Shattered Assassin by Wendy Knight Page B

mouth and jerked her head. The man screamed as his arm broke and then ripped , landing near Kazia with his sword still clutched in his hand. She shrieked and flinched away. But the second man, the one who had run from Nakomi, attacked from behind, slashing his dagger down, driving it into Nakomi’s flank. The great wolf howled in pain, and turned on him, but he had his sword out, swinging it at Nakomi, as three others joined him, driving her back toward the other assassins. She snarled, snapping at their swords, breaking two clean in half before the third got her in the neck, and still she fought. She would fight to the very end, Kazia knew. But she couldn’t let that happen. She dove for the man’s fallen sword and leaped to Nakomi’s defense. The man slashed his sword down at Nakomi’s muzzle just as Kazia brought hers up. They hit with a clang that made her arm ache but she was so angry she barely noticed. She spun, swinging the sword hard. The man parried but Nakomi lunged and he couldn’t fight both of them. Kazia let Nakomi take care of him as she whirled on the man closest to her.
    “Kazia get out of here!” Luke screamed, but she ignored him. Parry, parry thrust, parry parry thrust, move your feet, little one . She could hear Brodi in her head, drilling her over and over. She darted between two bandits, leaping over one dead body, and watched as they killed each other for her. Nakomi lunged past her, snarling, and she whirled in time to see the giant wolf attack another man she hadn’t seen coming. Pay attention, princess. They aren’t going to wait for you to say ready. She sucked in a breath, throwing her sword up to block an incoming attack, ducking as he swung a dagger with his other hand. The rest of the camp ceased to exist, and she focused on this one attack, this one defense, listening to her brother’s voice in her head. She was nicked a couple of times but she didn’t feel it. Now, little one. She drew her hand back and thrust the sword, wincing as it slid into the man’s belly, then she jerked it out with a sickening squelch. He fell to the ground and she watched as his body rattled, but another came and she leaped out of the way. He tripped over his dying comrade and she attacked from behind. He fell and lay still as another man hurdled his body, coming straight for her. She reached up, wrenching the knives out of her braids, and threw them at once, hitting him in each eye. He, too, fell under her onslaught and lay screaming, clawing at the blades until he suddenly moved no more. She stormed over, jerking her knives free. They were too good to be stained by his filthy blood.
    “Kazia! Kazia, are you alright?” Luke was diving over the bodies on the ground, and her eyes finally focused. Many, many bodies.
    “Any of ours?” she whispered.
    “No, none of ours.” His hands on either side of her face, he searched for injuries, moving from the top of her head down. “You’ve been hit! I’m so sorry, Kazia. I failed you. I’m so sorry,” he was whispering over and over, but her eyes took in the blood soaking her dress, flowing in rivulets down her arm, and she knew as soon as the assassin retreated backward into her head, she would feel the pain. But for now, there was nothing. She couldn’t hear anymore, either, and she slowly dropped her sword to the ground. “Nakomi’s hurt,” she mumbled. Ah, yes, now she felt her strength settling back where it waited until she needed it. The pain returned. The energy buzzing through her veins faded and she moaned. This was always the worst part — when the assassin left her and she was just the weak, sickly princess again.
    “She’s in shock. Wrap her wounds, get me a blanket!” Luke was yelling orders, but it was fuzzy.
    “Where’s Nakomi?” Her wolf nudged Kazia’s hand with her big head. “Oh, there you are. Luke, she’s hurt.”
    “I know, Kazia. I know, little princess. We’ll fix her. She’ll be fine. Just stay here. Stay with