By the Sword - By Sara Flower Page 0,46

only strengthen the lion’s resolve to kill him. Every time he went for the lion’s throat, the animal blocked his sword with a great swipe that could have torn his arm off.

Jalarn exhaled. This was a test of his strength by the prince.

I won’t let you down.

Talya stood, frozen in place, as Jalarn took on the raging wild animal. She never would have imagined that a lion so large existed. The Malinorian general fought with full force, but the lion was much more powerful. She wanted the pleasure of killing Jalarn herself, but now she might never have that chance.

And then the lion will come after me.

Talya knew that she should run, but she did not want to. Not yet. She needed to see Jalarn dead first. Or watch him conquer the lion.

The large beast had Jalarn pinned under him now.

Jalarn freed one of his arms and thrust the blade of his sword straight through the big cat’s chest. With a loud cry, the animal slapped Jalarn in the head, rolled off of him, and lay still.

Jalarn did not move. Sword out of reach and unconscious, he was powerless against Talya now.

And the lion is dead.

Talya swallowed. The moment had finally come. She was going to kill Jalarn. Her heart pounded as she walked over to him. She wanted to see the face of her well-skilled foe before she ended his life.

She crouched down to remove his mask. He moaned as his eyes fluttered open.

Talya held her sword at his neck.

“Do not move!” she demanded.

She yanked off his helmet and the moonlight highlighted his angular face. His piercing eyes glared defiantly back at her, but he did not say a word.

Talya had not expected him to be so young. He had clearly killed many innocent people to obtain his rank of general at such a young age.

Talya stood and gripped the hilt of her sword. This was the moment that she had waited for ever since the battle at Cardamon.

Jalarn looked beyond her in a confused daze. He got up on his knees, looking rapidly in several directions, and then stared up at the sky.

“You promised me that I would never fail if I served you,” he said. “I gave you my all! I don’t understand…”

His eyes returned to hers. There was fear in them now.

“Do it now,” he said.

As he spoke, Talya noticed the scar above his left eye. His tousled hair. The wide, green eyes.

A chill ran down her spine.

It was him – the boy from the visions. But he was older.

It can’t be!

Hands shaking, Talya sheathed her sword.

Jalarn stared at her.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“I can’t kill you,” she said.

Did I just say that? Yes, yes I did. I can’t kill him! He is the boy.

He opened his mouth, but no words came out. An eerie silence surrounded them, and Talya’s ears rang.

Now what am I supposed to do?

Talya backed away, but he held her gaze.

This was the second part of the mission. God wanted her to be rid of her desire to kill Jalarn.

The nearby bushes rustled and deep, loud voices filled the air. It was the Malinorians this time.

Talya spun around and bounded through the forest, trying her best not to be caught by the vines that seemed to drape everywhere. She almost tripped over a fallen branch.

Her mind raced as she ran. God had sent her to show mercy on Jalarn. Ittonifer’s left-hand man, of all people. She never would have imagined in a million years that she would spare the man that she wanted to kill most of all.

She would never forget the look on his face for as long as she lived. It was the look of a hopeless soul about to die. It was the same look that Waltez had given her.

Talya’s stomach knotted.

I really have been a monster.

She ran into a giant spider web. Its silky fibers stuck to her hair and clothes, and she stopped for a moment to brush a big piece from her eyes.

Talya ran with all her might, but someone was catching up to her. If they caught her, she was dead.

I would rather be mauled by a lion than be slain by a Malinorian!

A swift blow smacked her in the back of the head, and she fell into a world of black.

Still dazed from being tossed around by that lion, Jalarn got up and ran after his men at a slower pace than he wanted to. He gritted his teeth and pushed himself to