Read The Blood Empress for Free Online Page B

His inner peace impressed Nykostra.
    She made her home inside his mind, keeping a watchful eye out for any Soothsayer influence. There was none. His mind was free from any influence other than her own. He was surprisingly free of thought. When he recalled a lesson from his past about how to parry a blow, his old instructor's raspy old voice dominated his mind.
    The Kwizarra Lonn watched the fight from his position to her right. She couldn't see his face, hidden under the black cloak but she knew his mind was inside Ku'nar's. Guiding his moves, whispering evil suggestions like the snake that he was.
    Ku'nar's blows were powerful, so much so that it was all Ketar could do to counter them. He was never able to go on the offensive. Not as heavy as his opponent, Ketar was forced to use tricks to leverage what strength he could muster.
    Nykostra watched them fight, her own pulse rising as they got closer and closer to each other with their sharp blades. She had watched many a duel in this Circle of Honor and had never been this on edge before, never been this emotionally committed before. Now she understood the excitement and passion of organized sports. When you're this committed to the fight, it has more impact, more meaning. Especially when you know the person who is in the fight and you know that he will die, should he lose.
    Her knuckles tightened around the staff of the baton. Beads of nervous sweat began forming on her blue-black brow as her chest heaved with shorter breaths.
    Ketar fell to his knees after a powerful blow and lost his balance. He struggled for a moment to move out of the way as Ku'nar's blade fell to the stone floor with a clang. It was useless to wait for such misses to dull the man's blade. He had to get out of the way faster. Nykostra urged him on with positive thoughts.
    Ketar looked directly at her for a split second as if he knew she were there inside his head with him. She realized that was impossible, still, it made her heart sing.
    They had done well to keep their duel inside the spacious Circle of Honor, but they were both beginning to tire quickly. Ku'nar was beginning to become irritated that it was taking this long to kill Ketar. He started increasing his blows and wielding his blade more adeptly.
    Ketar was sweating profusely and taking fewer thrusts at Ku'nar. The crowd had begun to favor Ku'nar. You could tell they sensed that Ketar was fading and would not last much longer.
    That was when the first swipe cut into Ketar's upper arm. The falchion sliced right through the padding and his muscle. Ketar went down grasping his wound. Blood stained his fingers as he continued to hold up his blade in a weak defensive pose.
    Ku'nar began to feed off the crowd and started posing triumphantly after each swing of his falchion managed to find purchase in Ketar's body. Nykostra's dark eyes narrowed as she forced Ketar to move with her own will power. Once and then again her sheer might moved him just enough to keep his head or arm attached.
    It was taking too much out of her to continue for long. The Kwizarra Lonn turned to her and met her with his red, glowing eyes. He knew she was helping him. The two brave warriors were but puppets being manipulated by their masters.
    The blood red eyes of the old man moved to the circle as his head remained facing her. She looked to the floor and saw that Ku'nar was ready to land a kill shot. All that Ketar could do was watch, panting from lack of air and tired muscles. He had several wounds on his arms and side and was slowly leaking his blood onto the ancient stone floor.
    Nykostra was sure this was the end, she could not protect her Ketar from another blow. She watched Ku'nar turn away from his opponent and call out to the crowd.
    "Let all who watch this duel know that I take no joy in ending this brave man's life today. He has fought hard and noble, but his time has come."
    While Ku'nar was speaking, Ketar managed to struggle to his feet and then charged head long