Chapter 14 Azahara #2
She winced and felt her legs shaking uncontrollably.
They were ruthless, and the Vaeragi didn’t wait for her to gather herself before charging at her once more.
She sucked in a deep breath of air and pivoted on her heel, his arms wide to grab her.
Summoning every ounce of energy she had left, she pushed him upward, swiftly tucked herself under him, and delivered a powerful kick to his solid, muscular frame from behind.
He was sent flying into the dirt, and although she couldn’t explain the sudden surge of adrenaline, she wasted no time and charged after him.
Knowing it was stupid but not caring, she gripped the arrow and pulled it through from her chest. She cried out in blinding pain but didn’t stop, her body lunging forward as her fingers turned the arrow’s steel tip towards the Vaeragi’s neck.
“Stop,” that same enigmatic voice sang from earlier.
Hesitating, her body seized up, and she stumbled. The once graceful move was now something straight from the jester himself.
The steel tip was inches from the Vaeragi’s vital vein at its neck. Her breath was shaky and her body was losing too much energy.
Why… why did you tell me to stop…
Blazing pain seared through her as the Vaeragi delivered a brutal blow, slamming the back of its fist across her face. The force of the impact sent her flying several feet until she came to a screeching halt, her face buried in the dirt, her body curled into a painful, crumpled ball.
That hurt.
“Ladybug.” Her gasp was loud, and it brought her attention forward. The Vaeragi was stomping towards her, his hand pulling at his blade. “He is their chief. If you kill him, we all die.” She swallowed.
Nice of you to join me… where have you been…
“I can’t explain now. Run.”
Azahara was unsure where she was getting the power, but she pushed herself up off the ground and dug her feet to begin sprinting.
A shock of pain coursed through her, causing her to stumble and fall onto her hands and knees. The blade was above her; he was going to cut her in half. That’s how much force he would put behind it, and that would be it.
The sound of a whizzing arrow pierced the air as it shot past her, landing squarely in the Vaeragi’s hand. The clank of his sword hitting the ground, accompanied by his thunderous roar, served as an urgent command for her to rise and get moving.
As she raised her head, she caught sight of Kaed riding Starlight, charging back toward her.
His hand gripped a Vaeragi bow, swiftly fitting a steel-tipped arrow and drawing it back, aiming for the creature’s head.
Illyan’s warning echoed in her mind, causing her to shout, “Stop!” Kaed hesitated, lowering the bow for a moment, only to swiftly raise it again and release the arrow.
The arrow whizzed past her, finding its mark in a Vaeragi attempting to seize her from behind. The creature crashed to the ground with a heavy thud, giving her the opportunity to sprint toward Kaed. A glimmer of hope sparked within her, even though she knew it to be stupid.
From the corner of her eye, she spotted a horse rushing straight toward Kaed and Starlight. She waved her hands, screaming at him, but he was too focused on her and the danger she was in to see the blade coming down.
Help him. Please don’t let this happen.
Without warning, the ground below the charging beast cracked open, fissuring and causing the horse to crumble. The sounds of cracking bone as the beast and rider were swallowed into darkness. Howling screams came from the void, indicating it still breathed.
“You only get one.”
Kaed had seen what had happened but didn’t stop his rush to her.
A resounding roar behind her drew Azahara’s attention, and she spun around to behold the chief, now encircled by his Vaeragi warriors.
Kaed dismounted from Starlight and positioned himself protectively in front of Azahara. His breath came in heavy gasps, as if he’d been running, and a quick glance at her horse revealed the missing reins.
“We need to run, Aza…” he said, never looking away from the furious Vaeragi gathered ahead of them.
“I’ve lost too much blood… and Illyan…” She moved to touch her wound but thought better of it and dropped her hands. “Why did you—”
“I’ll never leave you, and we can discuss your attempt to have Starlight run me off later,” he declared firmly, his words lacking any anger toward her. “Honestly, I’m out of ideas. We need to get Illyan, but I don’t know how.”
“Ladybug.” Illyan’s voice reached her through the winnox. “He wants revenge. Kaed killed his mate.” She froze. “The Magic, I have to release it soon. You’ll have to—”
I know, Illy, she responded, feeling a chill wash over her as the realization sank in.
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t strong enough.” Their voice crackled in her head, and she could sense their tears. “I’ll protect Kaed until you return.”
With a heavy heart, she acknowledged Illyan’s words and took an unsteady breath. Damn it, damn it, she cursed to herself.
Azahara gently placed her hand on Kaed’s shoulder, feeling the tension in his grip as he held the arrow, poised to release it. Her breathing quickened as she whispered, “Kaed.” She allowed a note of desperation to creep into her voice. “We both won’t make it out of here.”
Her words had to sound believable, convincing enough for the Vaeragi chief to buy into their ruse.
Illyan called through the winnox, and for some reason, Azahara could hear it. “Ku’luk Kakzok!”
The chief turned its head. The Vaeragi did not like Magic, it was evil and foreign. It angered him, and again the chief roared out, “Don’t make me kill you, I spared you because you are innocent in this—even being a Fae.”
Azahara positioned herself in front of Kaed and met his gaze. “No one is dying today,” he asserted firmly. She noticed his hand trembling as he struggled to keep the bow steady, but his voice remained strong.
“I lo—”
Kaed cut her off. “Don’t you fucking dare.
” He shot her a pleading glance. “Not here. Not like you won’t ever say it again.
” For the first time, his strong facade broke.
His eyes glossed over. I’m so sorry. This would genuinely break him, and she feared more what she would return to than what awaited her now.
Her lips parted to protest, but before she could utter a word, rough hands seized her. Kaed extended his hand, but he, too, was forcefully grappled and thrown backward.
“Let her go! NO!” Kaed struggled fiercely against the three Vaeragi who had pinned him to the ground.
In the chaos, the bow was ripped from his hands as she was forcibly torn away from him.
“I’ll give you whatever you want, please, don’t hurt her!
” Kaed’s voice cracked as he screamed, his desperation palpable.
She knew they wanted him dead, and in that moment, he would have willingly dropped to his knees and offered his life if it meant she would live another day.
The problem was that she would do the same.