The raven-haired man was pushing at Iluq, even before she had finished falling on him. Trying to pull her away. He did not have the strength to move her - but Koe did. This happened with one arm around her waist, and the other gripping one of her arms. Robbed of her leverage and a hand to fend him off Iluq was pulled to her feet. Koe could not say that he approved of death any more than she did, but there did not seem to be anything they could do. The man wanted it, and Horon was willing to give it. No, he was lying to himself. He would have followed her. But if Horon struck her, would that blade pierce flesh and ruin her?
"The witch," and he was dying, but his voice managed to be strong for an instant. "Her touch brings ruin. My death comes no matter what you do, fair lady. But unless Horon ends me, death is not the end."
"He will rise," Horon's voice managed to tremble. "And when he does, we must fight him. Or let him kill an entire village for..."
"Only death waits on the other side of this pass," the raven-haired man went on when Horon could not. "I knew it. I took my chance. Now let me die, here and now, so that... I will sleep forever."
Before either of them could say anything, protest or demand more information, Horon's blade flashed like a dragon's tail. If Horon sobbed - and Koe thought he heard one, gasping sob leave the man - then it was covered by the sound a sword made when it parted flesh and bone. Koe twisted away from the now-dead warrior lying at their feet, and in doing twisted Iluq away as well. Neither of them wanted to gaze upon that. Mercy or no, neither of them wanted to know what had happened or why.