I Am Ruined (TDA Lord of Shadows Sequel)

[ XXXVI ] Ambush

They had walked to the southwestern edge of the field, weapons drawn. Even Ash had a knife wielded skillfully in each hand. They were of faerie design and beautiful, hilts wrapped in vines.

"Stay here, you three." Julian had said, taking a crossbow and shielding himself behind trees, hoping to be hidden from the knights' view. Jace and Emma were sneaking through the trees on opposite sides of him, spotting nothing and no one but pixies and nymphs. Emma thought for a moment that Ash's intel was wrong, or that he was lying. A spark of distrust started forming until a rustle in the distance alerted her of another presence. Immediately her senses honed in and she slipped into the shadows of the forest. Three Unseelie Knights emerged from the thick brush, the sigil of the broken crown clear on their leather armor. They were silent, surveying the area as something whizzed through the air past Emma's head and buried itself in one of the Knight's necks. Go. She thought, Julian's crossbow bolt signaling her and Jace to attack. She pushed off the tree, Cortana slicing through the area and connecting with the Knight in front of her. He screeched and pulled his own weapon out, swiping at her. She jumped back, seeing Jace taking out the Knight on his side, a quick swipe of the sword slicing the faerie's neck. The distraction was enough to get her knocked off her feet. She held Cortana out above her to block the blow of the Knight above; blood bloomed on the front of his chest as Julian pushed a knife into his back, trickling out of his mouth. Julian shoved him aside and she blew out a breath. He held out a hand to Emma and she took it gratefully, letting him pull her up.

"Are you alright? You got distracted." He asked, worry lacing his tone.

She nodded, "Yeah. It's just – that was too easy."

"And with the fae, it never is." Jace said, wiping his blade on the grass. "I have a bad feeling, we need to get back to the clearing."

The three of them emerged back into the clearing, Julian's heart dropping at the sight. The three boys were nowhere to be found. His voice was panicked. "Where did they go? Where are they?!"

"Jules, look." Emma whispered, a small pool of blood staining the grass.

No other words were needed; Jace, Emma, and Julian were sprinting up the hill and over the outcropping, following infrequent splashes of crimson. When they finally crested the hill, they saw six figures, but all Julian could focus on was her.

"Annabel?" Julian was pale, paler than Emma had ever seen him. He was watching the girl standing with a knife to Ty's throat. He was otherwise unharmed, but Ash was bleeding, a gruesome gash across his collarbone. The Seelie Queen was holding Ash by the throat, one of his 'trusted' Seelie scouts gripping an unconscious Kit.

"I see you two have met. It must be delightful reconnecting with old family, hmm?" The Queen was smirking, blood smeared from the corner of her eye to her chin. She tightened her grip on her son, a choking sound escaping him. "Unfortunately it seems my own family has turned against me, no? And yet you trusted my court to deceive me as you have." She looked now to the Seelie Scout whom Ash had trusted. A pang of pity went through Emma at Ash's expression, betrayal apparent in his features. So he was telling the truth. But just as all Shadowhunters are at one point, he was deceived by the Seelie Queen.

"Annabel, please. Please don't hurt him." Julian was pleading with her, tears welling in his eyes at the sight of a knife to Ty's throat. The world seemed to slow around Emma, feeling the panic in Julian's chest coil in her own. Without a second thought, she gripped one of her throwing knives, launching it at the woman holding Ty. It narrowly grazed Ty's skin and embedded itself in Annabel's shoulder. She recoiled and Ty dropped to his knees, gasping in relief as he scrambled for his own weapon. Annabel was panicking, looking to the Queen.