Page 65 of Queen of Serpents and Shadows

The cyclops laughed, sending more foul smelling breath our way. I ducked under a massive hand just before it could strike me, then spun, managing to get a slice across the monster’s calf.

He yowled, then struck me again. this time, his hand, which was nearly the size of me, sent me flying across the cave. My back hit the wall, then my head hit with a crack. I managed to maintain my grip on my weapon, but getting up took effort. I blinked, trying to clear my blurry vision.

I took a moment to steady myself, knowing I couldn’t charge in if I wasn’t able to see clearly. Vanth was attacking the monster by stabbing him, then moving quickly, making the cyclops twist and turn in circles to catch the quick-footed shifter.

It was like watching a cat play with a mouse. I swallowed hard at the thought, knowing that in the end, the mouse rarely wins.

I reentered the fight, ducking behind the cyclops opposite of Vanth. I sliced along the monster’s ankle, trying to bring the monster down. He roared in pain, but to my surprise, he didn’t turn to me. Instead, he grabbed Vanth, then pulled the sword from the shifter before tossing it to the ground. Vanth screamed as the cyclops squeezed.

I shoved my sword into his ankle again, going as deep as I could. The cyclops let out a howl and dropped Vanth. The shifter landed on the rocky ground like an abandoned child’s toy. He wasn’t moving.

My sword was stuck, and before I could get it out, the monster had me in his grip. I hissed out curses as I struggled to get free. If I had my magic, this beast would already be dead.

One huge eye stared down at me and I was face to face with the monster’s putrid breath. He bared his rotting teeth and I could see the points on them. They were a predator’s teeth, sharp enough to tear into flesh.

“Let me go,” I demanded.

The cyclopes laughed. “You come into my home and attack me and you want me to release you?”

“You came at us first,” I reminded him.

“Anything that comes into my home becomes my dinner,” he snarled.

“We’re not here for you. We’re here for a sorceress,” I confided.

“What do you think all those who came before you were after?”

“I need to see her.” I needed to keep him talking. There had to be a way to delay my end. A way to get out of this.

I continued to feel for my magic, trying to find even the smallest thread. Where had it gone? How did it simply vanish?

“You’re not even enough for a full meal.” He frowned, completely disappointed thatI wasn’t larger.

I tried for Ara’s magic, hoping I could find it. She could connect with monsters in the sea, surely there was something she could do with a monster like this?

Nothing came.

“I suppose I could save you, in case anyone comes looking for you,” he said. “A few more your size would make for a better meal.”

His hand tightened around me, crushing me so I couldn’t breathe. My arms were pinned to my sides so I couldn’t grab at him. I tried to push against his squeezing, but my strength was nothing compared to his. I heard my ribs cracking before the pain burst across my chest. He was going to end me, right here.

I failed.

The pain was making my vision fade, but my thoughts went to Ara. She was counting on me. She was with my mother, fighting her own battle for her own life. She wasn’t going to give up. I knew that.

This was not how it ended. I was not going to die here and never hold Ara in my arms again.

I leaned down and bit the cyclops’s hand.

He yelled and dropped me. I hit the ground, then everything went black.

25

Ara

The soundof the waves crashing against the shore wasn’t enough to help me find comfort. It had been two days since Nyx left me with Dion and I was struggling to keep myself from commandeering a ship to return to Athos.

I stared at the water, hoping to find some solace in the foam that washed ashore. It was dark, the ocean before me an endless expanse of black. There was no moon tonight, making it even more ominous than usual.

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