Page 164 of Warlord's Plaything

Her blade slashes toward his throat, but he catches it—barely.

Their swords grind together, sparks flying, their eyes locking in pure, seething hatred.

Kaelith falters.

He was expecting me.

He wasn’t expecting her.

"You think you can stop this?"Kaelith snarls, pushing her back.

Hira spits blood and grins.

"I know I can."

Kaelith is strong.

Fast.

A master of magic and steel.

But he is not invincible.

Not against both of us.

Not when his power is already slipping.

Not when his empire is already falling.

And as we close in, as the fight turns against him?—

I see it.

The end.

The moment before the final strike.

The last piece of this fucking war.

And Kaelith knows it too.

"You think this is over?"

His voice is calm.

Too calm.

My stomach twists.

I know that tone.

I’ve used it myself.

It’s the voice of a man who has a final move left to play.

And then Kaelith disappears.

One second he is there.

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