Page 4 of From the Myths of Kings

“Just one sip,” Aurelia dropped down beside Saoirse, her sword hitting the ground with a muted thump. Dazedly, Saoirse looked at her weapons.

Why did they have swords? It was safe here.

The thoughts felt wrong, like they’d been injected into her consciousness by an outside force. A part of her knew they weren’t her thoughts, but she felt so weak she let them consume her anyway. She unhooked the sword strapped across her back and tossed it aside.

Take more off, something told her. Lighten the load even further.

She was so tired. What was the harm? She let the other sword slung around her waist drop to the ground. She unwound the scarf from around her mouth, gasping as the cold air touched her lips.

Noora was the last to succumb to the oasis’ enchantment. She too began mindlessly unclasping the knives strapped to her thighs, tossing them aside like worthless trinkets. She only hesitated a moment before releasing her bow and quiver.

“No, this is wrong,” Noora whispered fruitlessly. She sounded feverish. “But I can’t remember why.”

Saoirse’s thoughts were muddied too. She couldn’t recall why she was here nor why drinking from the waters was dangerous. The only thought in her mind was water.

Drink, drink, drink?—

With every beat of her heart, the urge tore through her body.

The three of them crawled to the nearest pool like survivors of a shipwreck climbing the sands of a beach, the wreckage of their weapons abandoned in a useless heap. Saoirse’s cracked lips split, and she tried to wet them with an even drier tongue. So close. She crawled on hands and knees, inching forward to the clear water like it was her salvation.

She almost cried out as her fingertips touched the smooth surface. The water was cold and clean, better than anything she’d ever felt on her skin. Beside her, Noora and Aurelia stretched out their hands like acolytes offering themselves to a goddess. Saoirse cupped her hands together and scooped up the water in her palms. It trickled down her arms in soft rivulets, droplets quivering as her hands trembled with anticipation. She brought it to her lips and closed her eyes. It was just as delicious as she’d imagined. Better, even. A thirst greater than any she’d ever known gripped her and she began shoveling water into her mouth like a madwoman. It dribbled down her chin and spilled over her neck and tunic, plastering the drenched fabric to her skin. She was delirious with need.

Saoirse was so lost in obsession she didn’t notice it was no longer silent.

The realization came slowly at first, like the first flush of sunrise creeping along the night sky in tentative brush strokes. Awareness gradually cut through the fog of her magic-addled mind, spearing terror in her heart.

Breathing.

Soft cracks of branches on the ground.

A rustle of leaves that would’ve been insignificant had the silence not been so numbing. But it was there, pieces of a presence that had surrounded them as they gorged themselves on the oasis waters.

Saoirse stopped drinking, her cupped palms still raised to her lips. Water trickled down her forearms. Without moving her head, she glanced around. Her skin pebbled with gooseflesh when she realized they weren’t alone. She thought the distant orbs in the darkness were fireflies at first. But as they crept closer and came into focus, she knew they were eyes.

Glowing, yellow eyes. Surrounding them.

Her magic-addled wits slammed back to life. Noora and Aurelia must’ve sensed Saoirse’s sudden stillness because they halted their frantic drinking, the streams of water between their fingers faltering. A nearly indiscernible exhale passed from Aurelia’s lips, the only indication she saw what Saoirse had.

The creatures emerged from the shadows slowly, materializing from behind thick tree trunks and hanging vines like nightmares come to life. The reptilian animals crawled on all fours, their thick legs heavy with corded muscle. The giant lizards were covered in obsidian scales as thick as chainmail, razor-sharp spikes protruding from their spines. Their long claws shifted in the sand as they surrounded the pool. Slithering forked tongues probed the air, glistening with venom. There had to be at least ten in total, each as large as a wolf.

Hot panic flushed out the last traces of their magical stupor as the direness of their situation came into full clarity. They were completely vulnerable. Their swords and weapons were discarded several paces away. They were kneeling in the dirt, heads craned over the pool like prisoners awaiting execution by beheading. Their only option was to abandon the pool and pray they could get their weapons before the creatures struck. Saoirse met Noora and Aurelia’s wide eyes. They both nodded in silent agreement.

