“The witch's demon!” he bawled with another hopeless attempt to stab Dante. But this time he managed to catch his sleeve.
“Oh, come on. It's a new shirt. First, you are trying to hurt my companion, now you are ruining my clothes. Not really polite of you.” Danteeffortlessly grabbed the man by his vest. Their gazes locked until he twisted his brows and threw him aside. Somehow, the man managed to get up and still rushed to him. Indeed, Violette was impressed by his assertiveness and…stupidity. It was an impressive and pathetic sight. She pursed her lips, watching his futile attempts to touch his opponent. Suddenly the dagger flew by her cheek and got stuck in the bark of a tree. Her pulse echoed in her ears, her hands trembled, she had to do something, even if it hadn't looked like Dante needed help.
A streak of light flashed in the darkness and the man fell to the ground petrified.
“You could have done it sooner.” Dante turned his gaze to her.
Violette finally breathed with ease. “Why? To miss the opportunity to watch as someone would punch you in the face?”
His expression remained stoic. “It still didn't happen.”
“Maybe one day my dream will come true,” she mumbled, twisting her magic wand in her hands.
She couldn't tell him she lost courage in the moment. Everything happened so fast she was completely lost. Such a shame the wizardling couldn't handle such an easy situation.
“Glad to know you are seeing me in your dreams,” Dante taunted.
Violette rolled her eyes. The audacity he had to make everything about himself was too much to hold at the moment. So while Dante went tocheck on the coachman, she decided to go back inside.
One look inside the carriage as Dante's head popped in the window frame, making her to wince.
“Hey,” he said, leaning at the window, “The coachman is knocked out. Do you have something in your arsenal of spells to bring him to his senses?”
Her lashes fell before raising again – she had something better.
“Wait.” She got inside the carriage to get her little dark purple bag stitched with violets. Dante’s eyes slid her way as she shoved out a little bottle with a magenta liquid, looking like a bottle of perfume; if only it would smell as good.
“It's a potion for magic trace but it has a really strong scent,” she explained as she reached the front of the carriage and leaned over to the coachman with the vial. It worked in a flash – the man opened his eyes, loudly coughing. He looked pretty sluggish.
“What happened?” he let out, his eyes still clouded.
“A road robber,” Dante voiced.
“Oh, I didn't notice how he knocked me out. Are you both okay? I am so sorry,” he started but Violette cut him off.
“Nothing to apologize for. Everyone is well,” she said, her eyes bolted to Dante's shoulder where the robber tried to hurt him. Or did he?She'd thought the dagger caught his skin but he didn't mention anything on this matter.
“We have to leave before that one regains his consciousness" Dante pointed out. Both Violette and the coachman craned their necks to look over his shoulder to the tree and the man lying unconscious beneath its branches.
Her gaze went to the coachman. “I don't think he can drive.” And he seemed to want to object but Dante interrupted him.
“I'll drive.”
“Great! And you, sir, will take a little rest in the carriage,” Violette's mouth curled in a polite smile.
“Thank you for your kindness but it's really unnecessary,” he managed to say, despite it being definitely necessary if they didn’t want to end up off the road and facing a tree.
“I won't take no for an answer,” Violette objected. “It's fine. Really. I'll take you inside.”
She quickly accompanied the man to the carriage, and ensuring he required nothing further, she returned to Dante, finding him the moment as he was inspecting the horses and their gear.
“Is he fine?”
“Yes, we can go,” she voiced as he tightened the carriage buckle on the horse.
“Go back inside then,” he said, putting his leg on the step to the coachman seat.
“I'll sit with you,” she proclaimed.
