The creature rumbles toward us, each click of its jointed legs turning my stomach. Its head snakes forward, tasting the air as though it cansmellour fear. Two massive pincers hover at its sides—silent promises of how easily it could tear us apart. We stand together, rigid, feigning smallness and insignificance… yet still the monster leans closer.
Now we’re eye to eye with it. A wet, rotting breath washes over me, burning my eyes. Its antennae droop, questing through the air until their tips hover inches from my cheek. And then—
A sharp noise cracks through the dark behind it. The creature jolts, whips around, and in a blur of thrashing limbs, it dives into the earth, disappearing as if swallowed whole.
Only then do I realise I’ve been holding my breath. I let it out in a shaky rush.
My legs tremble as I remember how to stand, dragging in a steadying breath. We remain frozen a moment longer, listening, waiting—until the last faint tremor in the earth fades into nothing.
Before any of us can settle, River shoves a hand against Ryder’s chest, but he doesn’t budge, not nearly as much as River anticipated.
“You knew something, didn’t you?” River’s eyes narrow, sharp as blades. “Asha was right.” He jerks his chin toward me, and heat flares in my cheeks. “Youknewwhat that thing was.”
He stalks toward Ryder, face flushed with anger, squaring up to him.
“Alright, alright…” Ryder lifts his hands, a crooked smirk tugging at his mouth. “You don’t have to do… whatever this is.” He gestures at River’s puffed-up stance. “I had a theory. I just didn’t want it to be true.”
“And you kept it to yourself!” River shoves him again, but Ryder shoves back, harder.
“River, stop.” I wedge myself between them, trying to diffuse their anger.
“No, Asha,” he snaps, eyes blazing. “We almost got fucking killed. What the fuck was that thing?!”
“A tenari. The giant centipede. They’re in Moon lore, but I thought they were extinct.” Ryder confesses. “I didn’t want to worry you all for no reason.”
“That seemed like one hell of a reason!” He gestures to the forest where the creature disappeared. “Giant eel then centipede, is everything in the Hollow on fucking steroids or something!?”
“It’s okay…” I say, my eyes locking on River’s.
“No. First the Nightboat, and now this?” River snaps. “What else isn’t he telling us? Does he have some kind ofmanualon the Hollow that we don’t know about?!”
“That’s fucking ridiculous,” Ryder says, rolling his eyes.
“Is it?” Nala steps forward, voice low but steady.
“‘Cause from where I’m standing, I’ve seen stranger things.”
Silence slams down between us, and my thoughts scatter. Part of me wants to believe Ryder, but this seems too much of a coincidence.
“Asha,” Ryder says, finally looking at me for the first time all day. “Tell me you don’t believe this bullshit.”
“Well…” I pause in thought, my eyes dancing over his. “Howdidyou know about the Nightboat?”
“I just did, okay?” His jaw tightens. “Do I need to remind you that I saved all your lives? Again!”
“If you’d told us the truth in the first place,” River growls, “we wouldn’t have needed saving.”
“Oh, great. I’m the bad guy again.” Ryder knits his brow. “Why does it matter how I know, aren’t you glad I did… We would be six feet underground right now.”
He’s right. Maybe we should just be thankful for his knowledge, but I can’t help but think that he is hiding something and the way things are between us, it doesn’t look like I am going to find out anytime soon.
River crosses his arms. “Is there anything else you ‘just know’ that you conveniently forgot to mention?”
“No, that’s it, but I’ll make sure to tell you next time the thought of a prehistoric creature comes into mind.” He grabs hissword and marches into the brush, the blade whispering with every swipe.
Chapter Twenty
“There’s something over there, in the clearing.”
