The wood figure's mouth opened on a silent scream. Instead of the expected shrill sound, wood creaked and groaned.
Around them, the rest came to life. They turned as one toward Eva and Jason, their wooden faces frozen in agonized expressions. They were almost silent as they advanced. The dry rustling of their branches as they shook and quivered was terrifying.
They staggered toward Eva and Jason, trailing roots behind them like tattered cloth.
"What in all of the gods is this?" Jason hissed, one arm in front of Eva as if it might protect her from the garden suddenly springing to life.
"I'm going to put this out there. Next time you want to show me something—perhaps don't." Eva reached for the dagger Caden had given her. It wouldn't do much good against these things. An ax might. Perhaps next time she should suggest that as a gift.
"We need to get to the gate," Eva said.
"How do you expect us to do that?" Jason snapped. "There are five of them between it and us."
"You're the one who wanted to be an Anateri. Think of a way!" she hissed back.
The gate represented safety. More importantly, it was a way to keep whatever these things were inside the confines of the courtyard and away from the rest.
Small figures crawled from beneath the bushes where they'd been hidden until now. They tottered forward on uncertain steps as they milled around uncertainly. Their mouths opened on silent cries.
"Children," Eva whispered.
A wood figure staggered toward them. One of its hands brushed Eva's arm. Pain bit deep as its sharp branches tore at her skin.
Eva cried out, swinging her dagger and knocking its arm back. Jason was there in the next minute, burying his sword in the thing’s side. The blade stuck. Jason swore, yanking futilely on it.
He ducked and weaved as the wood person reached for him, trying to stay away from its arms.
"Let go, damn you." Jason heaved, planting one foot against the wooden figure and shoving it.
The sword popped free, nearly toppling Jason before he caught himself at the last minute.
Eva dodged as another of the wood figures swiped at her. She let out a small scream as branches from a second caught in her hair. Her eyes teared up as it yanked painfully, ripping a few strands free.
She thrust the dagger at it and tore herself loose. There was a rip and a spark of pain as one of the sharper branches dragged along her shoulder.
Two of the creatures lumbered toward the gate, wood creaking. If they got out, they might kill someone before anyone knew there was anything to defend against.
"Danger," she screamed. "We're being attacked."
It was all the warning she had time for as another came for her. They were getting quicker. The slow, jerkiness of their movements smoothing out.
She rolled under another's outstretched arms. She'd learned from Jason's example—a direct thrust would only leave her weaponless when the blade caught. Better to dodge and evade unless absolutely necessary.
The wood person followed up with a kick to her stomach. Eva's breath left her in a whoosh. One of the children crawled rapidly across the courtyard grounds, grabbing her foot before dragging her toward one of the adult-sized figures.
She couldn't help the scream that left her lips as the creature’s spindly fingers sank into her ankle with bruising force.
Another piled on as Eva fought to get free.
Jason shouted, rushing in and wielding his sword like a club, knocking one away from Eva, only to be tackled from behind.
He was quickly overwhelmed as more and more of the creatures crawled out from their hiding places.
One of those holding Eva reared back, the wood along their arm reshaping into a point.
Eva's eyes widened as she thrashed in horror. She kicked it in the face, the blow knocking it back only slightly.
There was an exclamation from the gate and then a sharp whistle before an ax buried itself in the wood person’s neck.
