121. Rorax
Rorax almost cried in relief when an arrow flew by her head to kill a draugr soldier she had missed with her ice picks, stabbing him square between the eyes and dropping him to the ground before a black wall—a black wall streaked with red lighting—erected all around her, pushing the closest draugr soldiers more than twenty feet away.
She took in a ragged, thankful breath and bent over to rest her hands on her knees.
Ayres was here. Ayres was here.
Rorax swiveled her head around to find him charging towards her, and gods above he was truly, amazingly glorious.
His black battle armor went all the way up to his neck, his glittering black longsword peaked up over his shoulder, and in his other hand he had a short sword already covered in black draugr blood. His eyes were bright red, and his intense features focused on her. He looked every inch the beautiful, lethal Harbinger that he was.
“Took your sweet time,” Rorax drawled at him when he got close enough, wiping at a drop of blood and sweat that was coming out of her nose.
Ayres’s skin around his bright red eyes crinkled with amusement as he studied her from head to toe. Dark scruff had grown back on his face around his perfect mouth that tilted into a smile that was nothing but pure devil. “I was enjoying the show, Little Crow.”
Rorax huffed, before standing up straight and cracking her neck. “Did you get the other book?”
Ayres nodded. “Both books are on their way to Surmalinn as we speak.”
Good. Rorax twirled her knife in her fingers. She could hear soldiers around her and suddenly felt eager to get back into the fray. “Break is over, let’s go.”
Ayres cocked his head and gave her another analyzing look over. “How close are you to a burn out? My Guard and I can handle it from here.”
As if to confirm his words, Kaiya let out a battle cry nearby and the sound of falling draugr followed.
“I could use the practice.” Rorax took in a few more deep breaths, feeling the heaviness and the slight ache in her limbs. She was going to feel like death after this. “I have another thirty minutes in me. If I decide to test myself, maybe more.”
A wicked smile crossed his lips again, reaching back and pulling his longsword out from over his head. “We can have this done in twenty.”
Rorax smiled back. “Then lead the way.”