With a shake of her head, she straightened and readied herself to run. She sniffed the wind and was somewhat relieved to realize Darkyn was in the direction she would soon be headed. She'd seen him fight in the video tutorials his predecessor, Zamon, showed her in the library in Hell. Nothing in the universe was able to match Darkyn's agility, cunning and lethality. If anyone could defeat a giant, it was him, assuming he had access to his magic or regeneration ability and wasn't already severely injured. The reminder of all he'd given up to find her was disturbing. Even without his power, he was a formidable foe.
"Ready?" Rhyn hissed.
She swallowed hard and balanced herself.
"Now!"
Deidre darted and immediately toppled to the ground when the giant took a step. Scrambling up with a curse, she took off, leaping and slapping brush away, staggering each time the giant stepped.
Another pain-filled bellow split the air.
"Duck!" Rhyn shouted.
She dropped to the ground without hesitation, squeezing her eyes closed. The sound of metal smashed through trees not far above her head. Trees groaned and crashed to the ground, and she twisted to see behind her.
The giant had Rhyn's sword sticking out of one eye and was pursuing somewhat clumsily, blood streaming down its skewed face. It crashed to its knees, and Deidre flinched, waiting for the trees it hadn't chopped down to fall over.
"Plan B!" Rhyn grabbed her arms and hauled her up. "Run like fuck." He pushed her in one direction then took off in another.
She ran hard, following the scent of Darkyn.
The giant stormed off after Rhyn, and she caught herself against a tree, pausing to catch her breath and assess her situation.
The other giant was under attack from a handful of death dealers and a familiar shape she'd know anywhere: Darkyn. He was moving effortlessly, striking at the monster's tendons and the sensitive parts of his feet and legs, his daggers whirling too fast for her eyes to follow. He clambered up one leg as if gravity had no hold on him and slammed a sword deep into the giant's thigh.
The monster bellowed, and Darkyn leapt to the ground, sword in hand. A thick rivulet of blood spurted out of the giant's thigh, and she guessed he'd hit the main artery.
Teetering, the giant swung wildly at the surrounding forest with its club, taking out one death dealer and half a dozen trees.
The wind shifted, taking her scent towards her mate, and Darkyn signaled her back without turning, his focus between commanding the few death dealers willing to face the creature and the furious ogre.