"Stay back!" Vardy shouted, holding his hand out to stop her, but it was too late. Ferah had already made up her mind.
Before he could move, before he could stop her, Ferah launched herself at Dean.
Dean hadn't seen her coming, not until she was already upon him. In a flash, she was between them, throwing herself in front of Vardy, her body colliding with Dean's incoming strike.
The force of the blow was like a thunderclap, and for a moment, the world went completely silent.
Vardy froze, his heart dropping into his stomach as he saw what had just happened.
Ferah's body was limp, blood spilling from the wound that had been intended for him. Dean's strike had cut through her like paper.
She was pale, her face contorted in pain as she struggled to stay up, her body trembling.
"Noooo!" Vardy screamed, his voice breaking, as he reached out, his hand stretched toward her.
