Warrior-mages always came in pairs. Toria would follow her partner shortly. She was surprisingly okay with this. But she would do one thing first.
Despite the gnawing numbness that spread through her body, Toria pushed herself to her feet. Her rapier lay abandoned in the water. She staggered over to it and scooped it up before turning on Natalia.
But as Toria stepped forward, Natalia raised one hand. An invisible wall repelled Toria. She pounded against it with the hilt of her sword, to no avail.
“Calm yourself, granddaughter,” Natalia said.
“I thought you said I was no child of yours,” Toria said.
Natalia started to nod, but caught the motion before her chin touched the sword still held at her throat. “You are not,” she said. “But your passion inspires me.”
“You killed Kane,” Toria
