butterfish and tunacraws.
She licked her lips. The fish would make a tasty treat, but she couldn't risk it. The goliaths showed no signs of leaving, and she couldn't allow Lukor to become aware of their presence. He might decide not to help her and bring her to his ruler. War would start immediately.
Ivy straightened from her crouched position, and a twig snapped beneath her feet.
Despite the splashing of water, the goliaths turned as a unit toward her.
Before the closest could reach for his morning star from the bank, her arrow pierced his neck. Her next missed its mark as the goliaths rushed toward her.
Ah, close combat. Her preferred method of destruction.
Specks of water flew from the nearest goliath onto her and landed on her. The stench from its mouth, the evil glint in its yellow eyes, the dull shine on its blade — all enough to engage her Bloodlust. She hacked and sliced and swung. Clangs, screams, hisses, grunts, the beating of their hearts racing and then stopping, the whoosh of the blade arching through air, the subtle gasp of flesh opening — every sound was heightened.
Once the last heartbeat faded and ended, Ivy opened her eyes. She had killed every goliath and every fish.
How much time had lapsed? Was Lukor looking for her? Ivy dragged the goliath bodies into the water, stole a few smaller weapons — including a deadly star-shaped scalpel and a half-mooned double blade — and made her way her way back toward their camp.
Water dripped from her skirt, but thankfully, most signs of the battle had washed away when she'd dumped the bodies. Her stomach growled, but she hadn't the time to risk eating a fish. If Lukor saw it, he might want one.
His back was to her when she approached him.
"Let's go," she demanded, her voice full of authority, steely, harsh. "Please," she added more softly. At all times, she needed to be gentle and kind. Something she had to keep reminding herself. A most difficult task, considering her Bloodlust threatened to overwhelm her each time she saw him, based on the knowledge that he wanted their races to engage each other in war.
With a slow, deliberate turn, Lukor faced her, a wide smile on his face. "Yes," he agreed. "Unless you want to try resting again. I'll keep watch."
She closed her eyes a moment to keep her facial muscles relaxed. If she had to guess, he was trying to turn the tables on her and seduce her. Fair play.
Returning his smile, she shook her head. "If we do not stop, we can reach the Spirit Realm before nightfall."
"True, but to enter it during the night..."
Ivy stepped closer to him. The skirt of her dress twirled around her knees and upper calves. "Don't tell me you're scared."
"Nothing frightens me."
She believed him. Not even she did. After all, he had survived an encounter with her Bloodlust, as unfathomable as that was. "Besides, don't you know a shorter way through it?"
"A path, yes. It will still take us at least two days inside."
"Please be my guide."
He smiled at her again, and the barest traces of distress vanished from his features, making her questions its existence. The look on his features — so strange. He appeared almost nice. As if a goliath could be. Goliaths were almost as bloodthirsty as barbarians. Perhaps elves and dwarves and humans never should have crossbred in the first place.
Which of the three elder races had come about first, no one knew. Elves claimed themselves, as did humans. Dwarves said nothing on the matter. Elvish and human blood sang in brutal harmony within barbarian's veins. Dwarves and humans had created goliaths. And the savage trolls were the result of elves and dwarves — the most recent union, and one no one had thought would have ever happened.
Goliaths, trolls, and dwarves had never mingled together, nor had any bound themselves to one of their elder races. The thought of giving herself to anyone, barbarian or one of another race, made Ivy's stomach clench, reminding her of its emptiness. It was all
She licked her lips. The fish would make a tasty treat, but she couldn't risk it. The goliaths showed no signs of leaving, and she couldn't allow Lukor to become aware of their presence. He might decide not to help her and bring her to his ruler. War would start immediately.
Ivy straightened from her crouched position, and a twig snapped beneath her feet.
Despite the splashing of water, the goliaths turned as a unit toward her.
Before the closest could reach for his morning star from the bank, her arrow pierced his neck. Her next missed its mark as the goliaths rushed toward her.
Ah, close combat. Her preferred method of destruction.
Specks of water flew from the nearest goliath onto her and landed on her. The stench from its mouth, the evil glint in its yellow eyes, the dull shine on its blade — all enough to engage her Bloodlust. She hacked and sliced and swung. Clangs, screams, hisses, grunts, the beating of their hearts racing and then stopping, the whoosh of the blade arching through air, the subtle gasp of flesh opening — every sound was heightened.
Once the last heartbeat faded and ended, Ivy opened her eyes. She had killed every goliath and every fish.
How much time had lapsed? Was Lukor looking for her? Ivy dragged the goliath bodies into the water, stole a few smaller weapons — including a deadly star-shaped scalpel and a half-mooned double blade — and made her way her way back toward their camp.
Water dripped from her skirt, but thankfully, most signs of the battle had washed away when she'd dumped the bodies. Her stomach growled, but she hadn't the time to risk eating a fish. If Lukor saw it, he might want one.
His back was to her when she approached him.
"Let's go," she demanded, her voice full of authority, steely, harsh. "Please," she added more softly. At all times, she needed to be gentle and kind. Something she had to keep reminding herself. A most difficult task, considering her Bloodlust threatened to overwhelm her each time she saw him, based on the knowledge that he wanted their races to engage each other in war.
With a slow, deliberate turn, Lukor faced her, a wide smile on his face. "Yes," he agreed. "Unless you want to try resting again. I'll keep watch."
She closed her eyes a moment to keep her facial muscles relaxed. If she had to guess, he was trying to turn the tables on her and seduce her. Fair play.
Returning his smile, she shook her head. "If we do not stop, we can reach the Spirit Realm before nightfall."
"True, but to enter it during the night..."
Ivy stepped closer to him. The skirt of her dress twirled around her knees and upper calves. "Don't tell me you're scared."
"Nothing frightens me."
She believed him. Not even she did. After all, he had survived an encounter with her Bloodlust, as unfathomable as that was. "Besides, don't you know a shorter way through it?"
"A path, yes. It will still take us at least two days inside."
"Please be my guide."
He smiled at her again, and the barest traces of distress vanished from his features, making her questions its existence. The look on his features — so strange. He appeared almost nice. As if a goliath could be. Goliaths were almost as bloodthirsty as barbarians. Perhaps elves and dwarves and humans never should have crossbred in the first place.
Which of the three elder races had come about first, no one knew. Elves claimed themselves, as did humans. Dwarves said nothing on the matter. Elvish and human blood sang in brutal harmony within barbarian's veins. Dwarves and humans had created goliaths. And the savage trolls were the result of elves and dwarves — the most recent union, and one no one had thought would have ever happened.
Goliaths, trolls, and dwarves had never mingled together, nor had any bound themselves to one of their elder races. The thought of giving herself to anyone, barbarian or one of another race, made Ivy's stomach clench, reminding her of its emptiness. It was all
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