Rune Knight: Book Two of The Empress Saga

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Waves take me, he can fight!

Ban was in awe of Dashar. His every movement was precise and calculated. While his swords couldn't pierce Rodrik's full plate, the crown prince sought out seams between the plates. Rodrik must have recognized the threat an osteomancer posed, so he put every effort he could into keeping Dashar from drawing so much as a drop of blood.

The Althandi nobleman, Garret, was far more vulnerable. He was dressed for a gala, not a fight. There were few options for him. He kept behind Rodrik, utilized his wizardry more often than his sword-cane, and kept out of Ban and Dashar's reach.

Ban noted how Dashar would steal glances towards Jin and Josy. He was more concerned about them but had prioritized Rodrik and Garret as the greater threats.

The domination, of course, Ban realized. Kill Garret, and Josy would be free. They'd have three assassins on their side. Rodrik and Elise wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in Melcia against them all united. Ban shifted his focus from Rodrik to the actor.

Garret grit his teeth as Ban came after him. His fingers flashed through a quick somatic, and five brilliant balls of light shot from his fingertips.

The lights struck Ban, and he could feel them sizzling against his sigils and the accompanying drain on his ether. He didn't like the thought of what those might have done had he not been warded.

Ban swung low for Garret's hip. The actor caught the strike, deftly turning its energy towards a different angle. He slid underneath. Garret might have looked like a dandy, but he wasn't a novice with swordplay. He was a lot stronger than he looked. Garret answered Ban's attack with a pair of sharp thrusts at the face. Ban had to cover his visor with a gauntlet in case the attacks managed to slide through.

The combatants paired off. Ban for Garret, Dashar for Rodrik. It was an uneven fight on both fronts. Ban had an insurmountable advantage in both reach and defense, and Dashar outclassed Rodrik in everything but armor. This wouldn't last more than another moment. Ban flared his sigils and prepared to deliver the final blow.

Ban heard Enfri scream.

He snapped his head around. Elise had Enfri's hand in her grip, and she had bent the wrist into a direction it wasn't meant to go. Enfri's wrist broke, and a shard of bone pierced through her skin. Blood spurted from the wound, and Elise tossed her aside dismissively. Enfri hit the ground with a pained grunt. She curled into a ball and tried to stem the bleeding from her wrist.

Enfri was here? Waves, he had seen Deebee but hadn't imagined that she would have left Enfri behind to fend for herself. There was more going on, but what?

Then he saw Moon. She was getting back to her hooves, her face twisted into a snarl and her daggers in hand. She was itching for a fight. As was Kimpo. The red dragon stood over Enfri, ready to guard her beloved with her life.

With a gesture from Elise, Kimpo was thrown bodily from Enfri by a spell. The sorceress then stood over Enfri and stomped savagely down on her knee. It twisted, and Ban heard it dislocate. Enfri cried out, and her voice broke and went hoarse.

"No," Ban whispered. He broke from Garret and sprinted for Enfri. Moon saw him coming and paced her own charge so that they'd attack Elise at the same time.

This woman, this Elise, what kind of monster was she? Enfri was her blood, her niece. There was no reason to hurt her. Waves, why?

Ban saw the look on Elise's ageless face. Satisfaction. Enjoyment. It pleased her to inflict pain. She made Ban sick. When her eyes lifted towards Ban, charging straight towards her with full blade held high, there wasn't a trace of fear. Only amusement.