"Can we fix the skiff?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.
Cypher shook his head. "Engine's destroyed. We need to move. This crash will attract predators."
As if on cue, a soft hissing sound emanated from one of the nearby buildings. We froze, weapons drawn.
"Scathers," Zoya whispered, her face paling. "We need to move. Now."
But it was too late. From the shadows of the ruined structures, they emerged—serpentine creatures with metallicgreen scales. They were longer than a man is tall, with triangular heads that featured no eyes I could discern.
"Back to back," Cypher ordered, drawing his sword. "Don't let them surround you individually."
I pulled my daggers, their fire cores warming my palms. Vic and Zoya moved to flank me, forming a tight circle with our backs to each other. The scathers—I counted six of them—circled us, their movements eerily coordinated.
"What are they?" I whispered.
"Used to be household pets," Vic replied tightly. "Nytherians kept them for their beauty and venom, which had many healing properties. The collapse changed them, like it changed everything else here."
One of the scathers lunged suddenly, its mouth opening to reveal rows of needle-like teeth. Zoya's crossbow twanged, and the bolt took the creature in the side of its throat area. It thrashed, a high-pitched keening sound escaping it before it went still.
The others attacked as one.
I slashed with my daggers as a scather came at me, the fire cores igniting the blades with orange flame. The creature recoiled as fire scorched its scales, but another was already taking its place. These things were fast—faster than any natural serpent had a right to be. I barely dodged as one snapped at my leg, its teeth grazing my boot.
Cypher moved fast, skilled with his sword. Two scathers fell in quick succession, their bodies going limp. But more were coming, emerging from the ruins around us, drawn by the commotion.
"There's too many!" Vic shouted, struggling with one that had wrapped itself around his arm.
I drove my dagger into the creature attacking Vic, and it released him with a shriek. But the action left my back exposed. Isensed movement behind me and started to turn, knowing I was too late.
A heavy weight slammed into me from the side, not a scather, but Cypher. He shoved me clear just as a massive scather lunged from the shadows, its jaws clamping around his shoulder instead of my neck.
"Cypher!" I screamed as he grunted in pain, driving his sword up into the creature's body. It convulsed, then went limp, its weight dragging him down.
I scrambled to my feet, slashing at another scather that tried to take advantage of Cypher's vulnerability. Fire bloomed along its scales, and it retreated, hissing in agony.
Zoya appeared at my side, her crossbow abandoned for a long knife that glinted in the strange light. "Get him up! I'll cover you!"
Together, Vic and I hauled Cypher to his feet. Blood soaked his shirt where the scather's fangs had punctured his shoulder, but his eyes were clear and focused.
"Into that building," he ordered, pointing to a structure that seemed more intact than the others. "We can defend it better than open ground."
We half-ran, half-staggered toward the building, Zoya covering our retreat. The remaining scathers followed, but seemed more cautious now that several of their number had fallen. We made it through a heavy stone doorway, and Vic and I pushed a fallen beam across it while Zoya kept her blade trained on the entrance.
"Will that hold them?" I asked, breathless.
"For now," Cypher said, leaning heavily against a wall. "They're intelligent. They'll look for another way in."
Vic was already at Cypher's side, examining the wound. "The fangs went deep, but missed anything vital. I'm more concerned about venom."
"Scather venom isn't dangerous," Cypher said through gritted teeth. "Just... very itchy."
I almost laughed but reined it in. "You shouldn't have done that. Gotten between me and that thing."
His eyes met mine. "My crew, my responsibility."
The building we'd taken shelter in appeared to have been some kind of dwelling. Elegant furnishings lay scattered and broken, and the walls were covered in faded murals.
"Jask will find us from the crashed skiff. He'll need to drop the others at the Reliquarium first and then come back for us."
