Macklin slowly advanced, the shape of his body silhouetted against the torches in the courtyard below him. He raised his spear, hefting it at shoulder level. He was still several feet away, seemingly afraid to come too much nearer.
Aden swung his paw, claws outstretched, letting out a loud roar that rang throughout the courtyard.
Macklin instantly cowered back.
Using this momentary distraction, Aden turned his back on his enemy and leaped across the roof, dashing toward the eastern wall where he could hopefully escape into the forest below.
A sharp pain tore at his shoulder, and he swung around to find Macklin closer than he’d expected. Swinging his claws toward his attacker, Aden bellowed once again.
Macklin was prepared for it, though, and he didn’t cower. Instead, he raised his spear in preparation for an attack.
Aden did not have time to make it to the edge of the building. The side tower was closer.
As Macklin released the spear, Aden used every muscle in the lower half of his body to launch himself upward, away from the rooftop. He flew through the air and landed against the side of the tower several steps away. His claws dug into thick vines as he gasped for air. The spear had missed him, hitting the side of the tower and clattering to the roof below.
Macklin raced to retrieve it.
Aden swung one arm above the other, climbing the tower as fast as he could. He had nowhere else to go. Above him, the thin ledge stuck out like a roof. Fortunately, the vines climbed out over it, and he reached backward and up to precariously swing his body around to the wider circumference of the ledge railing. As he reached over the railing to tumble behind its momentary safety, a numbing force hit his back.
It knocked the breath from his body. He froze, willing his muscles not to let go as he fought to fill his stunned lungs.
The numbness of the impact soon gave way to a wave of intense pain.
He could feel his claws slipping back into his paws as he lost his grip.
With one final effort, he pressed his bottom legs against the wall below him, hurling himself over the final barrier of the railing.
His lungs released the last bit of air they’d still contained, and he landed on the tower ledge with a strangled grunt.
His mind slipped into hazy shadows of its own as pain sank into it.
Somewhere, in the far-off distance, he heard a victorious shout. “The beast is dead!”
Chapter 31
Isabel rode into the village just as the sun dipped below the mountains. She had pressed as hard as she could, falling from the horse and sleeping in the bushes for an hour at a time when her eyes absolutely refused to stay open.
She had not overtaken Macklin.
She jumped off the exhausted horse, having brought it to the innkeeper for food and rest. She would go the rest of the way on foot, unable to ask anything further from the poor horse.
“Where is everyone?” she asked the innkeeper, noting the empty tables at the cozy establishment.
“They’ve gone up to the villa to get rid of the beast. A nasty business for these nasty times.” He shook his head.
Isa’s heart raced. “Have they finished the bridge over the canyon?”
“Aye, but I would not be heading in that direction if I were you, until they take care of the beast.”
She handed him a few coins. “Some bread please, quickly, and see to the horse. I’ll be back in the morning.” She turned to the door. “Hopefully,” she muttered to herself, inhaling the small loaf he had handed her.
The food did not revive her energy as much as she had hoped, but she pressed forward regardless, pretending that it had.
It was fully dark by the time she reached the newly constructed bridge, but she could see it clearly by the light of dozens of bouncing torches on the other side. A raucous group of men swayed down the hill, laughing and yelling and shouting victoriously.
Isa dashed across the bridge as they poured over it. She fought against the flow, keeping her head low to avoid attention.
“We’re safe now!” someone cried to the right of her.
