Eona - Alison Goodman [24]
First step—he swung his sword.
Second—his blade sliced the air.
Third—I was ready, weapon raised, thighs braced. As steel met steel, the hum of my sword rose through me.
Drop your shoulder and roll.
The instruction was like a half-heard whisper, but I obeyed. The soldier’s blade clanged against the stones where I had knelt just a moment before. His surprise held him over his sword. Through Kinra’s eyes I saw the opportunity and swung at his knees, connecting in a messy crunch of bone and blood. Screaming, he crashed to the ground.
I scrabbled across the blood-spattered stones and snatched the second sword. Again, the hum intensified, burning Kinra’s mission into my mind. It was clear I could not survive without her knowledge—but I had to find a way to resist her hunger for the pearl.
I backed up against the lodging house wall. Before me, the battle shifted and twirled like a court dance, counted to the beat of shrieks and cries. My eyes found the white-robed emperor again, still on his horse, still hacking wildly. Kinra’s energy quickened, her warrior knowledge reading the patterns of combat. We both wanted to reach Kygo, but only she had the skill to carve a passage through the fray. I had to let Kinra lead me through the battle. It was a dangerous gamble: I just hoped that when we reached Kygo, he would be facing Eona, his ally, not an ancient traitor intent on slashing the pearl from his throat.
Kinra found the entry point. It was on the emperor’s right flank: a young imperial guard had cut down three attackers, and a wary space had opened up around him. Still, we needed someone to protect our back. I clamped down on the thought; I needed someone to protect my back.
“Ryko!” I yelled. “With me!”
At my call, he broke away from the clumsy thrust of the soldier in front of him.
“Go,” Dela shouted at him. “I’ve got this covered.” She feinted at Ryko’s opponent, drawing his attack. Nearby, the captain had forced a soldier against the lodging house wall, his blade opening up the man’s belly. Hurriedly, I looked away from the spill of entrails.
“My lady, get back inside,” Ryko yelled, running to me. “I’ll help the emperor.”
“No! Disarm him!” Another image—my hand closing around a man’s throat, around the pearl—broke through my defenses. Gathering my will, I focused on Ryko and resisted the humming treachery of the swords.
“My lady,” he pleaded. “I cannot engage the emperor.”
“Then help me stop him.”
Our eyes locked. I felt Ryko’s massive energy like a second pulse through my body—then it melded with the beat of my own heart as though we were one.
“What is that?” he gasped. “Are you doing it?”
“I don’t know.”
An animal scream cut through the cries and clash of metal. The emperor’s horse reared, its forelegs barely touching the cobblestones before it bucked and staggered. The emperor jumped from the animal and landed awkwardly, folding into a tangled heap of white silk.
“Now!” I yelled.
I ran, propelled by Kinra’s exhilaration. From the corner of my eye I saw Ryko stoop and grab a second sword from the ground. The emperor was already clambering to his feet. His terrified horse kicked at dodging men and flickering shadows. I felt Kinra focus on the Imperial Pearl at the emperor’s throat.
I could feel her fixation on the gem, her need to possess it.
A soldier in unfastened body armor turned to meet me, his swords raised in a classic block. Even before I saw his face, I knew it was Lieutenant Haddo. His startled gaze took in my shape under the thin robe. Then his eyes found mine and I saw shock flare into anger. He lowered his blades.
“Put those swords down, woman,” he shouted. “Get back inside. You’ll be hurt.”
I faltered; the man still thought I was defenseless. In my head, I heard a command: Strike him now.
“Stay close to me,” he added.