Page 57 of Wraithwound

“I must have overheated,” she said when she felt like she could speak without breaking down.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” he asked, no hint of the usual bite in his tone.

“I didn’t want to slow us down,” she admitted, realizing that in her silence, she’d done just that.

“And now?”

“Better but still hot.”

“We can’t risk you passing out again. It’s not safe to stop. What else can we do to cool you down?”

Lena looked down at what she was wearing, Cross’s shirt and her undershirt. That was it. Lena pulled the white linen shirt over her head and shoved it into her pack. She couldn’t bring herself to care once the breeze slid over her skin.

Cross turned his face. He was trying to give her some privacy, she realized.

“Would you consider telling me the next time you feel unwell?” he asked, urging Kharon onward.

Some part of her bristled at his request. She was so used to being on her own, shutting others out. But that hadn’t exactly worked out for her in the past. The thought of Jessa made her heart hurt, and she pushed that away too. It would always be a risk to let others in, but the least she could do was ensure she didn’t get him killed by keeping him in the dark.

“I will,” she said at last.

A shriek from the skies had Cross suddenly on alert, his face scanning the terrain ahead. Lena tensed, waiting to see what the eleuth might be alerting them to, but she didn’t have to wonder long. An enormous sheet of rock shifted on the path before them. Cross pulled on the reins, directing Kharon around it. No, not a sheet of rock, Lena realized a moment too late.

A scale.

Just like its name suggested, its back was covered in rough, stone-like scales, some of which had moss growing on them or small colorful flowers that swayed as it rose before them.

Lena gaped as the massive creature snapped up from the ground, revealing an underside made only of needle-like teeth. Kharon dodged the monster with ease, swiftly skirting around the edge of it. Lena whipped around as they passed, curious to watch the monster collapse back onto the earth. As it did, a spray of needles shot from the creature.

Cross chuckled as Lena continued to stare. To think she’d considered crossing the plains on her own.

“They trap anything that wanders by underneath those large flat bodies and slowly consume them. It’s a gruesome way to meet the EverGod of Death,” he said.

Lena shivered at the thought.

They rode with a few breaks interspersed throughout the day until the sun had nearly sunk behind the horizon. Lena made note of the rapidly fading light and then tilted her head up to see if she could catch a glimpse of the furry creature circling above.

As if sensing her concern, Cross urged Kharon on faster. The horse seemed to sense his urgency and obeyed, powerful muscles flexing under his brilliant black coat. Lena silently begged the last rays of sunlight to linger a little longer. After seeing the kinds of creatures that called the plains home these last few days, she didn’t want to know about the sort that drove an outpost to lockdown just after sunset.

As they began to descend off the plains, Lena shivered again, but this time it was at the caress of Cross’s warm breath on her neck.

“Lena,” he said, peering down at her shoulder, “it might be a good idea to cover up.”

She had forgotten that the grey, leathery skin on her chest and shoulder would be on full display without a proper shirt on. She blushed, suddenly embarrassed and self-conscious about her brutally scarred body. Reaching into her pack she pulled out the damp, wrinkled shirt and pulled it over her head.

“There,” he said, pointing down the sloping lawn at what appeared to be another stone outcropping. As they continued to race down the plain, a small outpost materialized.

Surrounded by a stone barrier made of boulders and jagged rocks, two rows of squat, stone buildings, connected by a taller structure at the end of the drive, made up the bulk of the outpost. It looked like an elongated letter “U,” with a wide dirt road running between the two rows of buildings. A heavy metal gate, flanked by fortified guard towers, was the only opening in the stone barrier.

They raced toward the small outpost, figures scurrying towards the nearest building.

“You may want to cover your ears.” Cross whistled loudly, and she realized he was announcing their arrival in hopes the guards would hold the gate.

Another sharp whistle pierced the air, and both Cross and Lena turned to see a pale rider with cropped blonde hair flying down the plain behind them.

“Shit,” Cross murmured as they raced through the gate and down the main drive towards the tall structure at the end. Lena glimpsed a healer’s banner above the door to one of the shops and made a note of its location.

They crossed the threshold into the stables just as the last rays of sunlight winked out. Cross whipped Kharon around to see Taryk had made it into Lythara with a second to spare before the main gate was shut behind him. He, too, raced toward the stables, but the attendant didn’t give him the chance to enter as he rolled a large rectangular door across the steel track with a regretful look.