Totrium

Chapter Ten: An Aerial Advantage

Adrian drew his sword, staring back at the redhead in confusion. "Why are you here?" he demanded. "I thought I made myself very clear—"

"Oh, Adrian," Carnadine interrupted in a sing-song voice, circling him with her hand resting against the bright red mace on her hip. "I know you traveled alone to get here. There's not a castle servant in sight. If I were to take you hostage or kill you and your friends, no one in Elderian would come for you. Nobody actually knows where you've run off to, do they?" She grinned as her words caused the blood to drain from his face. "You were all bluster that day at my fortress, and we fell for it. Well, that is no longer the case."

"How do you know I don't have guards stationed out of sight right now, ready to swoop in if you so much as—"

She cut him off with a cackle. "That would be something, wouldn't it? But there aren't any. There's no one coming and nothing to save that magic user now."

"Leave Jacques alone."

"You can't protect him anymore. I will have my execution and this time I'm not dragging it out. His blood spills tonight and you will step aside and watch it happen."

"We'll see about that." He raised his sword challengingly.

She watched him in amusement. "You really play the part of a king. I'm surprised your friends haven't sold you out yet." He glanced to the side at that. "Oh? They don't know, do they?" His expression seemed to convince her further. "You couldn't possibly trust them with a secret like that. That is interesting." She finally took the crimson mace up into her hand. "I almost want to watch them tear you apart when they find out."

She swung the weapon down and Adrian darted out of the way as it cracked the brittle rock underfoot. Dodging her next swings, he barely deflected the last blow and was knocked slightly off balance. Carnadine pressed forward with the mace and Adrian caught it by the handle with his blade; blue eyes going wide as the spikes on the end of the red ball stopped mere inches from his face.

Her brown eyes glistened with energy. "I've prepared my whole life for this moment. Your royal training is no match for me." She thrust the blade back, kicking him in the stomach as she did.

He was thrown back, falling to the ground as the sword flew out of his hand. He went to grab it with his left hand, when she placed her foot firmly on the wrist quicker than he could react. Pinning his arm down, she harshly threw down her mace.

Crying out as the spiked ball tore into the flesh of his forearm with a horrible crack, Carnadine's men simply watched from behind as she lifted the now bloodied spiked ball, pressing her shoe into the fresh wound as she leaned over him.

He whimpered in response, his vision going red and his head spinning uncontrollably as he gripped a hand over the foot, attempting to pull it off but failing miserably.

"Do you see what you're up against now, Your Highness," she said, her lips curled into a sneer. "I'll make you pay for delaying Jacques's inevitable demise, and rest assured, your death will not be swift."

There was a flash of green light.

The pressure on his marred arm was released as Carnadine was blasted off him. He blinked upwards, the pain less excruciating as he registered Jacques now standing over him, an emerald glow surrounding his body.

The leader faced the redhead with a fierce expression. "Take care of him, Zuri," he said gently, his voice having that strange hum to it again.

The inventor was suddenly by Adrian's side, helping him sit up. That's when he really got a good look at his arm. He nearly fainted at the sight of it. The flesh was torn and bloodied, the bone broken and poking out, glistening white and crimson. Before he could gaze at it any longer, Zuri quickly tore a piece of fabric from the sash around Adrian's waist, cinching it painfully around his arm. He gritted his teeth at the sudden pressure.