The Kingmakers(129)

Nzingu was prepared for his attack, however, her lithe body moving in a macabre dance as her razor wire held him fast like a fish on a hook. Her free arm gestured wide and then back, and the second wire wrapped around Gareth's leg, throwing him off-balance.

He swiped his claws at the wire holding his leg. He couldn't cut through it, but it did loosen slightly. He squirmed out of its grasp. The wire around his right forearm was lodged into the bone. It was the same arm Flay had broken months before, and it wouldn't take much force to snap it again, letting the wire sever his arm.

He staggered to his rubbery legs once more and rushed her, claws extended. He ran up along the wall and back down, attempting to circle behind her, making her readjust her aim. Her weapon, though its reach was long, required space and positioning. Gareth intended to deny her both. Her feet shifted as she tracked him, her arm swinging the silvery razor wire above her head, the hum of death filling the room with its reverberating cry.

Gareth darted in. His claws raked her arm with a spurt of blood as she spiraled aside, her whip still spinning. It lashed out again, cutting into his ribs, stabbing deep. She jerked back and the barb ripped free. Red blood splattered the pristine white of his tattered shirt. He cried out, not sure if it was pain or frustration. He came forward again, following her, his blood dripping far too fast onto the ground.

He saw her lips moving. A quick glance down showed that he stood within a circle of crystals on the floor. He tried to leap out, but a tug of her wire pulled him off-balance. The rune circle flared, and again he burned. The heat was concentrated and precise. His howl echoed through the hallowed room. He jerked, palsied in his throes of agony, and pulled Nzingu off-balance, breaking her concentration. The heat ceased. He crawled out of the circle, panting, with warm spittle running over his lips.

The woman made no sound. No cry of victory, no snide comment of derision. Her only focus was his demise. And she was going to succeed.

He rose a third time in a lurching shuffle, willing himself to continue fighting. He wasn't going to leave Adele. His mouth opened and he let loose a high-pitched scream that no human could hear, but hopefully it would carry to Baudoin somewhere in the castle.

The Zulu darted in from behind with the speed of a lioness and looped her long steel thread around his throat. He managed to bring his right arm up to block it, letting his forearm bone stop the wire from cutting off his head. Even so, the wire dug deep into his skin, silencing his cry for help while blood poured forth from his neck and arm. He felt searing heat wherever the woman touched him.

Nzingu easily manhandled him toward another set of runes on the floor. He knew he wouldn't survive another blast, and he twisted in her grip. His free arm stretched behind him and his claws found burning purchase, ripping cloth and soft tissue. She screamed in his ear and wrenched away. He collapsed onto his knees, his hand bearing the remainder of his weight against the wall. His fingertips brushed a carefully drawn rune.

Nzingu's foot smashed into his back, slamming him against the wall. His face pressed against the symbols. Her lips began the incantation. The pattern flared, and the heat rose.

Gareth prepared for death.

The heat abruptly died. His skin stopped burning. It was such a relief that he slumped to the ground. Baudoin must have heard him. He turned weakly on his side.

It was not Baudoin. Adele stood in the open door with a member of her Harmattan behind. Her face held shock, swiftly replaced by fury.

She drew her Fahrenheit blade. Gareth fought to rise, but shadows began to creep over his sight, and the last thing he saw of Adele was her auburn hair flaring in the green glow of her dagger. Then the darkness took him.



To Adele's horror, Gareth was not moving. His injuries looked ghastly. Beneath her feet a ley line coursed. She attempted to quiet her anger so that she could still the undulating energy and bring it under her control. It meant taking her concentration off Nzingu.

Thankfully, Corporal Darby pulled his revolver, and in one fluid motion, aimed and fired. The bullet struck Nzingu in the arm, holding the ensnared Gareth. The impact spun the Zulu to the side, but didn't bring her down.

Adele had the attention of the energies, and she was slowly pulling them back. Corporal Darby fired again, but Nzingu was already moving. Gareth was forgotten as she addressed the new threat.

The Zulu avoided three shots, and closed the gap to the door, reaching over her shoulder and pulling an assegai, a short stabbing spear with a long wicked blade. Adele forgot about the geomancy and rushed to block Nzingu's attack. The impact of the two blades made Adele's shoulder ache.

She shouted at the young Harmattan. “Destroy the markings on the wall!”

Corporal Darby hesitated, but then jumped to obey his empress. His sword cut through the drawings on the wood panels. His foot kicked aside the crystals set in a pattern on the floor. Adele felt the power ease further.