Page 239 of A Touch of Poison
Dimly, I became aware of the quiet surrounding Ella and her relentless assault—the fight was over.
Ari watched, eyes wide, jaw slack. Perry leant on the doorframe, eyebrows almost at her hairline. Even as a beast-woman, Rose looked shocked, panting as she stared.
“Ella?” Magic contained, I caught her wrist. “You got him.”
Aside from the breaths heaving through her, she went still and blinked at the gory candlestick. Slowly, she nodded and swallowed, her creamy skin and caramel hair spattered in blood. “I did, didn’t I?”
“You did.” I patted her arm and pulled the makeshift weapon from her grip.
Her eyes narrowed and she gave me a firm nod. “Good. If we were all poisonous, they’d watch their fucking tongues.”
I huffed a laugh. “They would.”
Rose bared her teeth. “They really fucking would.”
The fading rage left Ella trembling and pale, so I urged her onto the settee and wiped the blood off her as best I could.
Perry and Rose checked the attackers. They looked pretty dead. It might’ve been useful for questioning, but our survival was more important.
Eight in total—three in the parlour and five more in the corridor. Considering only two of us were trained fighters, we hadn’t done too badly.
“Nope. Dead as a doornail.” Perry winced as she checked on the last of the fallen fae, and I caught her clutching her thigh. Blood seeped between her fingers. Hers, not her enemy’s.
“Shit, Perry.” I rushed in at the same time Rose did, and we caught her between us.
“I’m fine.” She waved us off, and we let go just long enough to prove that she couldn’t stand on her own.
“You’re not. The question ishownot fine are you?” My heart clenched as Rose pulled up Perry’s skirts to get a closer look, shifting back to fully human.
“It’s a clean cut, but deep.” Her eyebrows drew together. “No major blood vessels, but you’re not going anywhere—that will only make you bleed more. Ari, can you embroider some makeshift bandages to help staunch it?”
Ari—mild-mannered, shy Ari—knelt by the man Ella had killed, pulling off his leather cuirass and peering at the bloody clothes beneath.
“Uh, Ari? I didn’t realise you were into dead bodies, but… we could use your help.”
Face flushed, Ari turned to me. “You’re going to want to see this.”
90
Bastian
As soon as I set foot in Dusk, I exhaled.
Granted, archers meant I had to huddle behind upturned tables acting as makeshift barricades, but this was still the right side of the palace—as close to home as any place got. And the reports said there was less fighting on this side, which would allow me to move freely and get back to Dawn to find the king, while my other half searched for Kat.
Dusk guards acknowledged me as we waited for the barrage of enemy arrows to abate from when I’d opened the door.
“You holding up all right?” I asked the violet-haired woman sharing the table with me, as thud after thud struck the surface.
“Just another day at work.” She flashed a grin. “We’re expecting reinforcements soon. That’s what the messenger just said, anyway.” She nodded towards the lodestone.
“Good. Just hold on until then and you’ll flank them nicely. Plus, this is your home, not theirs. They’re in unknown territory.”
As she nodded, the arrows fell silent—no sense in wasting all their ammunition.
I waited to the count of ten, then sent out my shadows as I had at Dawn’s door.
This time, just as I charged, there was an answering cry from the opposite side of the gathered attackers. Our reinforcements.
