I Refuse to be a Named Character

Part 4

"How did you...? Ugh, nevermind. You remind me too much of that woman. Just take the Tarif and stay away." He through the bony amulet to me, and I caught it, feeling a sense of relief.

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Luke had survived the second task. Even as a sense of relief came over me, however, I felt a stab of anxiety.

Where is Eric?

I looked around frantically, but he had disappeared. Luke noticed my unease. "What's wrong?"

"Don't move!" A knife was pressed against my throat.

"Eric!" Luke's face was pale, his hand pausing in mid air as he reached out towards me.

I prepared to stomp on his foot and fight him for the knife, but as if he knew what I was considering, he spoke up quickly. "There is a poison on this knife. If I break skin, then you're dead."

I held myself very still, not wanting to test his statement. "You're a traitor."

"No! I mean... yes..." He paused, confused. "Prince Fetter wanted me to kill Lucien... but I didn't want to."

Luke's face was cold. "Betray me or don't betray me. Why are you holding a knife against an innocent's throat?"

"Innocent?" Eric laughed bitterly. "It's her fault you're like this, Your Highness!"

"Like what?"

"Caring, forgiving... WEAK!" Eric shook his head. "You should be standing above the masses, without a hint of remorse for destroying your enemies. You should be strong, ruthless... but instead you worry that she will be disappointed in you! You've lost your strength!" The pressure of the knife against my skin increased. "But don't worry, once I kill her, you'll be fine! You'll be the prince I know you can be."

I couldn't help it, I chuckled.

"Why are you laughing?" Eric's voice was increasing, he sounded panicked.

"You're an idiot. Even if Luke had been vicious and ruthless from the start you would have betrayed him anyways." After all, he had attacked him in the book, even if they didn't explain why.

"No..."

"Then why did you accept the money from Fetter? Do you think he'll be happy enough by you killing a nameless woman at Luke's side? You brought a poisoned dagger along on a trip where you thought it would be just the two of you?" I mocked him. "Stop pretending to be innocent."

"THIS IS YOUR FAULT!" Eric's face was distorted in the corner of my vision, his lips drawn back in a snarl. "YOU..."

I felt his hand move, and closed my eyes, expecting to feel my skin splitting under the blade. This is what I get for getting involved with this stupid plot. Even being a nameless side character wasn't enough to protect me.

But there was no pain. Instead, I felt the brush of skin, and the pressure of the dagger receded. Surprised, I opened my eyes, my heart dropping at the sight in front of me.

Luke's hand gripped around the blade, bright red blood dripping between his fingers. He had rushed forward and grabbed the poisoned dagger, preventing it was cutting my skin.

"Your Highness..." Shocked, Eric dropped the knife, it clattered to the ground with a dull sound. "You..."

BAM! I punched him in the gut, knocking him to the ground.

"I'm glad... you're alright." Luke's face was already pale, he smiled weakly at me as he sank to his knees. The poison was already acting. I reached out, helping him to rest on the ground, taking off my cloak and gently rolling it underneath his head, before turning to Eric with a snarl.