talarion's second attack.

    Time had almost seemed to slow for that first attack, and now it resumed at an even faster pace than before. Azael had a mere breath to unsheath Raxys before two Lochren warriors were upon him. He dispatched one with magic and fended off the other long enough to plant himself closer to Tissaia.

    She and Kaius fought side by side, her defending him from the warriors' attacks while he fired arrows at the targets he could pick out amidst flashes of lightning. The thunder clashed louder and a few drops of rain pattered against Azael's cheeks.

    He reeled back the next instant as a wave of pale green magic tore into the warrior he'd been fighting and branches ripped from the male's flesh and forced their way out his orifices. Kahari sprinted past, not even sparing him a glance.

    Azael saw the female reach Vael's prone form and fling herself over him in time to stop another warrior from severing his head, before his attention was stolen by his next opponent who began raining blows at his face. From the corner of his eye, Azael sought out Tissaia.

    She was still holding her own against the warriors although he spied a few deep gashes across her cheek where a blow had landed. Kaius had been knocked to the ground by another attack, but the Phoenix was already rolling the male's limp body off himself.

    Azael looked back at his opponent and dodged under his next blow. He dropped to the ground and slammed a foot into the male's inner ankle, knocking his leg backwards and bringing the male down. Azael drove his sword through the back of the male's neck before he could even twist onto his side.

    He whirled in search of Talarion, already racking his mind for ideas about how they were going to escape. They'd never outrun this many warriors on foot, and Roshan wouldn't have walked here himself. There had to be more horses nearby.

    If they could get to them, perhaps they could beat the warriors into the mountains and lose them there, but they would still have at least a four day ride according to Vael's route. They could shave it down to three, maybe a little less, but that would require pushing the horses to their very limits, and likely would kill the beasts. Still, if it was their only option...