Sebastian reared, pawing the air with his hooves as he screamed a challenge.
The man holding Eva shook her. "Calm him, or we'll kill you both."
She didn't waste words on a refusal, kicking out as she struggled to free her arm. With her other hand, she reached for the dagger she'd found in her bedding last night. Her finders snagged the hilt, pulling it free.
He jerked her back. She buried the dagger in his side.
A growl sounded near her ear. "You're going to regret that."
He drew back his fist. Eva sucked in a breath. This was going to hurt.
Caia appeared behind him, her teeth clamping down on his arm. She shook her head with the force of a terrier, hauling the man off Eva.
The scream that escaped him was high and shrill as he and the horse engaged in a tug of war, the prize being his arm.
Ollie burst on the scene behind her, his arms lifted, some type of club clutched in his hands as a primal scream ripped from his chest. He laid about with the club, knocking the other attackers away.
"Eva, are you alright?" he shouted.
"Somehow." Now freed, Eva scrambled away, dodging as Caia flung the man who'd grabbed her one way and then another. The man tripped, falling to the ground. The horse reared. Her front hooves crashed down on his back as Caia took great glee in stomping him into the ground.
She continued her attack until he was motionless; only then, stepping off him. Her nostrils flared as her sides heaved. Ollie and Eva watched with wide eyes as the little mare snorted, her expression satisfied before she sent one last kick at the man's dead body.
"That's one way to do it," Ollie said, slinging his club over his shoulder.
Eva made an inarticulate sound of agreement.
"Come on, we need to get to the rest," Ollie ordered.
Eva started after him, the all too brief screams of the other men distracting her. She scanned the darkness to see many of them strewn on the ground. Already dead.
Sebastian's horns and hooves gleamed black in the poor light.
Ollie tugged her toward where the main group fought. Eva followed quickly behind.
The Trateri were outnumbered, the creatures swarming them. Several warriors fell to their attack and were pulled beneath the water. It churned from their thrashing.
Eva shook her head, horror coating her tongue as the Trateri desperately fought for their lives.
One of the creatures paused, its head turning toward Eva.
Its body was human-shaped, its form long and spindly. A coarse and kelp-like hair cascaded over its face and shoulders, reaching halfway down its back.
Come, Caller, a feminine voice whispered.Your enemy approaches. We will protect you.
Eva blinked as she slowly twisted to see who was speaking to her, while Ollie continued toward the rest.
"Eva, what's wrong?" Ollie said from a few steps away.
Eva backed away as the creature moved silently toward her, the water barely rippling in its passage.
Ollie started toward her. Eva knew it was too late—he’d strayed too close to the bank—even as a creature rose behind him, grabbing Ollie and pulling him back against its chest.
"No!" Eva screamed, darting forward.
Horror filled Ollie's expression as the creature jerked him further into the water. Eva's feet splashed through the waves seconds later, dagger clutched in her hand as Ollie and his captor began to sink below the surface.
He struggled, not making it easy, thrashing like his very life depended on it—because it did.
