Oh, good. This apparition sounded like Astrid, too. Which meant Fi was fully entitled to shout back at her, “What the fuck part ofleave and never come backdid you not understand, Astrid!”
Maybe Fi hadn’t used those exact words, but she felt it was strongly implied.
Astrid hunched beside the monstrosity, her black hair damp with snow, her dark coat less eye-catching than her usual showy attire.
“You don’t have to do this,” Astrid pleaded.
Fi swung off Aisinay’s back, sword clenched tight enough to ache her knuckles.
“What are you doing here? I told you to run!”
“I did run. I ran from Verne, just like you asked. Please, Fi, just—”
“Then why are you still here?”
“I couldn’t leave him behind!”
Fi stopped. Struggled to swallow the word. “Him?”
The Beast bared its serrated teeth, drenched in blood and breathing labored. When it shifted, Astrid pressed its snout, mumbling something soft in daeyari. The creature leaned against her, skeletal horse snout tapping light against her shoulder.
What in all the Shattered Planes…
Kashvi, Yvette, and Mal approached with crossbows raised. Eyes wide. They looked to Fi. As if she had any fucking clue what was happening.
“His name is Navek,” Astrid said. “Or… it used to be.”
It had a name. How could this monster have aname?
“It wasn’t his choice to come here,” Astrid went on. “Verne wanted an edge in the fight. She wouldn’t tell me where she went, out to some Plane far away from here, and she came back with… him. Smart enough to understand orders. Too far gone to argue back. She’s used him like an animal.”
“Heisan animal,” Fi said.
“He’s hungry. Confused.”
“He killed Boden!”
Astrid went pale as snow. She looked from Fi, to the other humans—Boden not among them. Her fingers trembled against the Beast’s blood-spattered skin.
“Boden is dead?” she breathed.
As if she cared. As if she wasn’t the one who brought this upon them. As if Fi hadn’t given her the chance to run away.
“When you brought this Beast to Nyskya,” Fi said. “It killed Boden. And five others!”
“I… tried to stop him. He was afraid. Andhurt, when all the crossbows started shooting.”
“It would have eaten everyone in the village!”
“He’s done what Verne ordered him to do, just like me!” Their shouts stirred the Beast. Astrid stroked its snout, urging calm. “Please, Fi. I know what it’s like to be at Verne’s mercy. You’ve come here to face her? Do it. He doesn’t need to be part of that.”
The monstrosity quieted, a whimper against Astrid’s hand.
Fi couldn’t feel pity. Not for this creature. She’d given Astrid the chance to run because of that haunt in her eyes, the teeth scarring her arms. This Beast was…
Also afraid. Trembling in the snow, eyes flitting over its attackers like a beaten dog.
In Nyskya, Astrid had tried to stop the Beast attacking. He’d fought back when fired upon.
