Page 110 of Slaying the Shadow Prince
Darkness roared around them, swallowing them both in a swirl of obsidian power.
When it faded, Wilder was on the ground, bound and restrained by shadows.
Panting, Wilder looked up at him, shocked. ‘You cheated.’
‘Did I?’ Talemir wheezed, bracing his hands on his thighs to catch his breath. ‘What do we always tell shieldbearers about fair play? What did wejustteach the Naarvians?’
Anger still simmered in the younger warrior’s gaze, but it was not the raw, uncontained rage from before. He scowled up at Talemir. ‘Against evil, fair fighting is a sure way to get yourself killed.’
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Talemir released his shadows, the black wisps drifting off into the air. ‘Exactly.’
Wilder sat up, spitting more blood onto the grass, his bottom lip split.
His own fury ebbing away, Talemir offered his hand. ‘I am sorry, you know.’
Wilder looked at the outstretched palm, conflicting feelings warring in his expression before he reached up. ‘I know.’
Talemir helped him up, both of them grimacing in pain.
‘Your left hook needs work,’ Talemir said quietly.
The look Wilder gave him was incredulous. ‘You truly don’t know when to shut up, do you?’
Talemir gave him a sad smile.
Wilder ignored it and gestured to the horses. ‘We can make it back to camp in time to help if we hurry.’
Talemir froze. ‘I thought I made myself clear. I’m not going back.’
Wilder turned to him, fists already clenching again. ‘I don’t believe you.’
Talemir stood firmly.
‘You’d truly do this? You’d leave her defenceless against your kind? You care that little for her?’
Talemir surged forward, clutching a fistful of Wilder’s shirt, nearly lifting him bodily from the ground. ‘You know nothing of how deeply I care for her.’
‘Then fucking show it.’
‘You said so yourself: I’mone of them, Wilder. How can I —’
‘Use it against them, you stupid bastard,’ Wilder roared. ‘You saved us in the lair. You beat me just now. We fuckingneed you. And not just the Warsword Talemir, but thewraithin you too.’
Talemir hesitated.
‘Tal,’ Wilder said. This time, his voice was gentle. ‘There’s hope —’
‘Were you in the same cavern as I was?’
‘Yes. But I was also thereafteryou left. I found the boy – Gus – the one Adrienne and Drue have been looking for.’
‘What?’
‘He escaped and was wandering the outskirts of the woods. He had wings, but he was himself – a pain in the arse, really, but human… In control… He said there were others like him.’
Talemir wasn’t breathing.
‘I sent him back to camp as I came to find you. Drue and Adrienne will know by now. And if there’s one thing you know about those two, it’s that they won’t leave their people to that fate. They will fight.’
