Khalifa

32 Glimpse

"It had your name under it."

The worry lines on his forehead deepen. "What name?"

"Al Hadi," she says. "I thought it must be you."

"Did I ever write to you with my name before?"

They both look at each other in perplexity. He's thinking behind the mask, already connecting the dots, and her chest tightens at the possibilities of the situation. But they don't get much time to contemplate as more men march down the street towards them with their swords drawn.

"Hand over the girl," one of them demands.

Six of them, Noura quickly counts. Her heart leans to her throat. She who's not as skillful of a fighter and Hadi alone cannot deal with as many. But he steps in front of her and unsheaths his sword.

"Over my dead body."

"Hadi," Noura hushes, "you can't take them all alone, not with one eye and one sword."

"Who are you?" one of the men asks.

"For you, the angel of death," Hadi replies cockily. "What do you want from the girl?"

They don't answer, but simply begin to form a circle around them. Noura moves closer to him. Her consternation chokes her and her fingers twitch. She has nothing for her defense.

"Do you know how to swing a sword?" Hadi inquires.

"Yes, but I've never killed with it before."

"Well then, time to change the unfortunate fact."

He hands her his sword and she has no time to protest as one of the men charges at them. It feels heavy in her hands but she tightens her grip on it. Hadi pulls out another dagger, holding one in each hand, and takes his stance.

"Spare no one," he spits, then leaps forward and ducks as the man swings his sword at him before come behind him to stab him in the neck, and the man falls dead. She nearly throws up at the sight of it.

He proudly wipes his dagger over his thigh. "Now, would you imps come one by one or all at once?"

And they all rush at them at once. Noura feels a shiver run through her and the sword shakes in her hands.

"Great. Let's finish it quicker then," Hadi mocks and swiftly rolls on his feet to stab another man coming towards her, slashing open his abdomin with one dagger and burying the other in his chest before kicking him away.

Her logic seems to be scattered all over the place as she watches him fight, trying to keep the men away from her and manage himself. Two down already. Two at him. And the other two rush towards her.

"Ya Rabbi, help me."

She raises the sword to block an attack before swirling away as the other man bring down his sword too. For a minute it goes on like a dance where she's being being chased and she's only jumping out of the attacking range in her defense. But once she takes control of the situation and it sinks in, she knows there is no escaping the inevitable. Eskander's advice echoes in her ears: if her survival comes at a cost of another life being sacrificed, then let it be.

"Argh!"

She swings the swords full force and cuts the man's arm. His sword falls from his hand and she swings hers back up to cut him across his torso and chest. He falls to the ground and she doesn't give it a thought whether he's alive anymore or not.

His friend immediately takes his places and strikes at her. Noura dodges each of his attempts but they only keep coming more strongly. Their swords clash and he pushes against her. She grips her weapon more tightly but eventually feels her arms giving up on her. Her breaths start coming in short pants and the man forcibly shoves her back. She stumbles and he hits the swords out of her hand. The sound of the metal rings in the air. Noura falls backwards on the ground and he comes to tower over her.