Ducking out and heading towards the stones, I tossed one in the opposite direction, pleased when the small group of Caterri stopped and turned, almost in unison. Distractions worked. It allowed me time to sneak back under cover, and then when the Caterri realized there was nothing there, they went racing for my last seen position, which sent them right into the tripwires.
Two stumbled over them with drawn swords, falling to their bellies and apparently being stabbed with poisoned metal, from the noises they made. I tried not to be too pleased with the whole situation. Something still felt wrong about it, since it was a dishonorable way of fighting, but it was more important to rescue my mate than it was to do almost anything else.
One of the Caterri checked on the two that had become still and were emitting soft groans that just got quieter. “They’re dying,” he said, sounding strangled and surprised at the same time. “They landed on their weapons.”
I stopped myself from letting out a pleased hiss, but it was a close thing. Honorable or not, I had a feeling we N’Akron would be using these tactics going forward. Anything that could reduce our fatalities was a good thing. I had to protect my people, after all.
“Where the fuck is he?” one of the other Caterri growled, and even from where I was, I could see the way his dark eyes looked like he wanted me dead. “Where is that scaly coward?”
Anger burned through my veins. I tried to channel Dana, to remember her words. When there was one of me and many of them, I had to do something to make it possible for me to defeat them, but this did feel cowardly in a way just fighting them didn’t. Then again, there were only three of them in my immediate sight. Maybe I could take both of them out.
“I’m no coward,” I snarled in his direction, making sure I stood high enough above the grass they could make me out. “You’re the cowards.”
A shout broke out and the Caterri were immediately racing in my direction. Before they could reach me, one crashed to the ground, his ankle clearly caught in a dug trap. Pleasure surged through me as I raced away from the two left, almost wanting to laugh. I felt like I was high on a shiksa root, like nothing mattered other than what was happening in that moment. It was a game, and I was going to win.
Getting far enough ahead, I turned and tossed one of my knives at the Caterri, pleased to spear one in the throat. He dropped like a stone, leaving me with the one that was almost on me. It took all of my agility to avoid him when he struck out at me, his sword longer than I expected. Wishing I had my longer blades on me, I dodged him again, starting a dance. I needed to get him to lower his defenses enough that I could take his weapon from him, and I couldn’t afford to be hit by it.
If the two Caterri that had died from the tripwires truly had poisoned weapons, it was likely that this one was dangerous as well, and I needed to stay alive to reach my Dana and rescue her.
“Stay still,” the Caterri snarled, and he was starting to breathe harder as he jabbed out at me.
I held knives in both hands, barely managing to stay out of his range. “You stay still.” Retorting would do nothing, I knew, but I didn’t want to stay silent. If I could goad him into one small mistake, I would win. Then I just had to find the other Caterri. “Coward.”
Rage flashed in the Caterri’s eyes and the anger seemed to make him forget himself, because he lost all sword technique or training and tried to jab out like a youngling. I was close enough it was easy to smash his hand to get him to open it and then to stab him with his own sword, leaving him bleeding on the ground. From the gurgling noises he was making, he would be dead in a matter of time, too.
Taking his sword with me, I headed back towards the camp, staying as low as I could. I killed the one who had been caught by the dug trap, because he was trying to get back to the camp and I couldn’t allow that.
A bright spark lit the ground next to me, followed by a noise I knew well. I threw myself out of the way, listening for the too-bright hissing that marked a light-weapon. I didn’t have much cover, and nothing that would protect from their strange weapons, but I had come that far. I wasn’t leaving Dana, even if I had to do something stupid to save her.
One shouted as he took a shot at me, so I took advantage of the distraction to throw a knife at his companion. I was far enough away he dodged, but he dodged into one of the traps and started falling, his weapon going off as he did. To my surprise, it shot the Caterri who had been aiming at me, causing him to make a strangled sound and crumple to the ground.
That was one way to do things, I figured.
Immediately making my way to the Caterri on the ground, I took his blaster and broke his neck, figuring that was as humane as I could be for the Caterri. They liked to torture their victims, but I was above that as a N’Akron, especially a prince. Then I lifted my head, looking for the last handful. I was far enough away
