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I pushed it deep, dragging it across — widening the wound.

A sword arced towards me in the corner of my vision, and I just barely managed to deflect Korym's blow.

Jumping back, I raised my daggers in a guard.

Korym held up his own sword, smiling as Holden shifted back to human form behind him — staggering around naked as he tried to hold back the tide of blood pouring from his neck.

Panicked eyes wide, he reached out to grab Korym'sshoulder, but the battle mage shrugged off his touch, refusing to acknowledge the dying man.

"Well done. But you should know you can't win against me, Savior," Korym said, a smile curling his lips. "Lady Frexin has finally realized you don't belong with us. So Ifinallyget to kill you and that bit of weakness you bring out in her."

"It's called humanity, you fucking monster," I snarled.

Korym tilted his head back and laughed as Holden sank to his knees, clutching his neck.

"So it is. So it is." Korym smiled as his korra hit me, flooding my senses with something almost like corruption.

I winced and buffeted myself against it. But as the sickening darkness surrounded me, Tye's strength began to leave and my eyes went wide.

"I'm sorry, Kaiya," Korym said. "I know how much you dislike my korra, but I can't have you using those nasty shifter powers."

Fuck! Before all my strength left, I threw a dagger at his chest.

He grabbed it midair, just as I'd expected, noticing too late that I'd used the distraction to close the gap between us and slam the other dagger into his sword arm.

His cut arm sagged to his side, and I yanked the blade free from his weakened grip, slicing in a smooth motion across his midsection, parting the skin and cloth like butter…

Korym staggered back, and I sliced again and again across his chest and face.

Andstillthe damn mage wouldn't fall.

Tye's strength was almost gone beneath the weight of Korym's sickly korra, but I wouldn't stop.

I had to kill him!

With a hoarse yell, I took hold of his own sword and plunged it into his heart. Then I retrieved my daggers from his hand and shoulder, and stabbed them through his ears.

"Die!!" I screamed.

But the bastard just smiled, toothy grin red with foamy blood.

My hands shook from exhaustion as I tried to pull back my blades, but I'd used up the last of my energy and could only stagger back to Jaiel as the mage lifted his hands.

He truly is unkillable!

Korym calmly reached up and pulled the daggers from his head, tossing them to the ground before sliding the sword from his chest.

His wounds slowly closed, knitting together, skin wet with blood.

No!

"Tut tut, little Savior. It will take a lot more than a shifter's strength or a few little blades to fell me."

He pointed the sword at me. "Now, before I kill you, I must know — how did you use magic despite the collar?The secret to overcoming demon steel is something I would very much like to know."

My vision swam as my knees gave out, but Jaiel loomed to my right. I couldn't give up. Not yet.

Korym gripped my chin, fingers sharp and painful as he forced me to look up at him.