Deathstalker 05 - Deathstalker Destiny

something… something in the way she moved, in the way she'd been acting, in the way she'd been talking to him as though trying to say goodbye… something in her face and eyes made Random reach out suddenly and grab her other hand, where it hovered over his glass. She didn't try to pull away. He turned her hand over slowly, and a few last grains of a fine powder fell from the sachet concealed in her palm. A common poisoner's trick. Random had used it himself, on occasion. But never on someone he loved.
    Their eyes met for a long moment, both filled with an aching sadness, and then Ruby jerked her hand free. They both surged to their feet. Random swept the table to one side. There was a knife in Ruby's hand. Random drew his. They slammed together, face to face, and both knives slammed into yielding flesh.
    Both of them grunted at the impact. They stood together, breathing harshly into each other's face. Their eyes never wavered. And then, as the strength slowly went out of them, they both sank to their knees on the cold stone floor.
    Ruby's hand fell away from the hilt of her knife, where it protruded from Random's side, and she slumped forward against him. Random settled into a sitting position, so he could hold her in his arms. Her face was very pale, and covered in sweat. When he looked down. Random could see the hilt of his knife sticking out from under her breastbone. The front of her clothes was already slick and red with her blood. She began shuddering, and Random held her close to him, as though to protect her from the cold. Her face nestled against his chest, and the pain in his ribs was as nothing compared to the pain in his heart.
    "Damn," said Ruby. Her voice was thickened by the blood in her mouth. "You've killed me, Jack. Always knew… you were the better fighter."
    "Oh God, Ruby. Why? Why did you do it?"
    "Wanted to give you an easy way out. I took a commission, remember? And I never give up on a commission. Once a bounty hunter…"
    "You did it for the money?"
    Ruby smiled. Her teeth were slick with a film of blood. "Maybe not just for the money. Didn't you ever want to know for sure… which one of us was the best? And then… you threatened my security. Couldn't have that. Oh hell, Jack; I don't know why. Maybe… because both of us have outlived our legends. We don't belong in this brave new Empire we helped to make. Maybe I wanted to die… and was afraid to go on my own."
    "Is that why you didn't let the Grendels kill me outside Dram's crypt?"
    "That would have been… a bad death. No honor in it for you, no money for me. And Diana needed you. And me. To save the Empire, one more time."
    "Ruby… don't die. We can still have a life together. Heal yourself. You can do it. We've both healed worse before."
    "Can't. Our powers cancel out when we fight each other. Maze saw to that."
    "The fight's over. I won't fight you anymore."
    "But I would… if I healed myself. I'd need to know… which one of us is best.
    Can't fool the Maze. Don't leave me, Jack."
    "I won't. I'll stay right here with you. Let me call Diana. There's got to be a sick bay left somewhere…"
    "No! You can't do that. You didn't ask who wanted you dead, and why. Who paid my commission…"
    "I thought… Parliament…"
    "Only officially. Blue Block put up the money. A lot of it. They really want you dead. They're frightened… of superbeings they can't control. When the Mater Mundi went conscious, all the espers working for Blue Block threw off their conditioning. Became their own people again. Blue Block paid for me to kill you, after you'd saved the Empire, and then kill Diana Vertue. Blue Block thinks if she dies, Mater Mundi dies with her. Fools."
    She stopped, and coughed up a thick mouthful of dark blood. Random held her while she shuddered again.
    "Don't talk, Ruby. Let me help you."
    "Let me finish, Jack. You don't know… Blue Block put their own people on board.
    Hidden among the volunteers. Don't know which. If I fail, they'll kill Diana.
    There's a bomb, somewhere. A big one. Big enough to take out the whole damned castle. Suicide troops. If they suspect I've failed, and you go to warn Diana, they'll trigger the bomb. Fools. Leave me here. Go warn Diana."
    "She can wait," said Random. "I said I wouldn't leave you." Blood dribbled from the corners of Ruby's mouth. Her eyelids were drooping. Random put his mouth close to her ear, to be sure she heard him. "What about us, Ruby? Our loyalty to each other?"
    "Loyalty? I'm a