Swords of Gilded Crimson

Chapter 52 | Disarray |

**And now the story returns to Kalena's perspective.**

From beneath Nikolai's wings, still wrapped rigidly around me, I managed to make out the flicker of a steel blade as it tore through the air from above. Less than a second later, the wail of a soldier alarmingly close, rung out across the courtyard. Still fraught from the barrage of arrows, my thoughts were in too much disarray to understand what was happening. But somewhere, somehow either of us had earned the sheer luck of the archers having been compromised...

'Get up.' I rasped to Nikolai. 'We need to run while they're down.'

He rose his head to survey what was now transpiring in the courtyard, and perhaps above it, too. Whatever it was that he'd seen, helped ascertain my argument, and he took to heaving his body off of mine. But his breaths lengthened to laborious panting once again. I could see, all too transparently, the toll that each of the ashen arrows had taken on him. Still lodged into his dismembered wings, they dripped with the crimson of his blood with each movement he yearned to make. Almost instinctually, my hands shot up to his arms, helping to bear his weight.

My wounds incurred in the previous combat throbbed, but there was greater pain in seeing him in this state. Even when all these years, gore and bloodshed had always failed to repulse me. But it seemed that wasn't the only factor fuelling my incredulity... behind Nikolai, I almost spotted a flash of blonde hair. And not Christina's as I first rationed, because my next disbelieving glimpse was of fighting leathers; dark maroon in colour. Unlike the squadron of guards I'd fought upon arrival, these were lush, and rich in padding. I would've squinted for more, but a streaking blade pelted from the incomer... missing my ear scarcely by an inch, it struck the heart of a soldier who'd been approaching us from behind me. My head whipped back to the source of which the blade had been projected.

'Meira.' I clutched Nikolai's shoulder as I remarked again. 'It's Meira.'

'So the poisons reach the head that quick, do they?' His voice was light, and hoarse, but somehow he couldn't abstain from the chance to comment. 'But of all people, I didn't think the first person you'd hallucinate, would be-'

With a roll of my eyes, I put my hand to his other shoulder, turning him around. 'Behind you.'

As if on cue, Meira collided with us just as Nikolai was able to see the truth of the supposed hallucination. But that was all I'd perceived, before the turbid ambience of faerie magic swarmed around us.

She'd winnowed. The next to meet us was what I felt like I hadn't encountered in days: clean air. I took it in with sweet, gratifying breaths. Meira had winnowed us to the outskirts of the forest harbouring Torrine's prison compound, where the air was even more fresh and plentiful, by virtue of the dense, green vegetation surrounding us. I turned to Nikolai, still unable to register what had just happened.

Except his gaze was locked on her. Despite retaining firm, unrelenting composure all night, he chose now to relinquish the hold on the raw pain that I knew had been roiling in him the entire time. Tears however silent in their motion, slid down his face in a cascade of anguish he'd succumbed to.

Meira reflected every emotion. Her own face was already streaked with tears as she made a grab for him, wrapping her arms around him whole. His wings, though wrecked in their form, inched to curve towards her as he softened into her embrace. Meanwhile she buried her head into his shoulder as the sobs shuddered through her. Even still, she murmured light insults, anger at the current situation yet prevalent. 'Stupid prick. How could you-'

He cut her off by simply squeezing tighter.

I looked away, uncomfortable in the odd placing. A few metres away was a well polished steed, saddled with a small bag and cloak that was undoubtedly hers. Though I'd let it occupy my time for a bit longer of a wait before glancing back, I saw them still hugging; still immersed in their sudden reunion. I didn't know much about their relationship, but had never thought them to be so, incredibly close.