From Darkness Won - Jill Williamson [189]
She gasped. “But you are dead!”
“We’ll see about that, boy!” His nasally voice brought a flash of memories that coated Averella’s palms in sweat. He raised his massive sword, which was as long as Averella was tall, and lunged.
She scooted aside, keeping her shield in front. The blow struck her shield and knocked her through the air. She crumpled against the parapet and hit her head. Her helm slipped off. She scrabbled to pull it back on, but the damage had been done.
“You,” Khai said. “You thought you killed me that day in Mitspah.” He cackled. “It’s true, my lady. You did. Just as your lover killed my prince by lopping off his arm. But our master cures even death.”
“You are not cured,” Averella said. “You will still die someday, and then you will have to face Arman.”
“Doubtful. For today, Arman will lose once and for all.”
“You always did brag too much, Khai.” Jax stood behind him with the two remaining Old Kingsguard soldiers. All but Khai had been defeated.
Khai sighed extra loudly. “Don’t think you can beat me because you’re a giant. It’ll take more than the four of you to fell me.”
“Everything with you is always an exaggeration,” Jax said. “The boasts from your lips, the length of your sword, the strength of your so-called gods… You cannot compensate for your shortcomings with deception. The truth is always revealed in time.”
“Let it be revealed, then.” Khai screamed and charged.
Jax and Khai spun in a whirl of strikes and parries. But once they had turned halfway round, Khai retreated, running north up the sentry wall. Jax took off after him. Averella followed, not wanting to lose sight of Jax.
At the apex of the scallop that wrapped around the gardens, Khai turned to face Jax. He chanted, hand outstretched, but Averella was too far back to hear. Jax stepped slowly toward Khai, but before he could strike, a green ball of fire shot from Khai’s outstretched hand and into the sentry walk, right where Jax stood. Another struck the battlement. Averella cowered under her shield as the chunks of stone and sand rained down like hail. When the sound stopped, she looked out.
The whitestone floor crumbled like sand under Jax’s feet and spilled into the water. Jax stumbled, and the wall caved under his feet. He reached up to grab the nearest merlon, but it broke off in his grip, and he fell down into the dark water.
Averella’s heart seemed to fall with the giant. She glanced across the destruction to see Khai lower his hand.
“You coward!” Averella yelled.
“Don’t like my style?” Khai extended his arms and bowed. “Come fight me yourself then, my lady.” He turned and fled up the sentry walk toward the watchtower.
35
Achan ran up the spiral stairwell from the dungeon, breath heavy from the weight of his armor. Sir Caleb led their squad, followed by Sir Rigil and Bran, then a half dozen soldiers Achan didn’t know, then Cortland, Manu, and himself. Shung, Toros, and Cole were directly behind him, and the rest of their squad brought up the rear.
Achan hadn’t thought it fair to deny anyone his or her place in fighting for their freedom, not even Sparrow. So Cole had been put in charge of carrying the banner of Armonguard.
Achan tried to focus on the task ahead as if it were merely a training. Take the watchtower. Nothing more. Nothing less. Simply take the watchtower. But his thoughts bounced down trails like a jackrabbit.
Had he grown up here, as he should’ve, would this stairwell be familiar?
Was Prince Oren lost? Or would he return to his body?
This was Achan’s home. Unless he failed.
But Arman was with him, so he couldn’t fail, right?
If Darkness didn’t recede when Lord Nathak was killed, would Arman explain how to push it back?
Achan craved Sparrow’s encouragement. She had left her mind open to his, a fact that bolstered his hope for their future. He dared a peek through her eyes. She stood on a sentry wall behind a kneeling bowman, who fired into a charge of New Kingsguard knights.
Achan’s foot caught on a step and he stumbled. Shung grabbed his belt, saving him from crashing against