Alison Goodman - Eon - Dragoneye Reborn

'Got you now,' the soldier said, advancing down the narrow space.

I swung around and spun both blades up into starting position, Kinra's sword held above my head, my left hand aiming the point of the other blade at his throat.

'Oh ho,' the soldier laughed, immediately Jingling his weapons. 'Who showed you that?'

I watched his eyes, wailing for the sign of attack It was a small huff of breath, a flicker of his eyelids us he lunged. My body was already moving into a block, Kinra's sword took the down thrust of his blade, my body singing with my ancestor's knowledge. With her rage. I swept the other blade around and connected with his hurriedly lowered sword. The impact jarred through my arm, but he was off balance and I pushed forwards. I had to get out of the confined space between the bales.

Tiger cuffs and claws.

This time I trusted the instinct that shifted my muscles and sinews into the form, riding the ancient skill that sent both blades working in quick punishing hits that the soldier barely blocked. One tip caught his arm and drew blood. His eyes widened, his breath quickening.

Slowly, my volley of blows forced him back into the alley.

'I can beat you,' I said levelly I did not want to hurt this man; I just wanted to get to the grate.

'I don't think so, little girl.' His face tightened as he put all his strength behind a vicious blow.

I just managed to deflect it, the impact bending my wrist back into sharp agony He sliced his other blade in a tight arc, the wicked move aimed at my throat. I swung into a block, his blade sliding up into the hilt of Kinra's sword. My muscles tensed, knowing that his next move was a lethal swing at my head.

Rat drops to ground.

I pulled free. My body fell back, landing heavily on the stone paving, all my breath punched out of my lungs. Above me, I saw the soldier's surprise as his sword swung through air, making him stagger. There was no time to think. Gasping, I pushed myself up at him and drove Kinra's sword into his thigh. The tip sliced through flesh and hit bone, opening his leg in a slash that pulsed with blood. He screamed and jerked away pulling himself off my blade. One sword dropped with a clang as he clutched at the spurtng wound. For a second we were both still with shock, then he staggered towards me, fuelled by rage and pain, his other sword raised for the killing stroke.

Dragon whips tail.

For a second, I was back fighting Ranne on the ceremony sands. But this time, there was no doubt, no hesitation. I spun over onto my hands and knees and kicked backwards, connecting with the soldier's down stroke. His sword hit the stone in a ringing toll as I twisted around on my knees and plunged Kinra's sword up into his body, her ancient knowledge guiding the thrust into his vital pathway of Hua. I pulled it free, severing his life force in a gush of blood.

His agonised cry was lost in the clicking rasp of a last breath. He collapsed onto the ground beside me, the sour release of urine mixing with the coppery stink of fresh blood. The smell of death.

I scrabbled back against a crate. The spirit had already gone from his eyes, but their flat stare held me pinned against the rough wood. My swords dropped from my hands. I had done this to him; stopped the flow of precious Hua. I groped for reason: he was trying to kill me. I was defending myself. I had survived. Relief surged into fierce exhilaration then just as quickly drained into shivering horror. He was so still. Death was so silent. So indifferent. It was only made to matter in the hearts and minds of men.

And women.

I looked away from the sightless stare. This man's death would matter to me forever.

The sound of running steps brought me onto my knees. I grabbed Kinra's sword as Ryko rounded the corner of the alley with his arm around Lady Dela's waist, dragging her in a half run.

'Get to the grate,' he yelled, 'They're coming.'

I struggled to my feet.

'Don't kill the girl!' It was Ido's voice.

Ryko hauled Lady Dela past the first stack. Her body was slumped against his tight hold, her face ominously pale.

'Take her,' Ryko said.

I caught her weight, barely managing to swing her around and rest her against the crate. There was fresh blood seeping through the bandaging and ripped armour. Her eyelids flickered.

Ryko eyed the bloodied sword in my hand. Are you all right?'

'I'm fine,' I said.

'Here.' He passed me its twin, sending a surge of new energy into my exhausted reserves. 'Go.

I'll hold them off.'

The mouth of the alley was suddenly blocked by men. Four of them in dark, close-fitting armour: Ido's private guard. Two men immediately came forwards, swords raised. Behind them, Ido swept a searching glance along the corridor, his height giving him a clear view.

Although his face was in shadow, I knew the moment his eyes found me.

'I want her alive,' he ordered and there was a caress in his voice. 'The others you can kill.'

Ryko picked up the dead swordsman's weapons. 'For Shola's sake, get going,' he hissed. 'I'm not going to last long.'

He ran to meet Ido's front guard. They were already past the first stack and angled themselves ready for his momentum. The crash of metal against metal reverberated off the stone walls, the force of the guard's blows pushing Ryko back towards us. He was using his body to block the narrow pathway Beside me, Lady Dela stirred, roused by the clanging danger. Ryko desperately blocked a simultaneous attack by both guards, barely managing to stop their slicing blades. He was not going to hold them off for long.

'Help me,' Lady Dela said. She was fumbling in the opening of her armour. 'I'll keep looking for the name.'

She withdrew her hand, unable to pull the folio through the tangle of waist bindings. We both knew it was too late, but I tucked my sword under my arm and jerked out the book, pressing it into her hand. The pearls lifted and unwound, clicking into a slide of welcome across my skin.

I pushed their weight back onto the folio.

'If things go bad,' I said, 'get to the grate.'

The swords were whispering to me, eager to fight.

Lady Dela's eyes flicked to Ryko. 'I'm staying right to the end,' she said through clenched teeth.

I turned and sized up the battle, my eyes seeing it through the ancient wisdom of the swords.

Ryko had been hit; blood was running from a deep slice in his forearm. Superficial but it would take its toll. One of his attackers was down, not moving. The other was close to breaking through to me, a young man with over-quick moves and a cocky smile. Two more guards were approaching. At the mouth of the alley, Ido was waiting for Ryko to fall. I took a deep breath and yelled, the release of Hua propelling me into the fight.

I met the young guard as he broke past Ryko, each of my swords singing in a lethal figure-eight. He blocked the lower

blade, but mistimed his deflection of the higher slice. It caught the side of his face, snapping his head back and opening his cheek to the bone. I lunged, aiming for the shouldei weakness in the armour, revelling in the borrowed skill and fluid movement, He countered the thrust hut the move was soft and clumsy with shock. Even as 1 swung my other sword around, 1 knew it would hit home. My blade hit into his neck, smashing hone and severing column into a bloody mess. As he started to topple, the ancient part of me was already pulling my weapon free, ready to move on.