Before she could think, Saoirse dove for her sword, half crawling and half running to the heap of weapons. Chaos erupted. The pack of lizard beasts moved all at once, lunging forward with a chorus of bone-chilling hissing that made Saoirse scramble even faster. Black scales flashed in the moonlight like beetle shells. Some of them sprang from the other side of the pool, splashing through the waters in frenzied, jerking movements. Others crawled down palm trees like spiders, their claws digging into the of bark as easily as a knife through the soft flesh of a mango.

Saoirse stumbled for her sword. Just as she touched her sword’s scabbard, biting pain splintered up her leg. She lost her balance and hit the ground hard, the wind knocked from her lungs. She twisted to face the horrifying reptile, biting back a scream as its claws punctured through the leather of her boot. She kicked with her free leg as the lizard creature easily dragged her backward like she weighed nothing. It leaped over her with speed unnatural for such a stocky animal, its mouth hovering above her face as it pinned her down. All she could see were beady yellow eyes and a jaw full of bone-white teeth. Its forked tongue flicked out and tasted the air between them, stringy venom hanging from its open maw. Saoirse kicked the soft underside of the beast’s abdomen with as much strength as she could muster, grunting with the effort. The creature hissed with annoyance, only mildly deterred.

It lunged for her again, and Saoirse covered her face with one forearm, letting the beast’s jaws grab hold of the metal vambrace buckled over her arm. Frantically, Saoirse felt around in the sand with her free hand, trembling as the lizard’s jaws sank into the armor plate. She could feel the metal cracking between its teeth. The muscles in her arm screamed as she fought to hold the beast away, its face inching closer and closer. Her fingers wrapped around a sharp rock. She swung the jagged stone at one of the beast’s glowing eyes. As the creature reared back in pain, she yanked her forearm from its mouth and dragged herself away. Her vambrace hung from her arm by a single strap, nearly split in two.

“Catch!”

Saoirse spun just in time to see her sword flying through the air. She caught it, her eyes landing on Aurelia. She had made it to the pile of weapons seemingly unharmed, though one of her sleeves was entirely shredded. With a grim nod to Saoirse, Aurelia turned back around and tossed Noora’s bow. The archer caught it midair and nocked an arrow in one fluid motion, letting it fly just as another reptilian beast was upon her. Her arrow lodged itself in the creature’s skull.

Saoirse tore her gaze from Noora and Aurelia and drew her sword. Two beasts sprang from her left, jaws snapping. She swung at the first and shoved her blade up and under, slicing open its stomach. She hauled its heavy body off her sword and a gush of black blood spurted out, splattering on her desert robes. The other monster pounced over the deceased one’s corpse, surprisingly agile. Saoirse stabbed at the beast, but her sword missed its vulnerable underside, sliding uselessly over shining black scales. She cursed and spun away, falling back into a defensive position. It hissed at her, forked tongue lashing out like a threat. The beast lurched forward, its claws tearing through the soft earth in a spray of dirt. She planted her feet and braced for impact. This time, Saoirse didn’t miss her mark as it launched itself at her. She embedded her blade into its belly. The light faded from its yellow eyes and its body fell limp.

Panting hard, she turned back toward Aurelia and Noora. They were holding their own, black blood drenching their clothing and collecting at their feet like puddles of ink. Noora shot arrow after arrow, her bowstring scarcely retracting before another arrow was nocked and released with lightning speed. But as the archer focused on bringing two lizard creatures down from the front, another beast crept out of the shadows from behind. Saoirse bolted forward. She tackled the beast just before it could tear through Noora’s exposed back, dragging it down to the sand. She tried to stab it in the stomach, but the beast grabbed her blade between its powerful jaws and tossed it away. It jumped on her with a hiss, opening its horrible mouth wide to reveal rows of needle-sharp teeth glistening with venom. She tried to lift her arms to protect her face, but they were pinned down in a cage of claws. The beast roared in her face, saliva dripping onto her cheek. It reared back, preparing to strike. A metal arrowhead exploded from the roof of its open mouth. The beast collapsed, a feather-tipped arrow sticking out from the top of its head. Noora stood on the other side, lowering her bow. Saoirse sagged back to the earth, her heart beating so fast she thought it might fall out of her chest.

Saoirse accepted Noora’s outstretched hand and pushed up from the ground with a ragged breath. She retrieved her sword from where it had been flung. Nearby, Aurelia pulled her sword from one of the reptile beasts with a sickening wet slurp. No more burning yellow eyes peered at them from between leaves or from under hanging branches.

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