I jumped back, limping now.
He laughed, the sound a weird mix of anger and amusement. "The first of many, dear Risa."
"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, Lucian," I said, catching the edge of his blade with Amaya, holding it still as her flames leapt from her steel to his and she screamed blue murder. Nothing happened. The knife didn't melt. Amaya's flames died even as I added, "Because as an aunt of mine has been known to say, a condemned man should always enjoy his last meal."
He merely laughed and attacked. Again and again. I dodged, attacking him when opportunities arose, taking more and more hits but unable to find a way through his defenses. In the end, I knew there was only one way I was going to get the upper hand.
Do what must, Amaya said.
Do what must, I repeated grimly, then lowered her steel and stepped into his next blow. His blade punched into the middle of my stomach and right out the other side. As his fist came to a rest against my skin, I swung Amaya low and hard. Her blade reverberated as she hit flesh, but then she was cutting, sawing, burning her way through his legs. He barely had time to open his mouth when he dropped, dragging his long knife from my stomach as his body went one way and his legs the other.
I swung Amaya again, removed his good arm, then dropped to my knees and pressed one hand over my stomach, vainly trying to stop the flow of blood and gore as I stared at the man I had all but beaten.
His expression was one of utter amazement. There was no pain, no sense of loss, just sheer disbelief I'd done what I'd done.
Kill! Amaya screamed. Finish!
Not you. Me.
And with that, I released her, and with my now free hand, I dragged myself forward.
"You killed my mother," I said softly. "You raped my friend; you worked with a dark sorceress to steal the keys and threatened the safety of this world. You betrayed me in more ways imaginable, and for all those crimes, you must die."
And with that, I dredged up the last of my reserves, called to the Aedh, and forced it into my arm. Then I shoved my fist into his chest and blew him apart.
Just has he'd blown my mother apart.
Chapter 15
It was over. I'd done what I'd sworn to do—found my mother's killer and dealt with him. Without help, on my own.