Fox Of Greed (Greedy Fox Book 1)

~~ FIFTY SIX ~~

"No." Leraj slapped his blade onto mine and forced it to the ground.

I scowled up at him, tearing my blade out from underneath his. "I can take him. Easily."

"Estra, a coordinated attack would be better." The words were more commanding than pleading.

"So?" I turned back to Helbram and stepped towards him only to have Leraj yank me back by my forearm.

"So maybe listen to me when I say that four on one is better than one on one in this case."

"Let go of me," I growled, bristling with magic. It skimmed along my skin. He held me tight even as sparks danced between the contact. "You guys can be on backup. I'll take him down and that way, everyone's fine in case trouble decides to show up."

"You can't really be following that logic," he said.

I huffed. "Of course not, Leraj. It's supposed to console you into letting me go." Like I thought he'd fall for it; he was definitely smarter than that. "I'm greedy through and through, what did you expect?"

"More. I'm telling you now, Estra. You cannot win this battle in your current state. Not alone. Take a word of advice from someone who's lived a lot longer than you and seen much more – we are fighting Helbram together."

I levelled Leraj with a withering look that he didn't back down from. "I don't need my full strength to beat him. This should be my fight."

"You sure you're not the sin of Pride? Honestly, your ego's bigger than your head."

I gnashed my teeth, staring off into the distance with an irritated twitch in my jaw. Of course he was right, when wasn't he? But something inside me didn't want to share this battle. The greed ran deep in my veins and it was hard to pull away from the calling in my heart.

"Seriously you two, have you forgotten we're in the middle of a battle?" Howzer asked, looking highly uncomfortable.

"Worse than a married couple," Guila added.

My cheeks blazed with embarrassment. "We aren't married!" We both shouted.

"Leraj is right, Estra, we have to focus on Helbram together," Guila told me, with Howzer sealing the deal with a nod.

"Majority wins," Leraj quipped and I scowled up at him.

"If you're quite done with your lover's quarrel," Helbram said.

"We aren't lo-"

Helbram stabbed his sword into the ground and raising a hand. Two fingers pointed towards us and everyone shifted stance.

Leraj released me and we readied our blades. "I concede – four on one would work optimally, but I call dibs on the first attack. And the second, third and final," I said quickly, the words tumbling out.

"Call of Inferno!" Black mist spewed from the ground, instantly sidled down the alley and the building walls. It slid over my skin, not like fog, like slime. It was odourless though, totally unlike smoke or fog or anything earthly.

"What is this?" I asked Helbram, tightening my grip on my sword. A tickle began in my throat, a need to cough but I wouldn't be distracted.

"Don't breathe it in!" Leraj said.

"This- this black fog," Helbram started to say then he hacked. We spun to see him spluttering blood out through his lips. "The power of death. Are you insane? What happens if there are people who haven't left here yet?" He wheezed, falling against the wall.

"You-!" I clutched at my throat with a hand, blood pooling in my mouth, my legs turned to jelly. My nose bled over my lips. Someone had claws in my stomach, a pair of sharpened claws tearing without care at my insides.