Page 16 of I Destroyed the Elf Prince's Harem

“Too late. They’ve already circled us.” Even as he spoke, I heard the first rustle of the leaves on the opposite side of the camp. They were all around us now.

“Fuck,” I snarled, turning to face the other direction while trying to avoid looking into the fire. My eyes were still trying to adjust to the darkness after watching the flames for so long. Beyond the nearest trees, it was still all pitch black, as if the forest were gone.

“Keep your head down and when you spot an opening, I want you to run,” Nylian ordered.

For one frantic heartbeat, I considered it. I was a fucking writer. Before today, I’d spent most of my life behind a keyboard or a notebook. I was lucky to have ridden a horse. There was no way in hell I was prepared for the fight that was heading our way.

But I’d promised Nylian I would stick by his side. He needed me. I’d gotten him out of a fight at the inn. Maybe I’d be able to think of something clever for this fight, too.

“No,” I gritted out, praying he couldn’t hear the fear that was saturating every cell of my body. I was sticking with him.

Besides, I’d already fallen off a bridge and “died” today. How much worse could it get?

Ogres. That was how much worse it could get.

Chapter 6

And into the Fire

Ogres swarmed our camp faster than I thought possible. There were six of them, all standing over seven feet tall and wielding crude cudgels or thick tree branches. Each one was a mass of wild hair and twisted features, and they were all covered in animal pelts. With them came a hideous, rank odor of rotting meat, sweat, and fetid earth. I gagged and choked for fresh air. As frightening as they were, the ogres weren’t without brains. They’d been smart enough to approach from downwind, not giving away that they were stalking their prey.

A yelp broke from my lips, and I threw the knife in my hand at the one closest to me. Turns out, my aim wasn’t the issue. I hit the ugly creature right in the shoulder, but the blade bounced off and spun away into the darkness. Apparently, ogre skin was more of a thick, rocklike hide. I wouldn’t pierce their flesh with a throwing knife. I would need to get in close with a sword.

And that wasn’t happening if I wanted to remain alive.

The ogre I hit didn’t even notice the knife. He swung his tree branch, attempting to take my head off. I dove for the ground, the whoosh of the branch inches above me as I rolled away and popped to my feet while the spray of dirt and grass pummeled my back.

This was my one defense. Run. Dodge. Roll. Keep moving. They couldn’t kill me if they couldn’t catch me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught glimpses of Nylian as he fended off the ogres with his sword. From the sound of it, I didn’t think he was doing much damage, but he was still alive.

“Get out of here!” the elf shouted.

“You first!” I bellowed at him as I slid half on my belly between the legs of one ogre to jump up too close to another. I spun away from his massive grabbing hands, tripped over a saddle, and nearly face-planted into a bush with long thorns. It was only an ogre snagging the edge of my cloak and ripping me back that actually saved me from impromptu acupuncture.

Of course, now that he had my cloak, he used it to whip me into one of his companions. I barely managed to open the pin holding my cloak closed and tumble out of it before an ogre could bring his cudgel down on my head.

“This isn’t working,” Nylian continued.

“No shit, Sherlock!” I screamed. My lungs were burning, and the chill that had been pricking my skin minutes ago was long gone as sweat trickled along the side of my face and spine.

“Who?”

Fuck. “Never mind. I’m open to suggestions.”

Anything was going to sound good right about now. I was running out of steam. This body might be in better shape than my original one, but its energy wasn’t limitless. Not after the long day I’d put in.

But Nylian didn’t answer. Most of the ogres had tired of chasing me. Only two remained to corral me, since they’d likely figured out I wasn’t leaving Nylian behind. The other four were now closing in on Nylian, and that wasn’t working for me.

With a snarl through clenched teeth, I darted for the campfire and snagged a log that was partially burning. Fire grazed my hand, and I swore under my breath as I chucked the log at an ogre’s head. It hit him square in the back and exploded in a shower of bright-orange embers like a firework bursting in the middle of our camp.

Naturally, the hot ash went straight for my eyes. I stumbled blindly, trying to keep moving as I wiped at my face to clear my vision. The acrid scent of smoke filled my nose. I didn’t know if an ogre had hit me or if I’d walked into another tree. Either way, pain exploded across my head and the world went dark…again.

“Lockhart? Lockhart? I swear to the gods, if you’re dead, I will reach into the underworld and kill you a second time.”

That was how I returned to consciousness—Nylian hissing in my ear, threatening my life while my head throbbed as though it were splitting in half.

Well, it answered one question: did I get zapped home?

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