Page 58 of Feathers and Thorns

The twins nodded in greeting, keeping their knives firmly grasped along the metal cuffs that protected their dark skin from their blades’ wrath.

“They came to help us,” Baz said as a way of explanation. “The king accepted your lineage papers after hearing our story. He is making weapons and armor as we speak.”

“So, now we just need an army?” Jai asked, the mischievous glint returning to his dark eyes.

Baz smiled. “Now we just need an army.”

Saoirse and Callan agreed to stay behind with Everett to protect Adaryn. Jai resisted at first, not wanting to leave her side, but if he was to lead this country, he would have to set an example. He would not be like his uncle and cower in the castle while his people suffered. He tightened his grip on his longsword and followed the rest of the group out of the cemetery.

Smoke filled the sky, and screams rang out all across the city. They planned to start in the market’s outer rings and work their way in, hoping to remove whatever threat was placed on the city before too much damage was done.

The twins split off, hoping to cover more ground, and vowed to meet back at the cemetery. Jai led Soren, Enara, and Baz through the alleyways and side streets, stopping short halfway to Edras Mora’s outer walls.

A group of locals had barricaded themselves in a tavern, where a large, black creature was hacking away at the door. The thing had to be almost eight feet tall and looked to be the kestrels’ much scarier cousin. It had the same elongated face, with hollow pits for eyes, and the sound that escaped its mouth was a thing of nightmares. Instead of wings protruding from its back, two large appendages burst out from each of its shoulder blades. They were akin to a second set of arms, but the ends tapered into points resembling a scythe. It had elongated taloned feet, and their knees bent back at an awkward angle.

Jai hesitated for only a moment before running at the creature in an attempt to catch it off guard. Seconds before he slashed his sword, the monster shifted out of his blade’s path and swung out with one of its pointed arms. Jai turned just in time to block the blow but was thrown to the ground by the force.

Baz ran in, yelling, to take the attention off his fallen friend. “Hey! Ugly! Over here!” he shouted as he circled the creature.

The beast seemed to take offense to that comment and ran in Baztien’s direction.

Baz ducked as it swung at his head but was thrown back as the creature’s large fist connected with his chest. Baz coughed and wheezed as he tried to recover from the blow to his solar plexus.

Enara was about to join in, but Jai jumped between the creature and his friend, blocking the killing blow it had no doubt planned to land.

Jai had learned from his first attempt and managed to keep his footing. He twisted his sword away, throwing the beast off balance, and sliced into its thigh. Black blood spurted from the wound, and the creature let out a horrific screech that was something between the wail of a banshee and a man’s yell. It was truly unsettling.

Baz had gotten to his feet and stood next to Jai, readying himself for the next onslaught. The creature was now angry and came at them in full force.

They dodged and swung, trying to cause any damage they could. Baz bent backward at the waist just in time to watch a scythed arm swing overhead. He straightened and slashed out as the beast finished turning and sliced into its side.

It rounded on him, and Baz cringed under its hollowed gaze. It made to attack then stopped short as Jai’s blade cut through its body in one swift swing. The tracker had sliced the creature in half, having dragged his blade from in-between its legs and up through its skull. The beast’s body split in two in slow motion, like the fabric of a curtain being parted by a soft breeze, and fell to the ground with a thud.

“Nice one!” Baz said, smiling as Jai helped him to his feet. Both were covered in black blood, but neither were injured.

Their celebration was short-lived as the creature shifted behind them. Baz’s smile dropped into a frown, and Jai could not suppress his shock.

“That’s not possible.”

Amidst the puddle of ichor, the creature stirred. As the two halves of its body stood, they rippled and shifted. The appendages that protruded from their backs seemed to slide through their bodies and became their second arm and leg. Their skin seemed to soak up the ichor and rippled again, filling in their damaged skulls and healing their wounds. Each head was left lopsided with one black eye in the center, like two separate pieces of a monstrous puzzle.

“Well, that’s not good,” Baz said, turning to the rest of the group. “Get out of here!”

He could see the determination on Enara’s face as she replied, “I’m not leaving you!”

“Come on, Enara,” Soren said, pulling on her arm as Baz and Jai squared off with the black beasts.

“I won’t leave him,” she said through gritted teeth, wrenching her arm away.

Soren’s face softened as she spoke again. “They are some of the best fighters we know. They will be okay.”

Enara looked at her momentarily, considering her words.

“Look around,” Soren continued. “These people need us more than they do.”

Enara hesitated one moment longer as she looked at Baz and seemed to make a decision. Then she grabbed Soren’s hand, and they ran.

* * *

---