“Remember your training, Cas. Blade in the heart or between the eyes, or they’ll get back up,” Thalia whispered. “Don’t try to be a hero. Ask for help if you need it.”
“You’ve got this,” Zephyr said without looking at me.
“Keep your mind open to me, Cas. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help,” Damien’s words were a warning of how easily things could get out of hand in the moments to come. There was no telling how many darklings we stood to face. He may be too preoccupied to keep a watchful eye on me. If we faced more than we could handle, it would be difficult for Damien to keep track of where I was or what I was facing.
I would be solely responsible for my own safety.
My eyes adjusted to the darkness shrouding the area, and I saw faint movements from round the corner in the shadows ahead of us. The clicks grew louder as they approached, their black claws scraping against the pavement as they stalked the alleyway. How many were hidden from our view? Did more watch us from the shadows?
My heart hammered against my ribcage as I caught sight of the first darkling peering at us. The darkness licked at its shallow skin, rising like steam from every surface of its hollowed body. Zephyr crouched low as the dark creature crept along the alley, followed by several more.
“They’re traveling in larger groups,” Thalia whispered to Damien, not pulling her gaze from the approaching creatures.
“Their numbers are growing,” Damien responded. “We’ll have to pull more warrior candidates from the houses.”
The darklings hissed and clicked, lips ripping and curling off their razor-sharp teeth, and the others started towards the walls. Zephyr didn’t give them the chance to flank us, as he launched at the nearest one, setting off a chain reaction.
The moment he slammed into it, the other darklings turned on him, their screeches piercing the air. Damien and the others jumped in, intercepting their advance on Zephyr.
When I tried to engage, though, my legs froze, hands trembling as I gripped the hilts of my daggers.Fuck, not now.
“Heads up, spitfire! This one’s yours!” Barrett yelled as one slipped past him, the creature barreling for me, claws scraping the asphalt as it ran on all fours.
Seconds. I had seconds to get my shit together, or it was going to take me down. It leapt into the air, and I lunged forward, dropping to my knees as I slid against the pavement under it, ducking my head to evade its claws as they reached for me. It crashed into a heap on the asphalt, furious clicks and growls slipping from its teeth as it pushed itself up. I jumped to my feet, spinning to meet it, daggers drawn and ready.
Heart or between the eyes. Heart or between the eyes.
I ran forward as it recovered and lunged at me once more. It reached for me, black claws extended, and I remembered the damage they could do. I shifted to the side, its claw grazing my cheek as I swung my dagger up, the blade slicing its arm. It recoiled the moment metal tasted flesh, and a hiss rose from the wound, as if it were burned.
Damien had told me my daggers, no, all the weapons at The Order’s disposal were engraved with runes by Selene—markings that hurt the darklings. It wouldn’t kill them, but it hurt enough to leave them recoiling for a moment. A moment was all I needed.
It didn’t hesitate long, reaching for me again, and I sank below its grasp, and rammed my dagger into its chest. A scream pealed from its lips, filling my ears, and I winced as the shrill sound clawed into my mind. It disappeared in a cloud of black dust.
I stood there a moment, chest heaving, heart racing. I did it. I’d killed a darkling.
This isn’t the time to celebrate!
I turned in time to see more round the corner.
“Fuckin’ hell. How many are there?” Vincent barked.
“Can’t handle a few extras, Vincent?” Barrett responded. “Bet I can take down more than you!”
“Focus! Play your games when it’s just the two of you,” Damien yelled.
I ran for them as a darkling charged for Damien as he tore his blade from a darklings’ chest. He swung his leg around, slamming his foot into the creature’s jaw. It crashed against the far wall, jaw broken and hanging limp at an odd angle. Damien pulled a knife from the leather holster strung across his chest and flung it through the air. The blade sank between the darkling’s eyes. It hissed and screamed, body convulsing before it vanished as the others had.
“I hate that sound,” I groaned as I stopped at his side, catching my breath.
“You’re not the only one. Thankfully, humans can’t hear it. They aren’t magically aware enough to pick up on it. It’s kind of like a sixth sense sort of thing.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “They really can’t hear it?”
Damien shook his head, switching his dagger back into his right hand. I hadn’t even considered it, but that would explain why Kat hadn’t heard the scream when I’d seen them kill a darkling months ago.
Zephyr sank his teeth into a darkling’s throat, tearing its head free of its body, and I gagged at the sound of bone snapping.
Damien immediately reached to stabilize me. “That’s another way to do it, but I didn’t think you’d be up for that quite yet.”
