Page 80 of Vicious Princess
The iron and reclaimed wood is too heavy, though. The General is pinned beneath it, blood soaking through his uniform. Color drains from his face.
I strain against the edge, but it won’t budge.
I’m too weak. Just a human.
I curse under my breath.
“Don’t worry, cadet,” the General says. He lifts his eyes. Not to me—to Yal behind me. “Don’t let him escape.”
I pivot.
Yal is trying to crawl towards a discarded blade, leaving a streak of blood in his wake.
No.
I charge and slam him to the ground. When I straddle his back, he bucks under me, an elbow driving into my ribs. Pain shoots through my side.
My blade finds his cheek. First cut is too shallow.Shit.
Even injured, a fae Decarios is powerful.
He hisses, blood staining his teeth. “I will not die at the hands of a human.”
“Yeah,” I say through clenched teeth, trying to keep him down. I grip the back of his skull and drag my blade across his throat. “We’ll see about that, asshole.”
He gurgles, convulses, and stills beneath me.
Suddenly, I have nothing left to give. I collapse next to the body. My muscles shake so hard, I drop the bloody dagger.
Just one breath. One damn breath.
There’s movement at the corner of my eye.
The damn fae with braids I knocked out earlier is back on her feet.Damn it. I should’ve finished her.
Her eyes are feral as she stalks towards the General. Blood trickles from her temple.
The General moves fast for a man half crushed. He yanks two iron stars from his belt and hurls them into her chest.
She staggers and snarls. “You think this will stop a Caligos? We endure much worse to earn our keep.”
I lift my bow with shaking arms.
Don’t fail me now.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Let go.
The arrow splits the air. A heartbeat later, it lodges deep in her chest. A lifeless body crumples besides the General.
“Nice shot, Wildarrow,” the General says, voice faint.
I blink, eyes wide. “You know my name, sir?”
He chuckles, which turns into a wheezing cough. One of his lungs must be punctured.
