Vail’s lips compressed and he lowered his head, staring at Loren. Olivia could see the war in his eyes, the fight between carrying out Kordula’s command and resisting her order, and she knew he was going to lose even when she desperately hoped he would win.
Vail’s blades clinked as he shifted his grip and then he was right in front of them, bringing his two swords down in black arcs towards Loren and Olivia’s necks.
CHAPTER 23
Loren swept Olivia into his arms and instantly teleported with her, narrowly avoiding Vail’s blades. He reappeared behind his brother with Olivia. Vail’s swords clashed, he snarled viciously, and spun on his heel to face Loren.
Olivia was right and Loren couldn’t believe he had failed to piece it together for himself before now when the evidence had been there all along.
Vail had never been out to kill him. He had always tried his hardest to pull his punches and never once had he dealt a mortal blow.
Loren pushed off, leaping backwards, placing more distance between himself and his brother. Vail growled, flashing his fangs, and swept his blades down in two swift arcs at his sides.
Guilt crawled through Loren’s gut as he gazed upon his brother, all of the signs he had discarded over the four thousand years flickering through his mind and tormenting his heart. He had always believed his brother to be evil and had never seen what was really happening. He had allowed Vail to suffer enough that he now longed for death when he had once been all about living.
Bleu appeared beside him, Sable tucked against his side. The female hunter was injured, bleeding from a long gash up her left arm. She clutched it to her, breathing hard through the pain he could sense in her.
“Bleu, keep Vail busy but do not kill him,” Loren commanded and Bleu nodded, released Sable and went after his brother, clashing hard with him.
Loren released Olivia and brushed a kiss across her forehead when she looked up at him, her fear resonating in his blood.
“I will free my brother. You must take Sable and tend to her. Be careful, sweet Olivia. Do not drop your guard. Understand?” He stroked her cheek and held her gaze, his tone soft and laced with all the love he felt for her.
She nodded but looked reluctant to leave his side. He knew what she wanted to hear him say but he couldn’t bring himself to speak the words that would reassure her when he wasn’t sure whether he would survive the fight against Kordula. The witch had taken some severe blows but she was still powerful and she had abilities at her disposal that could cost him his life if he wasn’t careful.
“Go.” Loren nudged her towards Sable and she burst into action, hurrying to her friend and leading her away from the battle and towards the edge of the lighted area.
Loren wanted her completely gone from the grounds, whisked away to safety, but he knew she would refuse if he suggested it. He took one long glance at her and then straightened his shoulders, shut down the pain echoing through his body, radiating from the wounds he had sustained in his fight against Vail, and turned to face Kordula.
Thorne dived at the witch, coming out of the darkness like a missile with his large dragon-like wings pinned back and his sword held to one side, pointed towards Kordula. He rolled in the air as she blasted him with several bolts of red lightning, avoiding them all, and spread his wings when he was close to the ground. He landed hard at an angle and broke into a sprint, coming around behind the sorceress and swinging his broadsword at the same time.
The heavy blade connected hard with Kordula’s left hand as she produced a black disc a few inches in front of it but she failed to block the blow completely. The tip sliced through her hand, shearing three of her fingers at a diagonal, and she shrieked and thrust her other hand forwards, unleashing a crackling blast of red energy.
It struck Thorne hard in the side, spinning him in the air, and he landed in a heap on the gravel.
Loren called a portal to him and leaped forwards, appearing beside Thorne. “Are you alright?”
“Not dead yet,” Thorne grumbled and pushed himself onto his hands and knees, growling at the same time. Blood pumped from the ragged wound in his left side and he covered it with his right hand, grunting and grimacing.
Loren swallowed hard as he assessed the damage done to the demon king. He had hoped to have an ally in the fight against Kordula, but the wound was bleeding badly. Thorne cast him a dark glare that dared him to try to stop him from fighting. Loren knew better than to coddle a demon, especially when they were injured. Demons could bear the pain, and some only grew more savage and deadly when they were in danger of losing their life.
Loren couldn’t risk using Thorne in the fight against Kordula, but he had another more important task for the noble demon king.