Neither Tiger nor Huan had forgotten what the wraith Zeya could do. In addition to dodging fireballs and running on top of railings, she threw knives as accurately as Mei could shoot. Once again, Huan counted her knives, one red handled one and three black ones. Without a sword, all he and Tiger could do was dodge all four knives, get close, and take her down. Tiger picked up speed, leaving Huan behind. Before he reached her, Zeya threw two knives at Huan’s torso and one at his head. Gritting his teeth, Tiger twisted through the first two, ducked under the third, and dashed for Liraya, forcing Zeya to move to protect her master. Now too close for knives, Tiger pulled back his fist and aimed a punch at Zeya’s face.
His fist smacked into her cold palm. What?
Using his fist, Zeya flung Tiger back into the far wall where he flickered away and Huan slid to the floor. Gasping and aching, he tried to get his bearings, but Zeya threw three more knives at his head. Yelping in surprise, Huan dove out of the way of two, but the third cut his cheek, and blood streamed down his face. Ignoring the pain, Huan got behind the largest box where he tore off a piece of his sleeve and pressed it to his cheek.
Liraya called out. “Melany, Fo, ea citez muvere.”
Huan peeked out from behind the box and saw two things before three knives forced him back into cover. One, Zeya was closing the distance, her somehow inexhaustible supply of knives ready to cut Huan down. Two, Melany and the Vanurian were packing up the desk and the papers into crates.
Huan went cold. They’re getting away! Unfortunately, he couldn’t focus on that fact because underneath the sounds of packing, Zeya’s steps counted down to Huan’s end. The knives! Huan searched for the knives that Zeya had thrown at him, but he found only deep scores in the wood where they’d sunk in. How the- Magic. Always fucking magic.
Before this fight, Huan had thought that throwing a knife at your enemy was a last resort action, since, if you missed, the enemy got a shiny new knife, but if knives could just come flying back to you… Every plan Huan could think of now ended with him dying under a hailstorm of blades. Damn, I wish Dwayne were here. Or that red haired witch. Or even… Mei.
A rumbling growl heralded power flowing back into Tiger’s mask. We don’t need them.
Taking control from Huan, Tiger dove out of cover, rolled to a standing position, and sprinted to the window, all while ignoring how Zeya’s knives cut, stabbed, and tore. When he was just a few paces from his goal, Zeya vaulted over Melany and reached the window first, knives glittering in her fist.
We’re trapped!
Ignoring Huan, Tiger covered his neck and chest with his arms and kept sprinting. With a flick of her wrists, Zeya threw three knives in a wide pattern. One missed, one sank into Huan’s shoulder, and the third ripped open his side, but Tiger pushed through the pain and tackled Zeya, and the two of them crashed through the window and into the night. After they landed, Zeya kicked Huan off of her, and Tiger turned the impact into a roll, getting clear. Snarling, he stood up and faced the monster.
No, we’re running. Huan tried to take control of his body back.
The beast snapped at him. We can take her!
Three knives glinted in Zeya’s hands.
We’re fucking running!
Coward!
Zeya’s hands came up, her eyes selecting her targets.
Liraya called out. “Zeya, Fo menire!“
Zeya froze, and Huan wrested control from Tiger and fled, dripping blood onto the road as he ran.
The Vanurian’s voice followed him. “Zeya, Fo, venari i non kuruesu.“
Admaeus Speaks 
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