The Duchess felt like the world slowed down around her. The seas of gold, white, and blue became a pale grey and black, the only outline of red being the enemy right across from her. It was like she could see Sylas' very heart pumping, every shift and twitch of his muscle reflected in her eyes.
She crossed her daggers, blocking the path to her liver. She could feel his fist and exactly where it would land almost as though there was a push and pull of gravity between their two blood streams.
BANG.
A fist landed across her chin.
Her head spun to the side, her eyes widening in shock.
She had been so sure of where the attack would land.
"No!" her body swayed off the branch, panic taking hold in her heart. But she barely had the time to think before her brain shut down and instinct took over.
Sylas landed on the branch deftly, about to make a move to catch her when his eyes narrowed.
The Duchess flipped through the air, stabbing out and catching the trunk of the tree with one dagger. She slipped down for a short while before her momentum came to a stop. Using it as a pivot point, she flipped back, landing on a new branch for only a moment before she shot forward.
The branch quivered like an arrow and in a blink, she was in front of Sylas.
The world was even darker in her eyes now. She could hardly see the outline of Sylas' body. All she could see was the crimson of his heart and the network outlining his blood vessels. Her senses grew sharper, and her blood pumped through her veins with a savage momentum.
Her eyes were entirely glazed over as though something ancient had taken over her reactions.
She slashed out at Sylas' neck.
Sylas bent back in a dodge, one he was sure he succeeded in. And yet, his blood was drawn out of his body, slicing his neck open itself.
Blood gurgled out and his breath was snuffed out. It was drawn into the Duchess' dagger as she landed on a branch to his side.
Her power surged, sparks of lightning, a chaotic twist of space, and Runes dancing through the air as though she had snatched all of Sylas' abilities.
Before Sylas could even react, she was upon him again, even faster this time.
Sylas didn't even think about using his position as her husband to suppress her. That wasn't the sort of domination he wanted right now.
Blood pooled down his neck and his gaze turned an icy cold.
He met the Duchess, swiping out a palm at her wrist. He slapped it down, sending her dagger in a downward arc as he took a strong step forward between her legs.
Her second dagger, aimed at his own liver, arched too wide, not expecting the sudden closing of distance.
BANG.
The dagger just missed his back as Sylas drove his forehead into the Duchess' nose.


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