“Thaddeus! Protect her with your life!”
Magnus gaped in disbelief when Brand threw the wee Sorcerit for all he was worth, right at their cousin. Lunara soared through the air over him on a high-pitched squeal, but Mag paid her no heed. Thad would catch her.
He was focused on Brand. His demeanor was off, jerky movements slightly too wild. That’s when Mag saw the tiniest glint of fear in his eyes—a look he’d never beheld while his brother was raging—and it told him all he needed to know.
It was going to be bad.
Without thought, he kicked off his boots, tore the robe from his body, and let Pet take over.
Go on, then. Time to rip nasties apart.
—Aye, that’s it, Maggie. My turn?—
The world morphed around him as he changed. Magnus loved the savage instinct pumping in his veins. The dagger-like fangs filling his muzzle. His claws digging into the grass and dirt. Smells multiplied, and his pointed ears twitched atop his head to pick up every sound. Pet might be the fussy sort inside, but outside? He was beyond deadly.
Magnus completed his transformation and snarled, joining Brand just as he whipped around towards the chasm and brandished his greatsword.
“Four arms, four legs, all but one tipped with talons like wicked blades. No eyes or nose, but a mouth filled with rows of teeth, and massive enough to eat us in a single bite. Watch for the tongue—it’s like a whip. Think colossal spider dragon, and you’re halfway there.”
Mag growled his response, hackles rising.
—Two legs or twenty, we’ll feast upon it?—
The head appeared first, if it could be called such a thing, followed by the arms. Dirt sprayed as it planted those talons into the ground and hauled its body up over the edge—one half-missing, a stump where the point should be.
Brand hadn’t exaggerated about the tongue. It snapped out like an infuriated snake when the monster screeched, spraying rotten matter through the air.
—Ah, what a beauty. Let’s kill it?—
Killing is fine, Pet, but no eating. That scabby thing looks fucking revolting, and I don’t want to be the one left with the belly ache.
With a sneer, Brand thrust out a clawed hand and the earth rumbled. A rocky ramp rose from the ruined field and shot up between them and the dreadbeast, nullifying its much greater height. Sword raised above his head, his brother sprinted up the incline and jumped from the towering drop-off on the far end with a war-cry, landing atop its back.
Mag maneuvered himself behind the beast as Brand hacked into its spine, even that mighty weapon like a splinter when compared to the sheer size of it.
Stone and dirt sprang up like crashing waves at Brand’s command, snatching at the dreadbeast’s talons to trap it in place—to no avail. It freed itself easily, no purchase to be had on the sleek appendages as it jerked to-and-fro in an effort to dislodge his brother.
Mag gauged its movements and lunged, snapping at its hind legs. His fangs cracked through a talon, ripping it sideways and breaking the spike. The beast stumbled, shrieking with rage. Foul blood filled his mouth and he snarled his satisfaction—until fire licked down his throat and seared his insides.
Magnus wavered, shaking his head to clear the toxic haze descending upon him.
—Wretched, bloody poison?—
A frenzied growl left Magnus.
Aye. Let’s avoid biting for now, Pet.
—Ach, you don’t have to tell me twice, Maggie?—
Gathering his strength, he leapt upon the beast’s flank and raked his claws through its tough hide, savaging its hind quarter. Tendons snapped and gore coated him, forcing Mag to turn his muzzle away to avoid swallowing more of its blood.
The back leg fell away with a squelch, Magnus with it. Brand held on while it thrashed, trying to right itself, his sword wedge deep into its back.
He rolled to all fours and dove in again, aiming for the opposite front leg. Not as ideal as taking two legs from the same side but needs must. He set in to shredding, hacking, clawing?—
Blistering pain sliced through his body, and he was lifted away, impaled on one of its arms. It brought Mag forward, another talon skewering him from the other side as he was dangled up over the gaping hole of the monster’s mouth. The rows of needle-like teeth began to vibrate within, a sickening buzzing sound filling the dusk around them.
“No!” Brand wrenched his sword from the beast’s torso, swinging forward.
