Page 104 of Vicious Princess
I arch an eyebrow at Daegel.
“Nice reflexes,” he says.
With a scoff, I charge forwards and away from him.
It’s dark, and there are no sources of light except for the moon hanging above our heads and the lanterns scattered all over the gardens.
Ten targets.As I run, I keep an eye over my shoulder to make sure I know where Daegel is at all ti?—
He’s already gone.Gods damn it.
I whip my head forwards and run into something hard. Hands grip my arms to keep me steady. Without even looking up at Daegel, I twist my arms and push him off me.
“You’re distracted,” he says. “Focus on finding the targets.”
“That’s what I’m doing!”
I whirl around and take a pathway on the right. A few feet away, a muted flash of red catches the corner of my eye. A round target hangs from one of the branches of the plum tree.
Without pausing, I lift my bow and aim an arrow at the target.Don’t betray me now.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Let go.
The arrow lands true. One target down. Nine more to go.
Crunching gravel reaches my ears. I risk a glance over my shoulder, expecting to find Daegel catching up with me.
But it’s a different Ezkai springing after me.
Who the fuck is that?
My heart dips, and I pick up my pace, dashing into a pathway on the left. The Ezkai follows suit.
I focus on keeping my breathing steady as I turn forwards and scout the area for more targets. There’s another ahead of me, propped against one of the low bushes lining the pathway.
I lift my bow and aim.
When the arrow lands true, my chest heaves.Fuck yeah.
The stranger is still following me, steadily closing the distance between us. I don’t think I can outrun a fae Decarios.No way.
Ahead of me, the path breaks into four different directions. I may not outrun him, but I can try to lose him…
Before I can finish the plan in my mind, another Ezkai steps in my way. I don’t know this fae either.
I’m stuck between two strangers slowly closing in on me two both sides.
Fuck the pathways.
Twisting sideways, I hop over the row of low bushes and dart through the grass, passing plum trees. I spot another target hanging from a branch on my left.
I don’t think as I lift the bow and aim the arrow.
My lungs burn from all the running without a break. My feet ache, and I can feel the muscles tensing. Just one fucking second, that’s all I need. But the two damn Ezkai are behind me, not giving me a moment to fucking breathe.
