Chapter 106

 

His pattern faltered as he looked to me, his eyes moved over the tattoo on my arm. “As the prophecies appear to be coming true, I will have to pass on that. I too have a prophecy to avoid bringing to reality.”

There was something in there that sent warning bells ringing inside my head. All of this was because of another damn prediction probably made an eon ago or longer. Jeeze, didn’t this race believe in shit happens? “Maybe by doing what you’re doing you’re just making it happen faster.”

His eyes radiated the purple hue again. “You can’t possibly be naïve enough to believe that, Huntress.”

The way he hissed huntress was really starting to grate on my nerves. Sighing, I knew talk was done and we were about to get nasty with each other. “I believe a lot of things.” I stepped left, trying for a better angle to get a shot at his abdomen, hoping it wasn’t as knife retardant as his leg. “I believe in justice and fair play. I believe in laws, because without them we are no better than wild animals ravishing the meek and helpless…”

“I believe,” he interrupted, his hands moving again. “I’ve had enough conversation for today, thank you.”

I spotted something I knew in the movement of his hands and braced myself for what was coming. Heat blasted over me, but it never reached the intensity he had wanted. I watched disbelief wash over him and tone down the bold brightness of his glowing violet eyes.

Before I could catch my breath, he began to move them in a jerky way with more speed. This one might hurt was all I had time to think when another wave crushed against me. I might be impervious to his powers, but the back lash still managed to grind at me. My knees began to shake as I stood there trying to keep my breathing steady. It was starting to piss me off that he had to cheat to win.

In a last attempt to get around his power, I dropped down to one knee, trying to make it look like whatever he was doing was working. Letting the Sai drop to the ground, I turned my body so he couldn’t see me reach for the throwing knife.

When he laughed, I grabbed it and hurled it toward him with all the strength I could muster. It hit him just below the rib cage and he howled in pain. Lifting my head, I stumbled back to my feet, grasping the Sais in both hands again.

He had to use his hand to pull that one out and I felt a smug satisfaction knowing I’d really scored this time. With a howl of rage, he flung the knife and glared at me. All at once my head felt light and dizzy as I tried to stay on my feet and face him. I could hear someone yelling behind me, but didn’t take my eyes off Marcus. It was better his attention was on me and none of the others.

I only had one knife left and knew I had to make this one count or I was in deep shit for sure. With weakening legs, I pushed forward, trying to get as close to him as possible, I stumbled twice, the second time I grasped the handle of the long blade and pulled it free.

Marcus stood there, blood flowing between his fingers of his hand as he kept the other palm aimed in my direction. A thought passed through my head and made me almost smile, I now understood Quinton’s loathing of Magicians. Breathing was getting harder, but I watched him jerk and lean forward, like it was draining him too so I kept moving forward no matter how hard it was to force my legs to take steps.

Readying my power hand to grab the blade when I had the chance, it probably looked like I was holding my stomach, if it distracted him I didn’t care if he saw me as weak in any way. Forcing air into my lungs, I focused on his chest and kept my gaze steady on my target.

Another wave took me by surprise and I cursed that he still had that much left in him. Someone clubbing the S.O.B. in the back of the head would have been a welcomed diversion right around now.

Taking one more step my knee almost buckled beneath me. This being my last chance, I palmed the blade and took one more deep breath so I could give the toss all I had. A movement at my left side startled me and the knife missed his chest and embedded in his shoulder.

Troy crossed in front of me, the last thing I saw was him flinging his sword in the direction of Marcus, yelling a battle scream as he hit the ground. Everything faded after that.