Dusk Falling (Book 1) by Keri L. Salyers

he held his bloodied shoulder with his right hand. A flood of white hair fell over his visage, masking his expression.
    Serrtin had never seen anything like what she had witnessed, nothing so spectacular and nothing like that from her Bren comrade. A matter of mere seconds it had lasted… Blinking quickly, she sought to shove aside her thoughts and worries. Now was a prime apprehension possibility and she could not lose it. Trying not to look at Aya and Agemeer, she hardened her features and moved forward. “Do you yield?”
    The Chase’s breathing was labored as blood flowed down his arm, soaking his sleeve. “Not… on… your life…”
    Despite the pain he felt, he got to his feet. And attacked head on.
    The saurian got her blade up to deflect his first savage blow as well as his second. The ebony claws racked at the swords metal, ringing soundly as if made of some sort of metal itself. She did not remain off-guard for long and began to block him easier no matter the savage speed that would have been unbelievable had Serrtin not beenthe one to witness it first hand, injured as he was. But she could not get an attack in edgewise. He was simply too fleet.
    However, the Chase could not keep up the frantic pace for long with one arm streaming blood and began to tire, his blows falling softer, and Serrtin saw her chance to go on the offensive.
    As he drew his uninjured arm back across his chest, going into a backhanded slash, Serrtin pivoted and brought her weight forward onto her blade. The Elfkin registered the weakness in his defense, bringing up his other claw.
    The subsequent hit knocked him away like he was a mere child. This time he did not catch himself so gracefully. Slowly rising to his feet, he knew in his current condition he would lose. Moving purely out of will, energies depleted, he made one final bid for freedom. Though he despised running, he knew in this case he must. The black sphere’s came to him less willingly than before and it took a lot more concentration to split them into four.
    His vision fuzzy, the Chase tossed the spheres haphazardly, not aiming. He heard the girl- that mage - cry out and the explosions as the spheres hit the forest floor. In the dust, he was lost to their sight and again took to the trees.
    “Aya! Agemeer! Are you alright?!” Serrtin yelled, eyes tearing from the dust in the air.
    Coughing, the mage called out, “Yes, we’re okay! Where is he?”
    “He escaped.” Serrtin growled, swishing her hand in front of her as the dirt settled once again.
    “Let’s…” Aya coughed, “go after him.”
    “I think,” Agemeer said with a concerned tone. “he is heading toward Barda.”

Chapter 6
    Serrtin tied off without wincing the gash on her thigh utilizing some shredded cloth as Agemeer tended to his own in typical canine fashion. They were losing precious time and it grated but they would need to be prepared. The Chase was sorely wounded and it would make him easy to locate but, like a cornered and injured animal, he would not hesitate to strike out to kill. Not that he had been hesitating before getting hit by his own attack.
    Traversing the forestlands, the team tracked him by the spots of blood on the ground and on the verdant leaves. He was not trying to mask his passage. Agemeer only needed his Wulf’s nose to follow the trail.
    Aya, Agemeer and Serrtin kept close to each other, the saurian in the lead. Although their guards were up, it took them several moments to realize the gradual darkening of the air had nothing to do with the foliage around them. It was unnatural for middle of the day and it was only getting darker. Silently, they glanced at each other and continued on, Agemeer slinking forward to pace Serrtin. His night vision coming unexpectedly handy.
    Footfalls padding softly, eyes straining in the deepening darkness, the trio could only think of themselves walking into another ambush- this time knowingly. Aya bespelled her eyes to enhance her vision.