- Character Profile
- Profile
She surfaced with a snarl in her throat and a mouth full of mud. The stink of the bog was in her throat, her mouth, her hair. Etain wiped her eyes with the heel of her hand, smearing more filth across her face as she shoved herself up to her knees. Her leg screamed the whole way, blood soaking the bandage and hose. She staggered upright.
“Shit.”
Etain didn’t say anything when Hector grabbed her, just leaned into it with a grunt, her good leg doing all the work as they dragged each other toward firmer ground. Behind them, the Revenant groaned like a dying cathedral. She had to look. Over her shoulder, through a veil of bog-mist. It looked like a wretched monument to every bad death.
"Fucking bloody good riding,"
His words pulled her attention back. Etain turned her head just enough to shoot The Skykiller a sidelong glance. “It was a smart move...” she muttered, voice rough as a whetstone. “The marsh...” She trailed off, breathing heavy. She spotted Josephine a few yards ahead, pawing at firmer ground. The mare flicked her tail, ears twitching when she heard the pair come closer.
“Listen,” she said as their feet landed on solid ground. "Sorry. For… before. For wanting to gut you where you stood.” Her fingers went to her side, brushing mud and muck from her gaunt hand. “Thought about it. Might’ve done it too." And then she glanced back, to the villagers again. The same lot she nearly broke herself trying to save. Same faces that had kicked a man into the muck, same hands that had pointed and blamed and wanted blood with no thought. Fuck them. Let Sumu burn for all she cared, let it blacken and sink and feed the worms.
If the world wanted to eat itself, she would not stay to watch the cooking.
Her hand shot out, rough, mud-smeared, no polish, no ceremony to Hector. "Peace. Or whatever the hell you want to call it.”
“Shit.”
Etain didn’t say anything when Hector grabbed her, just leaned into it with a grunt, her good leg doing all the work as they dragged each other toward firmer ground. Behind them, the Revenant groaned like a dying cathedral. She had to look. Over her shoulder, through a veil of bog-mist. It looked like a wretched monument to every bad death.
"Fucking bloody good riding,"
His words pulled her attention back. Etain turned her head just enough to shoot The Skykiller a sidelong glance. “It was a smart move...” she muttered, voice rough as a whetstone. “The marsh...” She trailed off, breathing heavy. She spotted Josephine a few yards ahead, pawing at firmer ground. The mare flicked her tail, ears twitching when she heard the pair come closer.
“Listen,” she said as their feet landed on solid ground. "Sorry. For… before. For wanting to gut you where you stood.” Her fingers went to her side, brushing mud and muck from her gaunt hand. “Thought about it. Might’ve done it too." And then she glanced back, to the villagers again. The same lot she nearly broke herself trying to save. Same faces that had kicked a man into the muck, same hands that had pointed and blamed and wanted blood with no thought. Fuck them. Let Sumu burn for all she cared, let it blacken and sink and feed the worms.
If the world wanted to eat itself, she would not stay to watch the cooking.
Her hand shot out, rough, mud-smeared, no polish, no ceremony to Hector. "Peace. Or whatever the hell you want to call it.”