Des stops fighting to stare at the cut in shock. “You struck me. You landed a blow.” He tosses his sword aside, the battle utterly forgotten. A beat passes, and then he begins to laugh. “You did it. You finally did it.” He’s gone mad! Des sweeps me up in his arms, spinning the two of us around. “Do you know what this means?” he asks, staring up at me. I don’t. “You are finally ready.”
