Not until I saw the source of the magic.
My throat closed, horror shivering through my bones as I tilted my head back to look at the massive monster in the sky. I'd been so bored back in the room that I had never considered I might wish I'd stayed there, but that was the only thing I was thinking right now. That, and the obvious:
I should definitely run.
Chapter
Four
The bird was a gargantuan beast, with wings that seemed to stretch for miles and feathers that shimmered in the sunlight.
But what truly caught my attention was the flare of magic emanating from its sharp claws, so bright it was almost blinding. The talons, each as long as my arms, dripped with a dark, sticky liquid that sent a shiver down my spine.
I couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding, like I was staring into the eyes of a powerful and dangerous creature. This thing was enormous, and it was clearly dangerous if that liquid was what I thought it was.
I edged backward, careful to place my feet as carefully as I could so I didn't make a sound. I had no idea how keen its senses were, but anything that large would surely have large ears to hear me shuffling around like a terrified deer. The less sound I made, the better chance I had to slip out of here before it ate me like whatever was currently clutched in its claws.
Unfortunately, it was too little, too late. The bird had already seen me. Its massive eyes, with slit pupils like a snake's, narrowed, and whatever was in its claws fell to the ground.
"Please don't," I muttered under my breath as I reached for my magic, talking to myself as much as I was to the bird.
I no longer felt like I was going to puke from the amount of magic in my system, but with so much running through me, there was no way to tell how unpredictable it might be. I was no longer concerned about not being able to use magic at all, but that didn't mean that something wouldn't go terribly wrong if I tried.
The bird screeched, and I cringed back, my shoulders hunching up around my ears.
Thankfully Ehuna hadn't had someone take off my gauntlets when I was asleep, nor when she'd sent me to the barracks to rest, which frankly was an oversight on her part. She knew me well enough to know that there was no way I would stay cooped up in that tiny little room, but if she had taken my gauntlets, there might've been a chance that I would have stayed.
I could use magic without them, but neither she nor anyone else knew that, and I couldn’t risk anyone finding that out.
"Time to go," I decided, hoping that talking to myself might help me get through this.
I whirled on my heel and took off at a full sprint, using my magic to charge my gauntlets just in case I couldn't get back to camp in time. I didn't like turning my back to this thing, and I really didn't like leading it back to camp, but it was either that, or this thing ate me.
I highly doubted that one person, especially that one person being me, could defeat a monster like this.
The deafening sound of massive wings beating the air behind me filled my ears, making it hard to focus on anything else. The force of the gusts threatened to push me forward with every step I took, causing my heart to race.
My lungs burned with each breath, and waves of pain shot up my legs as I frantically ran. My magic churned beneath my skin, a clear sign of my growing panic.
Refusing to look over my shoulder, I could only imagine how close the creature loomed behind me. The mere thought of its presence sent shivers prickling up my scalp, and I knew that if I dared to glance back, my terror would only intensify.
Finally, a half mile from the camp, I realized my mistake. I would not make it back there in time. I hadn't realized how far I'd traveled while following the tug of magic, but it was far enough that I couldn't run it at a full tilt, even with adrenaline giving me a burst of energy.
Even if I could get close enough to the camp for someone to notice, which they certainly would because this thing was the size of a mountain, there was no guarantee anyone would be able to help me.
Flight hadn't helped me, so it was time to try to fight.
With a final, desperate gasp for air, I twisted my body and flung myself towards the ground, narrowly avoiding the sharp claws of the creature as it swooped down upon me. Its massive wings created a gust of wind that stirred the dirt and debris around me.
My gauntlets hummed with energy as I tried to unleash their power, but somehow, the abundance of magic within me hindered my abilities and caused them to fail. Disappointed curses escaped my lips as I watched the stones fade into dullness.
In that brief moment of distraction, the monstrous bird snatched my wrist in its powerful talons and lifted me high into the air with ease, its wings beating against the sky.
Furious curses erupted from my mouth as the majestic bird lifted higher, carrying me along for the ride. My arm, trapped inits powerful grip, felt like it was on the verge of being torn from its socket under the strain of my entire body weight.
Desperately, I reached up with my free hand and grasped at the sharp talons, using them to pull myself closer to the bird's body and relieve some of the pressure on my aching joint. The wind whipped through my hair and stung my eyes as we soared higher and higher.
With no magic, there was a good chance I would be this thing's next meal, unless I came up with something fast. No magic meant that I couldn't call anyone else for help, and we were far too high up for anyone to hear me scream, even if we were still close enough to the camp for that to be a good option.
