An arrow zipped past the back of my head as Tisvali shot at the beast.The elf didn’t even slow down to aim; he just kept running beside me without looking where he was going.
The snarling was cut off mid-growl.I dared a look to my left, only to see that Deidre was now running beside me in the werewolf’s place.She was recharging her bow and turning slightly backward at the same time.
Behind, the snarls and growls reached a crescendo.There had to be at least three werewolves after us.The sounds alone were chilling to the bone, making my legs keep moving when my muscles should have already given out.
“Tis!”Karim’s shout came from somewhere above.
Then arrows flew over my head toward my pursuers.
The next thing I knew, an arm wrapped around my waist, yanking me off my feet and pulling me aside mid-run.
A second later, a werewolf landed on my previous location, only to be attacked by Karim from above.He landed right on top of the monster, the blade in his hand glinting in the sunlight before sinking into the creature’s neck.
That was when the laws of physics finally caught up to Tisvali and me.We hit the ground–his arm still holding me, and me still clutching the flower.
We hadn’t stopped tumbling yet when he pushed me away with enough force that I lost whatever air I’d left in my lungs after the fall.When I stopped seeing stars, I realized his roughness had saved me from yet another werewolf.One that was now on top of him.
By pushing me away, Tisvali had kept us from being pinned down together.And now he was at the beast’s mercy.
He tried to use his bow as a shield, but the weapon snapped into toothpicks in the werewolf’s jaws.
“Tisvali!”I screamed, as if that would help.
I was weaponless and not close enough to prevent the tragedy unfolding before my eyes at an impossible speed.Any second now, Tisvali would be killed by the werewolf he’d so bravely saved me from, and I–
Deidre landed on the werewolf’s back, slashing and stabbing with a dagger while screaming like a banshee.
Tisvali used the opportunity to shred the beast’s unprotected neck from below with his sharp nails.Blood was spraying everywhere and–
Something huge landed on top of me, pinning me to the ground under its furry body.I was too stunned to react, let alone scream.All I managed before the saliva-dripping jaws descended was to shield my face with one hand, the other still clutching the container.
It was when those monstrous fangs sank into my forearm that I finally screamed.
I screamed in agony so intense I couldn’t bear it for even a second.I screamed at the sight of my own blood raining down on my face.
Then I blacked out.
– 8 –
Chewing Gum
“Jesus, that was so dumb,” a male voice cut through the darkness where I was floating.
“You’re dumb!She wasn’t trained for this,” a female voice joined in.
“I’m not the one who had an indestructible crystal container but chose to put my fragile arm in the mouth of a moon-cursed instead.”
“No, you’re the one who got pinned by a moon-cursed and needed rescuing.”
“Well, sorry for being partially blind in the middle of the cursed day!Not everyone has your human vision!”
“Well, I ain’t the one who couldn’t wait to do this!”
“How was I to know there would be an entire pack ofmoon-cursed on our territory?Besides, I was smart enough to suggest we hide until darkfall.”
“Stop it, both of you!”a second male voice cut in, firm and authoritative.“I’m entirely to blame, all right?We need to get her to safety.Jasmine?Jasmine, can you hear me?”
Sharp pain in my forearm pulled me out of the numb blackness I was sinking into.My eyes shot open.
