37
Standoff
The sword came down, and Julian reflexively clenched his eyes shut as he prepared for the pain.
It never came. Instead, the sharp ring of steel striking steel rang out above him, followed almost immediately by a scraping that made him cringe even further. Then came a squishy-thud, and a muffled grunt of pain, and wetness flowed onto Julian's legs.
Julian opened his eyes and looked up.
The wall less than an inch above him was visibly scored where his attacker's sword had struck. The weapon had impacted so forcefully that it had bent; the last inch or so was still embedded in the wall.
Julian moved his gaze up the cold steel toward the hand clenching the weapon, and he felt his eyes widen.
The hand was not attached to an arm.
A flurry of movement above him and to his l
