Page 34 of Unravelled
Brahn rose, brushing the dirt from his gloves. “Then let’s get to work.”
Surrounded by deep shadows, they settled in as Mira prepared the powder-laced arrows, the gravity of their mission dawning on her. Not thieves. Not killers. They were striking back, a warning to Kharador and a message to the council. We will fight for our kingdom, for our people.
They moved quickly, each of them slipping into position along the tree line like shadows cast by the moon. The fallen stick tree lay across the road, its branches tangled and gnarled, appearing as though it had been brought down by the wind rather than the careful work of Tharion’s blade.
Mira crouched behind a cluster of rocks, her crossbow resting against her thigh. Her fingers moved deftly, wrapping the oil-soaked cloth around the arrowhead, smearing the head with powder. The scent burned her nose, acrid and sharp, but it would do the job.
The smoke would billow thick and dark, a veil between them and the guards. Her heartbeat steadied, the rhythm aligning with the quiet sounds of the forest. She struck a flint, the spark catching, and the cloth ignited with a soft whoosh. The flame was a tiny, hungry creature, gnawing at the arrow. She took aim at the brush on the opposite side of the road.
The arrow flew true, arcing through the night. When it struck, fire bloomed, a bright, sudden flare that devoured the dry leaves and sent a plume of smoke curling into the air. The forest shifted around it, shadows dancing in the orange glow.
Voices rose from the approaching convoy, foot guards scrambling as the smoke thickened. They moved as expected, some towards the fire, others back toward the rear of the convoy where Tharion and Brahn waited. Mira moved, slipping from her cover and down the slope. The soft leather of her boots made no sound against theearth. She kept low, her body a line of shadow against the forest, eyes fixed on the convoy.
Tharion and Brahn moved through the chaos with practiced efficiency. They slipped between wagons, their dark forms blurring against the smoke and shadow. Tharion struck first, his arm curling around a guard’s neck, his other hand pressing against the man's temple. The guard crumpled to the ground without a sound, hisbreathing deep and even. Unconscious. Brahn was a step behind, his blade hilt knocking against another guard’s helm, a quick and precise blow that sent the man slumping against the wheel of the wagon. The metal clattered softly, but the smoke and sounds of fire swallowed the noise.
Mira’s breath hitched, but not from fear. There was a fluidity to Tharion’s movements, a predatory grace that she couldn’t look away from. Each step he took was calculated, his movements an artful blend of power and silence. His hair, clung to his forehead, and his expression was one of calm focus. There was nothing brutal about his actions. Each strike was measured, every guard left breathing, their bodies only temporarily surrendered to the dark. She slipped closer, her eyes darting between the few guards who remained. Two were still near the lead wagon, their swords drawn, the silver blades reflecting yellow in the wavering light of the fire. They spoke in hushed tones, their attention divided between the blaze and the rear of the convoy where their comrades lay.
Mira reached the edge of the wagons, pressing her back against the wood. The heat from the crates radiated against her, and she forced her breathing to slow. She needed to focus, needed to keep her thoughts clear. But even now, as Tharion moved ahead, her eyes lingered on him. The strength in his shoulders, the careful way his fingers gripped the hilt of his blade, not to stab, but to strike with the flat edge. A weapon used for subduing, not killing.
She moved silently, flanking Tharion ahead of her. He moved with a predator's grace, his form slipping through the smoke like a shadow. Mira crept forward, her crossbow in hand. She loaded an arrow, aimed, exhaled and released. The arrow found its mark, sinking into the wood above a guard’s head. He looked up, confusion clouding his expression, suddenly Tharion was there, a spectre that appeared through the smoke. The guard turned, but Tharion’s hand struck the side of his neck, and his body folded gently to the ground.
Mira loaded another arrow, her breath a controlled pace. She mirrored Tharion’s movements, shifting to the left, her eyes fixed on the wagon. If she could draw the guards' attention, just a moment’s distraction, that was all they needed. She aimed, her focus narrowing to the sliver of wood between the guards. The arrow was in flight just as she sensed something wrong. Her fingers still curled against the trigger as time stretched, the arrow slicing through the air. It struck the wagon with a hollow thud,
The cart erupted. The explosion tore through the night, a violent storm of fire and shrapnel. The world tilted, sky and earth tangled into a blur, until she hit the ground.Pain radiated through her, a shockwave of agony. For a heartbeat, everything was still. The flames licked at the sky, shadows dancing across the wreckage. Then Mira'sworld rushed back, in a wash of heat and nothing but a high-pitched buzzing where the sound should have been.
Mira’s limbs felt distant but she forced them to move. She rolled onto her stomach, coughing against the grit and ash. Tharion lay just ahead, crumpled.
“Tharion…” She clawed at the earth, dragging herself forward. Each pull of her arms sent fresh stabs of pain through her chest. Her fingers found the edge of his sleeve, and she used it to haul herself closer. “Tharion…”
His face was slack, a thin line of blood trailing from his closed eye. She pressed her fingers to his neck, his pulse beat strong beneath her touch. Relief flooded her heart.
Brahn appeared through the smoke, his figure a blur of movement. His lips moved, his hands grasping her shoulders, but the ringing in her ears swallowed his words. She blinked up at him, his face etched with fury, his mouth forming shapes she couldn’t understand.
“Mira!” The sound broke through, sudden and raw. “Move! Now!”
She shook her head, the world tilting, and Brahn’s grip tightened. He pulled her up, her knees buckling. The ground beneath them trembled, and the heat of the flames clawed at their backs.
“Tharion,” she started, but Brahn was already reaching for him. He knelt beside him, hefted Tharion onto his back, and rose with a grunt, the weight heavy but manageable as he staggered forward.
The forest lay beyond the flames, a promise of shadows and safety. Her legs moved, though each step jarred her bones. The trees swallowed them whole, the firelight fading behind like a dying star. Branches clawed at Mira’s arms, leaves slick with dew catching her skin as they moved through the forest. The horses waited where they’d tethered them, restless and snorting, ears twitching toward the smoke and chaos behind.
Brahn reached them first. He shifted Tharion’s weight with practiced strength, long enough to ease him down into the bed of moss and leaf litter. Brahn cradled Tharion 's back against his chest.
Mira collapsed to her knees beside him, lungs burning. “He’s breathing,” she gasped, brushing his hair back, fingers trembling.
“He needs water. Pack’s behind the brown mare, get it."Brahn;s growl held none of his usual sharpness.
Mira hesitated, watching him. Brahn’s hands moved steadily over Tharion’s body, checking for broken ribs, wounds, burns. He was thorough, careful in a way she hadn’t expected. When he found the gash under Tharion’s eye, his jaw tightened. He ripped a strip of cloth off his shirt and pressed it against the bleeding, muttering something under his breath.
Mira stumbled toward the horses, still reeling from the blast. The forest felt too quiet now, every sound muffled beneath the dull ring still echoing in her head. She found the pack, her fingers fumbling over the buckles, and returned with the waterskin. Brahn took it without a word, lifting Tharion’s head slightly to trickle a few careful drops between his lips. Mira knelt beside them, her hand brushing Tharion’s cheek.
“Why… why did it explode?” she whispered.
Brahn didn’t answer immediately. His gaze remained on Tharion, his hand still cradling the back of his skull. When he finally looked up, something like guilt flickered behind his eyes.
“A trap. Or fuel. We didn’t scout it close enough.” Mira’s breath caught.
“He could’ve died.” she whispered, her voice trembling as tears welled in her eyes.
