Luna gritted her teeth, fighting to stay upright, her vision blurring with effort. Her knees buckled just before Morvakar. She caught herself, barely, on one hand, every nerve screaming. Her other hand tightened around the dagger.
Morvakar loomed above her, eyes glowing with triumph as he uttered the final phrase, "Has eros iauei phlogi mainomenēi kateleustheis." The air shimmered with magic, and Luna was flooded with rage.
With a growl tearing from her throat, she jerked forward and thrust the dagger into his foot. The blade sliced through the leather of his boot as if it were paper, then bit deep into flesh and bone, sizzled like meat on coals. The scream Morvakar let out wasn't human.
He howled. His body jerked back violently. He stumbled. Magic fizzled around them and he disappeared. Luna collapsed fully now, panting, dizzy but alive.
****
Down in the courtyard, where music still floated through the air, Damien froze. The shriek pierced through the festivities.
