Page 111 of Deck of Scarlets

I crouched just in time to see one of Josh’s arrows fly past, striking the Azroneg in the shoulder. Black liquid sprayed from the wound as it pulled the arrow out, teeth grinding in anger as it charged for us. The power of the Blessing ran through my veins as I skidded across the limited space, gripping the railing to keep from falling over. Josh had already dodged its first attack, another arrow ready to be released. The Azroneg wasted no time with its next assault, throwing punches left and right at my head, my reflexes reacting on instinct to avoid damage.

It screamed in fury, its mouth widening, when another eerie laugh came from the floor above.

We got fucking company, announced Josh.

The Azroneg ran at me headfirst, mouth wide open, trying to latch onto my arm, and I spun past, landing my attack straight into the back of its skull.

But I wasn’t fast enough to catch the second Azroneg. It landed a blow in my side, tackling me to the ground.

Remi! cried Josh.

My head slammed hard against the stone floor, stars flashing behind my eyes. I heard the crunch of bone, the beast collapsing in a heap beside me. Emilia helped me to my feet, her face covered in dust, some blood splattered on her hair.

The iron steps rattled as another set of feet rushed to the top, the real Cillian sweating and bruised.

He saw me first, gripping the railing before assessing the situation with Josh and the Azroneg going strike for strike.

The sound of arrows whizzed by, hitting their target, and the Azroneg screeched in pain.

Then I heard the snap of a bow.

Emilia and I turned to Josh just as it seized him. My heart thumped erratically as it caught him by the throat. Cillian dove, firing an arrow from his crossbow, stopping it from choking Josh to death, its claws releasing him, and he stepped back. But more kept coming. No matter how hard we fought to keep them at bay, it wasn’t enough.

Josh was surrounded, trying to fire as fast as he could.

I screamed in fear and ran forward, my dagger aimed directly at its chest as I pounced, putting all my force into the jump, about to drag the dagger down its back, when it reached around, striking me in the chest, and I slammed back against the iron railing. It shook from the force as I landed face first, pain shooting up my chest to my neck.

The dagger I once held skidded across the floor, and suddenly the space was filled with the sound of bones breaking and a rough scream.

Josh.

Emilia tackled it to the ground, using my dagger to fight it off. Josh lay broken on the floor, blood seeping through his clothes into a puddle by his feet, one of his eyes swollen shut. I held onto the railing for support, pulling myself up to reach him. Every step felt like an eternity, my eyes glued to his limp body, unchanging when I finally got him. I collapsed on top of his chest, cradling his face in my hands. While Kal swiped left and right, knocking the Azroneg to the floor, Josh remained still, pulse weak and blood coating his clothes and hair. Tears slid down my cheeks as I prayed to the Heavens he pulled through.

Then the iron stairs began to collapse.

Cillian had been tossed aside like a rag doll on the stairs, creating an earthquake from the force. Emilia screamed, trying to get to him.

The Azrodag laughed menacingly, its one eye socket oozing with black blood, craning its neck to peer over to where I lay on top of Josh.

“Come and get me,” I taunted.

Another bone-chilling laugh came from its hideous mouth, and it launched forward. I extended my palms out, shielding Josh, screaming with rage at what it did to my guardian, when warm light shot from my hands, frying the Azroneg demon into dust. Every surface of the room illuminated from its brightness until it returned inside me. I gasped for air, stunned and spent from the energy that surged through me. Not a single Azroneg survived the blast.

Hunched over, I checked for Josh’s pulse, relieved to find his heart continued to beat.

Suddenly, some of the dirty skylights shattered, shards of glass crashing to the floor as four Tutelary Saints dropped from above, along with their Scarlets, surveying the room.

Baron spotted me where I sat, Josh’s head in my lap.

Emilia sobbed where the stairs once were, leaning over, trying to find Cillian.

“Is he…?”

I pointed to the collapsed stairs, tears flowing freely down my cheeks.

Silas shouted from the bottom. “I found him!”

Three Saints jumped down, landing with a hard thud at the bottom. I choked on my tears, stroking Josh’s face for comfort. His breathing was shallow, nearing death with every second that passed.

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