Page 287 of Scorched Earth

“Trust the Six,” Killian answered. “And myself.”

“So, no plan, then?” Agrippa shook his head. “Got it.”

Astara abruptly veered up, flapping a dozen feet above the ground, and Killian said, “Give me the count of two hundred to get through, then you come. Lydia and Malahi follow. We handle the killing, and they do the rest. That enough of a plan for you?”

“It’ll do.”

Leaping off the side of Surly, Killian checked his supply of weapons, then drew his sword as he approached the black crystal juttingfrom the ground. “Start counting,” he called to Agrippa, then he reached out a hand and took hold of the xenthier.

Everything turned white, and Killian was struck with the sense of an endless void of nothing. Yet every instinct screamedparry, and as the world reappeared, he lifted his blade even as the icy cold of the north hit him in the face.

The clang of steel striking steel filled his ears, and Killian rolled, coming to his feet in time to block another blow. The impact made his arm shudder, his mind registering that one of the corrupted held the blade even as his instincts screamed of an attack from behind.

Whirling, he ducked under a swing that would have taken his head off, then plunged his blade through the woman’s heart. His sword stuck on her ribs as he tried to pull it clear, and abandoning the weapon, he drew a knife and threw.

It struck a man in the eye. The corrupted shrieked and staggered back, the injury not enough to kill him. But there was no time to finish the job as another corrupted approached, her movements too quick to be human. If Killian hadn’t been marked by Tremon, the slash of her knife would have opened his jugular. Instead, he got his arm in the way, wincing as the force of her blow drove broken links of chain mail into his flesh. Ignoring the pain, he drew another knife.

Their blades clashed once. Twice. Three times, each reaction faster than thought, only endless hours of training keeping him from being sliced to ribbons as she pressed closer.

Killian lashed out with his fist, taking a blow to the ribs in order to send the corrupted stumbling back. His knife followed, flipping end over end to embed in her throat.

The corrupted ripped it out, but Killian already had his bow in hand, letting loose an arrow that punched through the corrupted’s skull.

Drawing two more arrows, he launched them in rapid succession into the man who was staggering in circles with Killian’s knife in his eye.

But more came on.

If they’d been smart, they’d have attacked together, but their greed to be the ones to steal his life outweighed logic, and they jockeyed between each other, giving him the chance to rip his sword loose from the corpse.

Then Agrippa appeared.

The other man didn’t so much as stumble. He instantly let an arrow fly into one of the black-clad corrupted, following with another and another, giving Killian room to attack.

There was no time for caution, so he dove in with force, taking off limbs to slow them down enough for Agrippa to finish them off, and within what felt like a few heart beats, only still forms lay on the ground around them.

But Lydia and Malahi had still not yet come through.

Breathing hard, Killian stared at the crystal, panic rising because if they were in trouble, there was no way back to them.

“Come on,” Agrippa whispered, wiping away the blood running down his face from a cut on his brow. “I said a count of one hundred.”

In his mind’s eye, Killian saw the waves of blighters coming too quickly. Cutting through Bercola and her forces and rolling over Lydia and Malahi before they could go through the path. Or worse, the pair of them refusing to abandon the soldiers and staying to fight. Lydia falling into the darkness of her mark, all hope lost.

“Come on,” Agrippa repeated. “Come on!”

The women abruptly appeared together, both stumbling, only Killian’s reflexes keeping them from falling into the blood-splattered snow.

“I said one at a time.” Agrippa leveled a finger at them, his face still pale. “That’s the rule.”

“Whose rule?” Malahi demanded.

“The rule of smart people who don’t want to die!” He caught hold of his wife and pulled her into his arms. “Gods, Malahi. Don’t scare me like that.”

Gwen and Lena also broke Agrippa’s rule, flying through the stem with their hands locked and landing in a heap. “Get out of the way!” Agrippa shouted. “By the Six, we need some proper training when this is all through.”

A cool hand closed around Killian’s wrist, and the pain of his injuries disappeared as he looked down into Lydia’s green eyes. They were liquid bright as she said, “The giants and the rest of our soldiers were holding them back, but… Astara said a sea of blighters were coming. She went to find Dareena for aid, but I don’t know how long we have. We need to make every moment count.”

Killian intended to. Catching hold of her face, he lowered his head and kissed her. “I love you. No matter what happens, remember that.”