Page 63 of Of Sword & Silver

The manticore screams, an eerily human noise, then attacks the building nearest it again. Sparks fly through the billowing smoke as its claws rake across the stone. A split second later, the acrid smell of the beast triples.

“Watch out,” the Sword yells at me just as fire explodes around it.

Reflexively, I throw my arm over my face, pulling my horse away from the massive ball of flame unfurling from the creature. Heat sears my skin, my mount screaming in fear.

I can’t put the creature through this. It certainly didn’t ask to be put in harm’s way.

“By Sola’s fucking teeth,” I swear, dismounting as carefully as I can from the panicked horse. “Mushroom,” I yell out, feeling idiotic, but continuing on anyway. “Calm the horse down.” I swat at the horse’s flank, but it doesn’t need any urging, already streaking away from me and the fiery manticore.

“How in the hells did it manage fire?” I shout over to the Sword, who’s done the same, his mount kicking up dust behind us. Through the smoke and the sweat dripping into my eyes, I catch sight of Morrow, a strange transparent green film shimmering across his flesh.

“Lojad’s shield,” the Sword explains, watching my focus. “Lara will be safe with him.”

I nod once, grateful for his reassurance, slightly ashamed that he picked up on my concern for her. If I were a good little Sister of Sola, though, I wouldn’t even be in this fucked up mess.

I pull my long daggers from their sheaths, enjoying the way they glint in the manticore’s fire, knowing I’ll like the way they look coated in its blood even more.

“I’ll have to invest in a proper bow after this,” I yell at him above the din.

He nods once, a slight smile on his face, the huge black-pommeled broadsword in his hands, sweat dripping down his chiseled chest.

“I’ll draw its attention,” he tells me, a serious look in his eyes. “You circle from behind. There’s a bundle of nerves in front of its tail. Its sting is poisonous, though. It won’t kill you. Well, it shouldn’t kill you,” he amends, a dark eyebrow cocked, his silver hair floating on the chaotic hot wind. “But with the curse, it might put you over the edge?—”

“Don’t get stung, got it. Let’s get this the fuck over with,” I grit out.

That real smile blooms across his face, the orange flames reflecting in his fathomless eyes, and for once, I let myself really look at him. His lone dimple. His even teeth. The cut cheekbones, the strong jaw.

He looks right back at me, understanding glimmering under my perusal.

“Now,” he growls out, and I spin away from him, sprinting around to out-flank the beast.

The manticore’s tail is too long, overly agile, and it whips around behind it, the scorpion’s stinger dripping with some foul poison.

Yeah, I don’t think I need the Sword to tell me that I should avoid that particular end of it. Seems pretty obvious.

All I need to do is cripple it, make it easy for him to lop its head off. Bundle of nerves in front of the tail. The tendons in its legs—I’ll hamstring it. Quick feet, in and out, slash.

I’ve been doing this since I was a child, and for once, I’m glad the Sisters of Sola taught me to fight, no matter how many deep cuts I had to stitch up myself at night.

That might just keep me alive today.

From my angle behind the manticore, the Sword’s onslaught is apparent.

He’s faster than he should be in that strange spiked armor, weaving in and out, slashing at its horrible, uncanny face with his huge sword. I’m so entranced by his dance as I sneak behind the beast, I nearly miss the tail whipping towards me.

“Shit,” I curse, fear making my heart slam into my chest.

Breathe, Kyrie. The command echoes in my mind, the words dark and masculine.

Okay. A bad time to start hallucinating, but at least the advice is solid.

I inhale deeply.

Time seems to slow, then still, and I bend back, the scorpion tail snaking over my chest. I slam onto my side on the frozen muck of the ground, then scramble to my feet.

The sick, fetid stench of the manticore’s fire breath hits me and I gag.

“Fire,” I scream, trying to get the Sword’s attention. “It’s going to breathe fire!”

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