Terena exhaled and swallowed again. “Nearby. Half a day’s journey. He was… when Pos—when you were turned, Melanos was cursed to live in a cave near here, forever. Never to leave. Never to come find you.”
The serpent regarded her for so long, Terena’s lips trembled as she exhaled.
“You look familiar,” it hissed, twisting its head.
“Melanos lives,” Terena repeated, an edge of desperation in her voice.
“Lies,” Bethana said at last, her face resuming its slow progress toward Terena. “You smell like him and you lie!”
Terena raised her hand to shield her face as Bethana struck. She heard Daris’s roar behind the serpent as its mouth widened and clamped down on Terena’s forearm.
Terena screamed and time warped. The serpent had its fangs deep in her arm; they went through the other side. Terena yanked on her arm with a cry, renting the air around them, rattling the cave. Time sped up and Terena stumbled off the rock as the serpent screeched, slithering off to the far side of the cave.
Terena looked up. Daris lunged, running toward Bethana as she reared up for another attack. Daris launched onto the rock Terena had been on, pushing off with such force he flew. Terena blinked, slack-jawed, and got to her knees. Daris brought his sword up with both hands and landed, slamming the blade down, severing her tail.
Bethana’s scream shook the cave and Terena fell back, hitting her head on the ground.
Daris was in front of her a moment later, cursing loudly as he gawked at the fangs in her arm.
“What the fuck?” Terena cried, holding out her arm as she stared at it in disbelief. Her breath heaved in panicked waves.
Daris grabbed her around the waist and lifted her over his shoulder. Snatching up his sword, he ran toward the pathway where the light was coming from.
Terena’s head swam. She looked up in time to see Bethana slithering toward them fast. Terena screamed at Daris to go faster.
They made it into the passageway as the serpent lunged for them again.
She closed her eyes.
When she opened them again, her vision swam. She was still bobbing on Daris’s shoulder.
She closed her eyes again.
Pain ripped through her and she cried out.
She blinked against the blinding sunlight. How long was she out?
Where were they?
Daris began shouting, calling out for his men, for anyone.
Shouting so loud her ears hurt.
When next she woke, she was on a horse.
Her eyes drifted shut.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Rydon rushed into the cave, Daris at his back carrying Terena.
“MELANOS!” Rydon roared, his eyes wild, searching for the god through the mass of naked bodies before them.
He heard the others skid to a stop behind him and he glanced back to see the Liodari gawking at the scene.
Daris dropped to his knees, cradling Terena in his arms. “Help! We need help!”
Just as it had when they’d first found Melanos, the scene before them winked out and the god strode toward them, a scowl on his face.
