Page 99 of Hellbound

With lightning quickness, she ducked behind him and opened a wide gash across his back. Their blood dressed the floors with fresh red splatters.

His howl of pain was drowned out by the balcony and rafters swaying above as people stomped their feet and jeered.

A slow smile crawled to her face, her pupils blown wide.

More.

She flicked his blood off the dagger and into his face. “Sloppy, are we?”

He let out a primal scream, his lunge more like an enraged animal than an armed fighter.

Ducking, she rolled out of the way as he landed where she once stood.

“I almost feel sorry for you.” His lip was wet with spittle. “Almost. You really thought you could win.”

His sword came overhead, and Ksenia caught the blow at his wrist, taking advantage of his forward momentum to disarm him.

How she wished Varka had been here to see it.

“I am winning.” Shoulders pulled back, she beckoned him forth with the crook of her finger. His face was mottled red, his nostrils flared.

He lunged for his broadsword, placing himself exactly where Ksenia wanted him.

Above you. A braided rope stood out amongst the chains overhead.

Ksenia launched her dagger with pinpoint accuracy.

Shrrrrrik!

All of the threads severed, except for one.

Shit. Her eyes cut to the broadsword.

She rushed forth and slammed her fist into his jaw before he could grasp it, making his teeth click.

Tivan staggered back before barreling toward her, his shoulder colliding with her stomach. Wood creaked beneath her, threatening to give way.

He flattened her on her back before she could recover and rained blow after blow upon her, which she caught mostly on her forearms.

Forcing her hands aside, he closed his hands on her windpipe. White spots appeared behind her eyelids as she clawed at his wrists.

From her prone position, she saw that the thread was poised to snap, the last few fibers unraveling above her.

“You little bitch, just let it happen. You never deserved to make it this far!” He was frothing at the mouth, stringy hair falling in his face.

He knew nothing about what she deserved. She had come back from the dead with a vengeance, defying the laws of life and death and crossing the space between. And gods damn it, she wouldn’t let him win.

Her eyes flashed open, hips bucking violently to send him careening forward, enough for her to wrench her knees to her chest.

She kicked hard against his sinewy body with every ounce of strength she had, sending him sprawling backward with a satisfying wheeze.

Ksenia crawled to the dropped dagger. A scream tore from her throat as he dragged her back to him. Standing over her, he kicked her in the stomach. She doubled over in pain, black edging her vision.

He retrieved her dagger.

It sang overhead, and she had enough strength to shift away, the tip missing her heart—but not enough.

A blood-curdling scream tore from her lungs as the cold metal speared into her shoulder, cleaving against her clavicle bone.