EXCERPT
Elden stood transfixed, staring at this madman. “A hoax? A wild hoax? Then why not reveal yourself to the Brotherhood, to your friends? Why am I here? You are a mage; you were my Brother. ”
“And let you off so easily? No, no, there had to be more, a balance for me, for her. I won’t be shut away as mad. There will be more. I can’t remove the blood of the innocents,” he rubbed his hands on his arms, “but the Brother who kills me will bear its stain! That is your punishment.” He was trembling again, fighting to remain standing. ”You, you who left me. You will bear its stain.”
“You wanted me alive then?” Now Elden was angry and shouting. “You gave a dimlock to your bounty hunter! You would have had me dead for all it mattered to you.”
Through fog and pain, Brillar heard shouting and the words “dimlock” and “dead.” She began to gather strength wordlessly, without moving, breathing in deeply, fighting the pain in her body, the fog in her mind.
“It was only to be used if needed,” was the shouted reply. “I expected them to take you sooner and closer. I suspected that you wouldn’t come willingly to kill a Brother, even one such as I have become.”
“I would not,” Elden shouted back. “I’ve not killed in many years. I want no killing!”
“That one,” Harrolen gestured toward Brillar, “has killed, and for your aid. That much, I had from her.”
Elden stiffened again. “She was attacked by your man. The kill was in self-defense.”
“As you say, Brother. No matter, it’s time for you to do a kindness for a member of the Brotherhood. I will not defend myself.” He came down one step.
Elden stepped back again and tripped, falling to one knee before recovering.
Brillar saw him fall through swollen eyes, closed them, and drew in more strength, reaching almost unperceptively for what the archer had left behind, drawing it toward her.
“You will kill now!” Harrolen screamed.
“You have archers,” Elden began.
“They are innocent!” another scream, “the blood must be on a Brother’s hand.”
Brillar, hearing the screamed words, readied, drawing in more strength, praying to the Light that they wouldn’t notice.
“You will kill me; you must,” Harrolen ranted. He sent a sudden bolt of lightning at Elden, who was forced back but turned it aside. A second bolt, this one of fire, singed his clothes but was turned before there could be more.
Hearing the screaming, smelling the smoke from the spells, knowing their attention was on each other, Brillar made one great effort, pulling bow and arrow to her hand, drawing in strength as she could. A deep cold blanketed the room briefly and was gone. She was nearly ready…
Harrolen howled again, filled with anger and frustration, “It must be your hand!”
“Not my hand, Brother.” Elden stepped back finally, submitting, eyes closed, spreading his low-held arms at his sides, knowing it could mean two deaths.
Seeing him through a haze, Brillar pulled herself to one knee, drew the bow, and let fly.
Harrolen crumpled to the ground silently, an arrow deep in his neck, as Brillar wavered and collapsed on the stones.
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- Read Orb and Arrow: Exploration (Book I) available now in paperback or eBook
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