But the world was getting dark.
It was time to sleep.
CHAPTER 37
Landwyrm: Ancient Horror. Extinct. Able to paralyze its prey with a look. Origin unknown, classification draconic.
A HISTORY OF HORRORS
“It was truly something to watch,” Clary said. “When you stepped in front of Drayven, held up your hands, and the Wyrm just…stopped.”
Late afternoon sun streamed into my room as I sipped the herbal concoction Darla had prepared. A restorative remedy that should recharge my depleted strength. Whatever I’d done to ward off what I now knew to be a Landwyrm had drained me. That, coupled with the aftereffects of terror—a condition the Landwyrm could inflict on anyone who looked into its eyes—meant I’d slept for a whole day and night.
But a little bit of food, a restorative herbal drink, and company were enough to set me to rights.
“You should have heard the silence, then the cheers,” Benedict said. “It was like watching a moving picture.”
“But it shouldn’t have happened,” Dori pointed out. “Not the Wyrm or the echoes. I heard the Carvers admitted thattheirechoes never left their holding pens.”
I lowered my cup. “Wait…so the Echoes that attacked us?—”
“Were fromoutsidethe wards,” Dori finished. “Same as the Wyrm. Ana, Landwyrms haven’t been seen for decades. We thought they were extinct. They’re the first Horror that entered our world during The Overshadowing. The Landwyrms are the reason so many of our cities were destroyed and had to be rebuilt. There isn’t much information on how we were able to kill them back then, but I do know that there was no such thing as rift blades.”
The question of how those mammoth Horrors had been brought down was buried in history somewhere. “But one survived. Where was it all this time? Dormant somewhere?”
“It would seem so,” Dori said.
“Then why wake now?”
“The Hunters are looking into it,” Benedict said. “And the ward keepers are getting some serious heat right now, too.”
“And they should!” Clary said. “They have one job. Just one. And they get to just…relax the rest of the time.”
“I think it’s a little more than that,” Dori said.
“Really? I saw Augustine Berrywinkle last week, and she hadn’t left her tower room in three days. Three days!”
“Do you want to stay in your room for three days straight?” Dori asked.
Clary scowled. “I wish I had the option.”
“I would,” Benedict said with a cheeky smile. “Depending on who I was with.” He gave an exaggerated, suggestive wink.
Dori groaned. “Lower the tone, why don’t you.”
“Always,” Benedict said.
“But we’re getting off topic,” Dori said. “What you did, Ana… I did some research on Weave powers, and although there is a repelling spell and a shield spell, they don’t work on Horrors. No one haseverrepelled a Horror or held one at bay like you did with the Wyrm.”
“I’m sure that’ll have the Coterie in a spin,” Benedict said. “Considering you haven’t come into your full powers yet, they’ll definitely have questions.”
Great, just what I needed, another session in front of the establishment to explain how I’d stopped the Wyrm. “If they have questions, they can ask the Weave Watchers, because I have no idea.”
Silence fell for a few seconds as we retreated into our own thoughts.
Clary was the first to break it. “If there’s one Landwyrm, there could be more. The ward keepers are going to have their work cut out for them.”
“And the Hunters,” Benedict added.
