Along its spine, sharp, serrated spikes jutted out like deadly blades, ending in a tail that lashed back and forth with violent energy. Its four legs ended in vicious claws, each dripping with a sickly green ooze. The hide itself shimmered with an unnatural sheen, blending with the shadows of the ceiling as if it were made of darkness itself.
I couldn’t tear my eyes away as the creature’s head twisted toward me, its gaze unsettlingly intelligent, almost as if itassessed me. It fell from the ceiling without warning, its body twisting mid-air with a fluid, predatory elegance. It landed on the hallway floor with a heavy thud, the impact sending a shiver through the ground.
Panic surged through me as I stood slowly, cursing myself internally for not securing my dagger to myself before I left my room. The creature stepped forward, growling as it narrowed its large black eyes on me.
The beast lunged, and I threw myself sideways, narrowly missing its attack. I scrambled toward the library door, snatching a dagger from the fallen guard’s side before diving for cover just in time.
The creature’s tail slammed into the spot where I had stood. The impact sent a spray of blood, dust, and debris into the air.
I stood in the middle of the hallway, facing the creature as it wrenched its tail from the wall with a thunderous screech. It roared, its massive paws slamming onto the floor, causing the stone to crack and shudder beneath its weight.
There was no way I could outrun this creature and zero chance I could defeat it with this tiny dagger.
The beast growled again, launching itself toward me with terrifying speed. I screamed, raising the dagger in a feeble defense as I braced for its attack.
A burst of heat and light shot past me from behind, and my eyes widened in surprise as something struck the beast in the chest. The beast, thrown backward, let out a thunderous roar that turned into an ear-splitting wail as it crashed into the wall with a bone-jarring thud.
“Get behind me!” Jaxon’s voice cut through the chaos, and I scrambled behind him as he conjured another searing ball of fire, hurling it at the beast. The blaze struck the creature’s side, and it roared in anger.
The creature’s tail lashed out, and dark bone-like spikes hurtled toward us with lethal speed. Jaxon’s hands shot out again, and I felt a powerful gust of wind as he unleashed his magic. The spikes slowed in mid-air and clattered to the ground, now encased in shimmering ice that cracked and shattered against the stone floor.
My mind raced. How many different magics did he have? And which ones were truly his?
A guttural yelp from the creature snapped me back to the present, and my gaze shot back to the beast. Smoke-like shadows began to coil from the ground, swirling around the beast’s body. Jaxon’s form started to flicker between his true self and his disguise as the captain, and with a final twist of his hand, the creature’s neck snapped with a deafening crunch. Its massive body crashed to the stone floor, and the dark tendrils of smoke evaporated into the air.
Jaxon exhaled a shuddering sigh of relief, turning toward me with a look of deep concern etched on his face. His eyes roamed over me, searching for injuries. I looked down at myself, and my stomach twisted again as I saw how much blood was on me.
“It’s not mine,” I managed to whisper, my voice barely a tremor. Jaxon’s eyes flared with a mix of relief and anguish, and he pulled me into a tight embrace.
The heavy thud of boots echoed in the hallway, as well as murmurs of astonished voices. Even as Jaxon held me close, he barked orders to the men surrounding us. I barely registered his commands, overwhelmed by the shock of the encounter.
Questions swirled in my mind like a storm, and I knew I wouldn’t like the answers.
“What is the meaning of all this?” A shrill, authoritative voice rang out in the hall—my mother. Winnie ran to my side, glaring at the captain as she approached.
“What happened here?” she demanded, grabbing me and pulling me from the captain into her arms. She grabbed my face with her hands, and genuine fear and concern showed in her eyes.
“Zara, are you okay? Are you hurt?” my mother asked, stroking my face with her hand.
“It’s not my blood,” I repeated to her, and she seemed to sag with relief just as Jaxon had.
Her gaze shifted to the creature now sprawled lifelessly across the hallway. Her eyes widened in shock, and she absently stroked her necklace. She looked back at Jaxon, her expression a mix of bewilderment and silent inquiry.
“Don’t touch the green stuff; it might be poisonous,” Jaxon barked, his voice sharp as he addressed the men and then turned to face my mother.
“I’m not sure, Your Majesty,” he began, his gaze shifting uneasily between us. “I heard screaming, and when I arrived, I found the princess confronting this creature. Zara managed to distract it long enough for me to deliver the killing blow with my blade.” He cast a nervous glance my way.
My mother opened her mouth to respond, but I interrupted her, “The captain saved me, Mother. I’m alive because of him.” My words were sincere; without Jaxon’s arrival, I’d likely be dead.
“I’ll go inform the king of what’s happened,” Jaxon said, giving a respectful bow before preparing to leave.
“No,” my mother snapped, her voice laced with bitter resolve. “I’ll handle the king. You take Zara to her room and see that she’s properly cared for.” Her abrupt command caught both Jaxon and me off guard.
Winnie turned her attention to the lifeless creature sprawled in the hallway and for a fleeting moment, I thought I caught aglimpse of something like sorrow in her eyes. It was gone before I could be sure, and she stormed away a second later.
Jaxon swiftly issued more orders to the remaining guards, then took my hand, leading me through the empty halls back to my room.
As soon as we were inside, I didn’t wait for him to close the door before demanding, “What was that creature?”
