Wings of Eden

Chapter Fifty Two

The king's blood was warmer than Lyris', an observation she shouldn't have been making. Had she been wrong about his teleportation ability? It didn't matter now; her strategy was screwed. So much for that all-nighter.

Queen Aleksi screamed and pulled away, tears streaming down her face. Eithien laughed, looking more sadistic than Quinn had ever seen anyone. It was sickening.

"Ah...I've waited so long to do this."

He watched as crimson dripped from his empty hands, his weapon seemingly dissolved. Then he pressed his fingers together and smeared the mess on his cloak, turning to face the queen. Quinn looked at Elyria quickly, mouthing the word run. She didn't need to be told twice—in just a few seconds, she was gone, slamming the door behind her. Mana limbs followed, tying themselves into a blockade by the door. No more company could join them.

"I suppose it's your turn, now," Eithien purred, edging closer to the queen. Quinn readied her bow, forcing herself to move. A violet scythe appeared in his hands, and a stream of water surrounded him. She aimed.

A black twist of mana emerged from the floor, catching Quinn's arrow before it had the chance to hit. Eithien looked at her with a smile. "Pleasure to see you here."

The water came rushing at him like a whip. A cloud swallowed him whole, and he reappeared behind the queen, unfazed. He swung his scythe towards her core, and Trelisti jumped in, catching it with one hand.

Quinn thanked the gods his shieldskin had worked.

Trelisti drew a knife from his thigh, swiping up towards Eithien's chest. He stepped back, holding his chain in front of him like a shield. Quinn's mind flicked back to the time he'd caught her with it, just moments before he'd nullified her magic. Was it the chain that had done it? Or was it his touch?

Trelisti grabbed another dagger, then swiftly brushed behind him. Quinn aimed her bow at the same time, sending another arrow flying towards his chest. Eithien teleported away, keeping his focus on the queen. His scythe sailed towards the woman, closing space between her and the wall. Shit—could anyone stop him from that side?

Water, rapid and clear, shot from the queen's hand. The scythe slowed, then toppled to the ground. With pressure alone, the queen rendered his weapon useless, and—

And Eithien appeared behind her, stabbing her through the chest with a newly-formed dagger. Her eyes widened in shock, then blood poured out of her mouth, and he let her drop to the floor.

"I hope my face haunts you in death," he scathed, voice a bitter hiss. "The way that yours did to me."

Quinn's stomach churned. She didn't want to know what he meant.

Blue flame erupted around Eithien, Mirtis' doing. All Quinn could see was a shadow in the light, then its disappearance. She whipped around, expecting him to appear beside her. He didn't.

Instead, he continued his earlier spar with Trelisti, lunging forward with the still-bloodied dagger. Quinn watched as he dodged a swing towards his neck, then made it behind Eithien in an agile movement. He tore through his side before he had time to turn, and she saw crimson reflect off his blade. Trelisti had gotten a hit in—good.

Eithien clenched his jaw and swung again, missing Trelisti's throat by a hair. Mauve glowed underneath his shirt, and the flesh melded together, healing itself instantly. The scene became a flurry of blades and movement, impossible to track or predict. When Quinn aimed for Eithien, her arrows bounced off Trelisti's shieldskin. When she aimed near Trelisti, they were caught by Eithien's mana limbs. She'd need to find a different way to attack, or at least get far away enough that she wouldn't be in the way of Mirtis' flames.