Page 186 of Savage Throne
I couldn’t.
Duck and Thandi had already pulled her away, ensuring she was clear of our violence.
Focus.
I casually took another sip of wine.
My father recovered instantly, jumping up off the table, landing three feet away, twisting on his heel, and lunging at me again.
Fast, his blade came down in a vicious arc, aiming for my head, but I sidestepped with an almost casual grace, letting the wine swirl lazily in my glass.
“Getting sloppy, Father.” I taunted.
He came again.
The blade hissed through the air, narrowly missing my shoulder, and he spun to the other side fueled by fury.
I was behind him, before he could realize it.
Growling, he charged, his strikes relentless, his blade a whirlwind of steel that could have carved the average man to ribbons in seconds.
Still, I danced away from each one.
He slashed at my chest—I stepped back.
He thrust for my stomach—I twisted, letting the blade pass within inches of my skin.
Whenever I could, I sipped more of my wine.
He lunged again, this time aiming for my ribs.
I spun out of his reach, twisting with a dancer’s precision.
Then, finally he swung again.
Holy fuck!
The blade whistled toward my throat, and I ducked and darted a few feet to the right, feeling the heat of its edge graze the air above me.
He’d been prepared for that.
Another swing.
This one was wilder, angrier, the blade’s edge aimed to cleave me in two.
I leaned back, letting the attack pass harmlessly, then finished the last sip of my wine.
That was too close.
A crowd had gathered around us.
I wasn’t stupid enough to look at who was there. All my attention had to be on him and staying alive, but at least I’d gotten my father to make the first move.
Now, let’s see if this tactic works.
Within seconds, I slammed the wine glass into the edge of the table, shattering it into jagged shards.
His blade came at me again, but this time, I didn’t dodge.
