Page 107 of Bloodmoon Ritual

Only the evil-doer

Fuck, where was Rhyder?

“Pick it up, whore,” Eli said.

They surrounded me, my throat feeling tight, choking on my own spit.

I took the box and raised the lid.

The rattler slowly uncoiled and raised its ancient, gnarled head out of the box, hissing and looking around with two dark, malevolent eyes.

“Shh,” I said, my hands trembling. “I won’t hurt you.”

And Eli put his hand into a fist and hit the end of the table.

The snake moved with an angry, prideful hiss and struck, sinking fangs dripping with poison into my arm.

I screamed then, the noise echoing like raw knives inside me.

And then Rhyder was there beside me, opening the snake’s mouth and snapping its teeth to free me, gripping the scrub-colored body with one hand.

“Hiring a militia to kidnap my sister?” he roared. “Rot in hell, old man.”

And my brother slashed across the Prophet’s throat, cutting him open from ear to ear, and into the jagged maw remaining he thrust the snake that had bit me, so far down the other man’s mouth even the tail disappeared.

For a moment the other Elders were frozen and Rhyder moved first, gathering me in his arms and starting to run.

My arm felt like it was burning, and I glanced down to see my forearm swelling, the bite marks angry and red there.

“Where are you. . .taking me?” I asked, my tongue feeling thick.

How much time did I have?

“To Ronan,” he said.

“I don’t think I’ll make it,” I whispered, my voice feeling weak and reedy already, my brother’s heartbeat strong and healthy in my ear. As it always had been. One last time he would use his overpowering strength to try to save me. But this time it wasn’t going to be enough.

“Yes, you will,” Rhyder said.

“Stop him!” Eli cried.

But Rhyder was at his bike and he swung one leg over the seat, still holding me tight with one hand.

They were almost on us, but Rhyder kicked the starter, and I closed my eyes as he backed into one of the Elders with his motorcycle.

There was another Congregant trying to cling to the side then, drag us down with him, but one powerful kick from Rhyder and we were free, squealing through the camp, my brother keeping us upright on the uneven ground.

As we passed the supply house, Rhyder grabbed the barrel of oil and knocked it down, ripping out the spigot, and big splashes of oil began to lick the cooking fire at the center of the settlement.

I heard the camp begin to burn as we headed through the boundary gate, and Rhyder didn’t even look back, not once, at where he had poured his devotion to the Allfather and his Prophet for his entire life.

“Hang on, Temperance,” he said. “I’m going to pull out the throttle to go faster. But it’s OK. I’ll keep you safe.”

“I know you will,” I whispered.

“And don’t worry about your book,” he added. “It’s already safely in the console.”

Rhyder screamed across the countryside as I tried to remain conscious, sweat pouring down my back as the lines of poison seeped up my arm.

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