Blood poured from Alex's chest, warm and metallic.
He looked down at the blade sticking out of him, then slowly turned his head.
Behind him stood a grey‑haired man with cold eyes and an unhinged smile.
Marcus Reed.
"Sorry," Marcus said lightly, as if commenting on weather. "Did I interrupt something?"
Elaria's breath hitched. Her gaze snapped from Alex's bleeding chest to Marcus's face, and her expression twisted into pure, murderous anger.
Without thinking, she drew her rapier.
In a blur of motion, she vanished from Alex's side and appeared in front of Marcus, thrusting straight for his neck.
Marcus, already anticipating it, yanked his sword free from Alex's chest with a sickening sound and kicked Alex away.
Alex's body flew backwards, tearing through several trees before finally crashing into the ground far away.
At the same time, Marcus raised his blade and blocked Elaria's rapier with a sharp clang.
