Mysterious Warriors: Alone by T. N. Hayden Page B

face.
                  The blonde woman stepped forward, but Black Hood’s hand shot out to stop her. “Not yet Hera. Right now I need answers.” Black Hood’s red eye flashed under the shadow of her hood, and she frowned. “I want her. She took everything from me.”
                  What was Black Hood talking about? How did they know each other?
                  “Your brother’s alive.” Galdut stated as he held his sword. “She didn’t kill Brutis, and he would have killed all of us. She lost her leg thanks to him.”
                  “And she will lose her life thanks to me.” Black Hood snarled.
                  Sarasa moved, and a wave of water surrounded herself, long twists and tendrils surrounded her shoulders as she faced Black Hood. “I should have drowned you years ago.”
                  Black Hood laughed. “You don’t have it in you.”
                  Cabaya blinked as she looked between Sarasa, Galdut, and Black Hood. What in Erde were they all talking about? How did they know one another? For the first time since she’d known them, Cabaya wondered exactly who her partners were.
                  “Are we just going to stand and talk, or are you going to attack us?” Cabaya wondered as she held her bow taut. “I’m itching to shoot someone.”
                  “You have no idea what you’ve stepped in the middle of, Girl.” Black Hood’s eyes narrowed. She turned her glare to Sarasa. “You know who I want, and I will have her.”
                  “You know she isn’t stupid enough to fall into any of your traps.”
                  “We shall see.” Black Hood moved her hands and clenched her fists. She disappeared in black and red fire.
                  Cabaya gasped. Unlike Strike’s magic, there was no mist left behind.
                  The blonde woman moved faster than Cabaya anticipated, bringing her sword around to strike at the group. Cabaya jumped back, slamming her back into a building as Galdut’s blade stuck the woman’s with a shattering ring.
                  The blonde, Hera, laughed as she kicked him.
                  Galdut fell, and Sarasa snapped tendrils of water at the woman. Hera cut through the moisture, and she tossed blades at the Fairy.
                  Cabaya grabbed her fallen bow and had it strung in time to loose an arrow as Hera turned to attack her once again. The arrows hit the blonde, and she fell to the ground.
                  “Are you alright?” Cabaya rushed to help Galdut to his feet.
                  He nodded. “Sarasa?”
                  “I’m okay.”
                  “Does Black Hood want Kitnan?” Cabaya looked at Sarasa.
                  Sarasa nodded and flapped her wings. “She’ll have to tell you someday. It seems Black Hood is here for revenge.”
                  “And she’s willing to bring her fight against the royal family of Zorba’s Reach.” Galdut shook his head. “She’s dangerous, and we can never underestimate her.”
                  Cabaya nodded. The Boss was dangerous in Whitehaven, but Black Hood was even more powerful.
     
                  Queen Margaret fluffed the veil as it drizzled back in front of her face. She looked around the ballroom and smiled. She was pleased Tara finally accepted the baron’s request to court, and their courtship was the theme of the ball. She walked through the crowd, holding her lace fan in front of her.
                  Snapping the fan closed, the queen frowned at a lady. “Where is your veil?”
                  The woman blinked several times, and the queen flipped her fan open once again. “This is a themed occasion to celebrate my daughter’s courtship.” Queen