“And yet it would still take out dozens of our fighters if we engaged with it,” Toryn countered. “I’ve seen it in action. It’s quick.”
“So let’s launch some arrows from here.” I shrugged. “If I were to guess, it’s been ordered to stop anyone from travelling to and from Endir. As long as we don’t try to go past it, it won’t do anything. Probably.”
Toryn sighed. “I don’t want to sacrifice a single life to this beast. If we agitate it, it could rush our civilians.”
“Then let me at it,” I said.
Roisin turned toward me, her dark brow rising.“You?”
“Your shock wounds me.” I pressed a hand to my heart. “My father might have been an evil bastard, but he did make certain his sons and daughters knew how to fight. I can take out the beast.”
Toryn eyed me. “What’s your angle here, Ruari?”
“Haven’t I proven myself enough? Or will you always hold my father’s actions against me?”
“It isn’t that. It’s—”
Shouts peppered the air, nearly drowning out the deep-throated growl of a shadowfiend.Fuck.More beasts had come. We’d soon be surrounded. But as I turned toward the sound, my stomach dropped. It wasn’t a shadowfiend at all. A bundle of soft gray fur hurtled toward the scorpion, claws outstretched.
It was Nellie.
Toryn let out a strangled cry. Nellie launched onto the beast’s leg. It was so large compared to her diminutive size that she could barely reach the top half of its leg.
The scorpion screamed and tried to shake her off. Nellie clung tight, then scampered up to its back. She loosed a roar so loud I nearly stumbled back. Then she sank her teeth into the scorpion’s back, finding flesh hidden between its protective plates.
Blood sprayed. The scorpion’s high-pitched scream sent the surrounding warriors to their knees.
An unexpected wave of pride washed over me. I’d watched Nellie since she was a small child. I’d seen her grow and blossom into the woman she was now. But she’d never lost the fear all Teine mortals wore like an anchor around their necks, constantly dragging them into the dirt.
Just the way my father had wanted it.
Nellie had always looked haunted. She’d always kept her eyes averted, focused on the ground. She’d been so afraid.
“Look at her now,” I murmured.
The beast swung up its claw, reaching for its back. It grabbed Nellie and flung her off. A cry ripped from her throat as she soared through the air.
The world seemed to stop.
Nellie slammed into the ground, the thunk so loud it was like a thunderclap.
Warriors sprang into action. They rushed the beast, even without a command. Toryn ran forward, joining the fray. He went to Nellie while the warriors swarmed the beast. Just as he pressed his fingers to her neck, the scorpion closed its pincers around Toryn’s arm and tossed him into the mist.
“Fuck,” I muttered.
I ran toward her, dodging arrows and spears. When I reached her, I fell to my knees. Her eyes were wide, vacant. Gone were the fangs, the fur, and the claws. In their place was the brunette girl she’d always been in Teine. I dropped my sword to the ground and pulled off my jacket, then draped it over her body.
“I swore I’d protect you, that I’d make up for what I did that day in Albyria. I’m so sorry,” I murmured.
“Ruari, watch out!” Roisin screamed from behind me.
In the chaos, I’d taken my eyes off the fight. I lifted my gaze, bracing myself for death and blood, for the scorpion to have its eyes trained on me. But it was flat on the ground, surrounded by dozens of fighters. They’d dispatched of it. So then what—
Claws raked through my back. And the last thing I saw were fangs drenched in blood.
Sixteen
Tessa
