Page 10 of Born of Blood and Ash

The creature howled, rearing back as its tail scratchedagainst stone and whipped toward me. Cursing, I jerked the blade free andjumped out of the way. I whirled, just as its right head struck. Lifting theheavy sword with a grunt, I spun and sliced down with the blade, aiming for thevulnerable spots between its armored neck scales.

My stomach churned as the blade sank through muscles andtendons. The creature shrieked, and the right head hit the floor, shatteringinto a puddle of foul blood.

Smirking, I leveled the sword once more and lifted my gaze.“So, which head—?” My mouth dropped open.

Before my eyes, red light streaked out from the stump as thebeast thumped its tail. A brand-new head sprouted, mirroring the other two.

“What in the actual fuck?” I growled, frustration crashinginto fury.

Anger pounded through me, and I lunged at the beast. Itturned quickly, moving faster than I would’ve thought possible, and somethingSir Holland had once said when he’d only been a mortal knight training me tofight registered.

“Never let anger best you in battle. It is anact of a fool to use death’s most favored weapon.”

Gods, I was a fool.

Lurching back from at least two pairs of snapping jaws, Irealized I’d taken my eyes off the rest of it.

An arm or leg—whatever—shot through the air. The beastseized me in a crushing grip. Bones ground together as it lifted me off myfeet. Pain erupted, momentarily stunning me. My hands spasmed reflexively. Thesword fell from my grip, clanging off the floor. With a ruthless jerk of itsarm, it sent me hurtling through the air.

I slammed into the cavern wall, the contact knocking the airfrom my lungs. Agony shot down my spine. I hit the floor, rendered prone as awave of torment crested.

A rider sighed. “Disappointing.”

Sucking in a ragged breath, I rolled onto my side. “Commentsare…unnecessary,” I groaned, so done with this.

Shifting onto my knees, I rocked back. I caught sight of thesword lying a few feet in front of the beast. I needed to figure out how totake this thing down and do it quickly. Obviously, the space between the scaleswas vulnerable, but I’d pierced its chest. That had done nothing. And severingits head? It had simply grown another.

I lifted my gaze and peered through the strands of my hair.The two heads were swaying once more. The middle was still. Our gazes locked.Its eyes glimmered with more than just eather. Therewas hunger there, but also intelligence.

My gaze shifted to the other two heads. The glow of theireyes wasn’t nearly as brilliant. Was it possible that those heads were morelike limbs? If I took the middle one out, would it kill the beast?

I had no idea, but it was a plan—one that didn’t involvegetting thrown into walls again.

Rising to my feet, I was surprised to find that most of thepain had already subsided. The beast’s gaze met mine once more.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

I rushed forward, dipping to grab the sword. The beaststruck with the two side heads. My blade glanced off the scales of the leftneck. Seeking to distract it, I spun and brought the blade down on that area.The stench of putrid blood increased. Sweat dotted my brow. Stone clashedagainst scales as I dodged the creature’s relentless strikes and snapping jaws,dancing closer and closer until I saw spittle dripping from the middle head’sfangs. Breathe in. Two of the heads drew back. Hold.

I lunged, blade arcing. With a swift slice, I cut throughthe air, the sword’s tip striking the ground. Blood dripped from its length.

I’d found my mark.

The creature reared back, shuddering as it screeched. Itstumbled, weaved toward the riders, and then moved away, its shrieks becomingquieter and less monstrous. Red light lit up the beast’s body, following ascattered network of veins.

My breathing quick, I stepped back, torchlight gleaming offthe bloodstained sword. The creature’s legs went out from under it as the tworemaining heads collapsed in a cascading, pulsing glow.

Lowering the sword, my lips started to curl up, but my smilequickly froze. Whatever triumph I’d begun to feel vanished.

Something was happening to the creature, and it wasn’tdeath.

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