“Kill him!” I said, not an ounce of remorse. Kian, already healing, took a knee and started firing arrows at the dark assassin. Dante disappeared into the woods, and I was too busy keeping an eye on the dark fae to follow his movements. These dark assassins were super fast and lethal, training and control obvious behind each of their attacks. A few more like this and they could finish us off no worries.
Not on my watch. I built up a large ball of fae magic in my hands. Kade was already at my side, preparing to help me funnel the energy if needed.
“How’s your leg?” I asked him.
His chest rumbled. “It’s fine, just a scratch. It’s already healing.”
Some of the fire in my veins dulled just a little. I was really getting sick of Kade’s body having new cuts, scratches, and holes in it. Time to do something about it.
The assassin was moving again, more of the discs appearing in his hands. I let loose my ball of energy, hoping to hit him while he was on the move, but he dove to the side at the last moment. So freaking fast. He was up again, sprinting toward a huge tree with flaky white bark, scaling it in a second. It was almost as if he didn’t even use his hands to climb. I knew from that vantage point we were going to be sitting ducks, so the four of us sprinted for a small grove of bushy weed-like plants.
“I’m going up into the trees,” I whispered to Kade while dropping my pack to the ground. “Give me some cover.”
I could see he wanted to protest, but he let out a sigh and nodded. “Stay safe,” he warned me, turning and murmuring something to his brother.
Kian immediately lifted his arrow; Kade pulled out some small throwing knives, and the pair launched themselves up and over the bushes, creating noise and distraction.
I started scaling a nearby tree. I didn’t have the same skills as that assassin, so I had to sheath my weapon first, but after that I had no trouble. I was an excellent tree climber. Sure, a few years might have passed since my last adventure, but it was like riding a bike. Right?
My foot slipped and I lost my balance for a second, almost plummeting to the ground. Only my strong grip on a nearby branch broke my fall. With a deep breath, I pulled myself up again, trying my best to ignore the shouts from below. When I made it to the first level of strong, thick branches, I let my senses roam out across the canopy. The fae was in black; he shouldn’t blend in. And yet I sensed he was close, but I couldn’t see him.
Two trees across, a voice whispered in my mind, and I almost fell off the branch.
Not one of ours. Otherwise we would be able to dispel him from the branches. The dark assassins avoid our kind.
Thank you, I replied to the tree that was helping me. I peered two trees to my left, and sure enough the black-clad assassin was hanging onto its uppermost branch, about twenty feet away from me.
I had a crazy idea.
Can you launch me at him? I asked my new friend. If he could sway in the wind, he could move at will, right? Broken bones took a long time to heal, and I would be of no use to this mission if I did indeed break anything, but it was also the quickest way to move. Here was hoping my tree friends kept me from going splat.
Of course. We will extend our branches to keep you from falling. There was something strong and reassuring about the ancient words of the trees.
I silently unsheathed my sword just as the assassin started throwing more discs down into the forest. Now! I yelled, tensing my body, while also loosening my grip on the branches I held.
The tree that held me snapped backward, dipping me low toward the ground, its trunk bowing under the weight. Then it straightened and I was airborne. Simultaneous surges of excitement and fear flushed through me as I catapulted towards the black-clad fae.
He barely had time to look up and register my approach before I came crashing down on him, my sword sliding into his abdomen. Branches from a nearby tree came up to hold me in place, and I wrenched my sword upwards, trying to inflict maximum damage.
The fae’s eyes bulged, but with surprising strength he jerked his head forward, slamming into my nose. Pain exploded across my face and I dropped my hold on the sword, bringing my hands up to catch the blood gushing from my face. My eyes involuntarily watered, temporarily blinding me – pinned in close quarters with an assassin.
An assassin I had just pissed off.
I quickly blinked my eyes to clear them, the fuzzy vision disappearing in time for me to see the assassin’s hand rise, a small dagger clutched in it. He struck out, aiming for my neck, ready to slice into my carotid. My breath hitched as I threw my hands forward to block the blow. Cut hands I could heal, but a sliced throat was another thing.
My first deflection worked, but the fae was already gearing up to slice into me again. Suddenly Dante’s head peeked over the dark fae’s shoulder, his hands wrapping around his neck, before he twisted violently, snapping his spinal cord.
A sigh of relief escaped me. The assassin was dead.
“Thank you,” I said, a little breathlessly.
He nodded, his face remaining expressionless, not an ounce of evidence that he had just killed a guy showing at all.
“You okay?” he asked me.
I nodded, and then winced as the throbbing in my nose and forehead increased, not to mention the cuts on my hands. “Just a broken nose and a few scrapes. I’ll heal.”
I retracted my blade from the fae’s belly and let his body fall through the canopy, to land with a hard thud on the ground below. Leaning over, I could see Kade was waiting at the base of my tree.
“We’re okay!” I called down to him.
Dante immediately started to climb down, but I took a moment to place my hand on the tree branch that was cupping my lower back, keeping me firmly in place.
Thank you, friend.
I was surprised when a more feminine-sounding voice answered. You are most welcome.
Then I yelped a little as the branches began to move and configure themselves into a seat, cupping my butt, bending and lowering me to the ground. As I stepped off, I looked up to see all of my friends staring at me.
I smiled, shrugging. “Guess I have a tree affinity or something.”
Dante looked the most astonished, which was a bit comical considering he spoke to and commanded animals.
After another moment of gawking, Kade gave me that slow smile I was so in love with, and I felt his warmth brush across our bond. Glad you’re okay, my little tree hugger.
I laughed. Out loud. As usual confusing everyone who couldn’t hear our inner conversation. We need more trees in our garden.
You got it, love.
He focused then, turning toward the woods. “You think that dark fae was sent by someone to target us specifically? Or were we just in a ‘wrong place, wrong time’ situation?”
Dante answered, “We’re about thirty yards from the winter realm portal. His kind are a standard security measure since the war.”
That made sense, and I liked that theory a lot more than the one where the winter queen knew we were here. We gathered up our packs again, walking in the direction Dante instructed. Only a few paces in, a quiet little bird’s chirp sounded behind us.