Lilette scrambled down the tree. Not trusting her trembling body, she took great care. When she reached the bottom, she braced herself against the tree to keep from falling over.
The witches had switched their song and might need her help. She looked around expectantly for Galon, but he was nowhere to be seen. “Galon?” She took half a dozen steps before freezing. He lay still on the ground, his hair a shock of color against his pale face. She dropped beside him and held her hand in front of his mouth. His breath touched her fingertips.
A sound made her turn. Two dozen elite stepped into view—Chen and Han among them. Lilette’s faceguard was down. Her gaze flitted across Han—fully clothed and armored—to Chen, who wore the same dead expression as when he’d killed Laosh.
Lilette bolted, but she hadn’t made it five strides before Chen grabbed her hair. She clawed at his grip, tears welling in her eyes from the pain. He forced her to her knees. She twisted just enough to see him raise his sword, his face conflicted.
A hand shot out and gripped Chen’s sword arm. Han came into view, and he wore death as armor again. “What did you expect her to do?” he hissed. “You took her by force, married her by force.”
“She has betrayed our people!” Chen shouted.
“Our people! Not hers!”
Chen tried to jerk free. “This is a kindness. You know what Father will do to her.”
Han shook his head. “I can’t let you kill her.”
Chen released Lilette. She pitched forward, landing hard. She gathered herself and looked back to find Han sprawled on the ground. Chen’s hand fisted. “She was raised among us!” he said.
Han shot to his feet. “Because we killed her family.”
Chen’s expression changed to something unreadable. “No. The witches did that.”
A lie.
Han held out a placating hand. “Just let her go.”
Chen tightened his grip on his sword. “That’s why Father chose me as the heir instead of you. Because I do what must be done.”
He turned toward Lilette and raised his sword. She cowered as it came down, but it was blocked with a clang of steel. Han had drawn his own weapon. He threw his brother’s sword back.
In a flash, Chen’s expression changed from disbelief to betrayal. “You sure you want to do this, little brother?”
Drawing his second sword, Han took a fighting position between Lilette and Chen, one blade high, the other low. “I can’t let you kill her.”
He and Han moved forward at the same time, their blades quick. The fight looked more like a dance than a brawl, deadly and impossibly fast. But even untrained in swordsmanship as she was, Lilette could tell Chen was quicker—or perhaps just more determined to kill his brother.
Before she could shout a warning, an elite came at Han from behind and kicked his legs out from under him. He landed hard but automatically brought one sword up to block a blow to his head. Lilette let out a strangled cry that immediately transformed into a song.
Dirt and rocks exploded around Han as roots the size of her wrist shot out and snatched at arms and legs, pinning elite where they stood. Why didn’t the plants react like that before? There wasn’t time to ponder it. The elite were already fighting their way free of the vines. Lilette pushed to her feet just as a shout rang out behind her.
“Guardians to me!”
Lilette turned to see dozens of guardians running toward them. Geth charged toward Han, sword raised.
“Not him!” She launched herself between them, her gaze locked on Geth, daring him to harm Han.
He seemed to understand, for he redirected his charge. “Get back with the others!” He and the guardians slammed into Chen and the other elite.
Lilette started off, but turned back when Han didn’t follow her. “You have to come with me now.”
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his expression was dazed. Her focus shifted to a blur of motion. An elite had sneaked up behind Han.
“Behind you!” Before the words had fully left Lilette’s mouth, Han spun, his blades blocking a thrust and a swing. This time, there was no hesitation as he twisted the tangle of swords in a circle, his body twisting with them. His elbow came up fast, landing square in the elite’s nose.
As the man reeled back, Han ran toward Lilette. She fell in beside him, knowing he would be a target now just as much as she was. She led him to where Galon lay unconscious. Han didn’t even have to ask. He threw the smaller man over his shoulder and took off after her.
Chapter 17
“The monster of my story was as beautiful and calm as a sunrise.” ~Lilette, quoted in Jolin’s biography