Villainous [Wattys 2021 Shortlist]

46: The Final Battle

Delilah opened her eyes. She was sprawled out on a comfortable bed, her armour gone, replaced by a nightgown. Her leg throbbed but the pain seemed dull, and she suspected someone had forced a sedative down her throat.

Grunting, she sat up and ripped back the nightgown, catching her breath in horror at the bloody mess her thigh had turned into. The long, jagged wound had been cleaned and stitched neatly, but it was swollen, the skin an angry red.

She felt sick.

"They're on their way."

Her head snapped round: Dante was stood with his back to her on the opposite side of the tent.

"Who?" she rasped.

"Pelenu, Terra and Anloch. They know where we are, that ambush took out our best human legion, and... This is where we make our final stand. We've won the small battles, but they might still win the war."

Delilah pulled her nightgown back over her legs and glowered at a candle on her bedside table.

Dante turned to look at her. "You have to understand." There was a hollow, crumpled expression on his face. "I don't - Trusting people is -"

"I know," she said coldly. "But I have never betrayed you."

"You've thought about it."

"Yes." Delilah could feel a draft of cold air, and she shuddered.

Dante started to walk towards the bed, and instantly she was wary, assessing his movements, the way the muscles in his chest rippled, trying to figure out what he'd do -

He removed the black robe and placed it around her. She realised she was in his royal tent, and this was his bed, and her stomach jolted. His body had touched these sheets.

She frowned at him, refusing to get distracted by his shirtlessness. "I should kill you for leaving me behind."

"You should have recognised the lies they were planting."

"It was a mistake."

"Don't make another."

They stared at each other fiercely.

"It doesn't look like you'll be fighting," Dante said finally.

Delilah stared at him in horror. "No - I have to fight -"

"With that leg?"

"I can ride. On horseback I'll -"

"You'd be knocked from your horse in minutes."

"And you'd watch while our enemies kill me," she hissed, "so why would you care? Let me fight - reassign Hawk to be your Lieutenant, I don't care. You can't deny me this."

"I do not want to see you die." He braced his hands on the edge of the bed, glowering at her.

Delilah barked a laugh. "How can you say that, after -?"

"I left you, yes. I was furious because I thought you'd betrayed me. But believe me, Delilah, I have never wanted to see you die."

She clutched his robe tighter around her shoulders, refusing to break eye contact. "You are going to let me fight. When we win, you are going to leave Pelenu untouched. Do whatever you want to the other nations."

He gave a slow nod.

"And you are bound to this promise, Dante Vallahan - bound by the Ancient Rules that linked us together when we started this. If you break your promise, whatever ancient being that upholds those laws will destroy you."