Page 136 of The Moon's Fury
Soraya flinched.
Within seconds, Jamil flew through the clearing, grabbing her arm and pulling her behind him.
The men gaped, three pairs of eyes fixed on the sword pointed at them and the snarling man wielding it.
“Say what you need to say, Soraya,” he bit out. “We’re leaving.” Almeer’s confused gaze found her over his shoulder, and Jamil resisted the urge to block his view.
“Put that away,” Almeer’s father drawled. He shrugged. “Or don’t. When the king’s guard arrives, they’ll know who to disembowel first.”
The color drained from Almeer’s face. “Baba, what have you done?”
Jamil glanced over his shoulder. “Soraya, let’s go. Now.” Her eyes were filled with pain, and it gutted him to see it.
“Goodbye, Almeer,” she said softly.
“Soraya, wait—”
An arrow whizzed past the three men.
Jamil yanked Soraya to the ground, covering her with his body.
Chaos descended.
53
Loud,resoundingfootfallsrangout around them.
The king’s guard had arrived.
Jamil scanned them—ten men, all heavily armed. Two had arrows nocked and ready, pointed at them. The other eight wielded broadswords.
His gaze locked onto Soraya’s, her body trapped beneath his.
“On your feet, Alzahran scum,” the head guard snapped.
Jamil pitched his voice low so only Soraya could hear. “I’m going to stand slowly. Stay behind me and get ready. Things will move fast.”
“I saidget up,” the guard growled again.
Jamil slowly pushed off the ground. Soraya followed.
The guards inched closer.
He pounced.
With practiced motions, his hands reached for his throwing knives strapped inside his sleeves. A heartbeat later, both knives protruded from the eye sockets of the sharpshooters. Theydropped to the ground, loud thuds echoing off the surrounding trees.
The remaining eight men charged at him.
The loud clang of metal rang out.
These first few moments were crucial. The men didn’t yet know what sort of monster they faced—they would be unprepared, assuming their greater number had all but won the fight for them.
They were wrong.
One guard headed for Soraya while the remaining men surrounded him.
Jamil ducked as the first guard’s blade whistled past his head. Seizing the opening, he drove his dagger into the unprotected gap in the man’s armor, twisting it deep.
