Gustavo lunged at Zafron with surprising speed for a man of his size, the dagger in his hand leaving a trail of sickly green light in its wake. Zafron's eyes widened, his body reacting on pure instinct. He ducked low, feeling the whoosh of air as the blade passed inches above his head. In the same fluid motion, he shoved Mara to the side, out of harm's way.
'Where is it?!' Zafron's mind raced as his eyes darted around, searching for the branch he'd discarded earlier. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut – he'd tossed it into the bushes, thinking the danger was over. A rookie mistake.
Gustavo pivoted, his face contorted with rage and a hint of surprise. He clearly hadn't expected Zafron to dodge so nimbly. The bodyguard's eyes narrowed, reassessing his young opponent.
'He's fast,' Zafron thought, his heart pounding. 'But he's also angry. I can use that.'
