By the Sword - By Sara Flower Page 0,85

been way too close.

They started toward Talya again, but another onslaught of Malinorians obstructed their path.

*****

Talya allowed Ittonifer to approach her. Now that her body was healed, it would be a fair fight.

Ittonifer shook his head.

Talya grinned, despite the seriousness of the moment.

“It appears that I should have sent more men to kill you. Nevertheless, I now have the pleasure of ensuring your demise. I won’t fail this time.”

“What happened to Jalarn?” demanded Talya.

He only answered Talya with a hollow laugh and a forceful kick to her stomach. It sent her stumbling backward, but she regained her footing.

He ran at her and their swords clanged together. She spun around him and managed a gash along his side. With an angry growl, he quickly swept his sword down on her shoulder. The thick armor there had saved her from a deep wound, but the impact sent a jolt through her body.

I had better be more careful. I might lose an arm next time.

Ittonifer came at her again with a powerful swing. Demoniac hate radiated from his dark gaze. She barely blocked the blow with her sword, telling herself not to look into his eyes anymore.

She attempted a low slash at his thigh, but he blocked it.

“It looks like you are about to lose some of your friends. Two against twelve is quite unlikely to turn into victory.”

Talya resisted the urge to look back, but her pulse quickened. She had to help them. And she still had to find out where Jalarn was. Somehow, she had to defeat the hateful monster that stood before her before she could accomplish that.

“You know it’s a lost cause, Talya. You should have joined me when you had the chance.”

Talya leaped toward him with her sword straight ahead of her, but he dodged her.

His agility was maddening.

Talya took a deep breath.

“The Lord is my strength and my shield,” she said.

“Shut up!” Ittonifer shouted.

She blocked another one of Ittonifer’s strong swings and then jabbed her sword into his thigh. The blade sliced through his lightweight armor this time.

Ittonifer growled.

“Is Jalarn still alive?” she asked.

Ittonifer’s onyx eyes met hers once again before he spun around and blocked an attack from behind. Talya gaped when she saw that it was the dark-haired girl from Malinor.

She’s on our side now!

“I owe you my life for what you did for me back in the city,” said the girl.

Ittonifer eyed the two of them before taking a run at Talya.

Talya eyed the hand that he held his sword with. She feigned an attack to his torso and then turned to hit his armored hand with of all her might. He dropped his sword from the forceful impact. She now held both swords.

“What was it that you were saying about killing me?” asked Talya.

“I will take it from here,” said the other girl.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. He is my father.”

Talya’s eyes widened. She had no idea that Ittonifer had any children. But there was no time to dwell on that.

Talya nodded to the other girl and turned to leave. It was time to find Jalarn.

*****

The heat had become unbearable as the demon dragged Jalarn closer to a tall, black gate. But it was the tormented screams that cut deep into the core of his soul, searing it with agony. Soon, his voice would join with their helpless cries as his soul burned along with theirs.

“Jesus!” screamed Jalarn.

A pinhole of white light cracked through the thick darkness. Jalarn reached for it. The demon withdrew its slimy hand as the light grew. It snarled and shrieked.

Jalarn watched the light, his soul yearning to be carried away.

In a heartbeat, the darkness receded. Jalarn had to shut his eyes from the blinding light.

He was no longer in hell. Had it been a dream, or had God spared him?

Thank You, Jesus!

Trembling with relief, Jalarn looked around. He was standing in a white room with windows on four walls. A pale man in a long white coat looked in from the other side.

Where am I?

Jalarn went over to the window where the man stood. When his gaze met the stranger’s, he knew that he was not looking at another person at all. Pupil-less, green eyes stared back at him. He was in another trap.

Jalarn’s ears started to ring as his vision blurred. His surroundings faded away and suddenly Jalarn found himself on the battlefield in Malinor. The fighting soldiers and knights went through him as he stood there. He was definitely dreaming now.

But hell had felt so real. That couldn’t