Page 41 of From Frost to Flame

“I saw something in the fountain when I was alone.” Lex tilted his head as he tried to remember clearly. “Maybe what I saw is what’s eating these things. It looked like it was going to eat Arden.”

“Interesting,” Castor muttered and glanced at Silas. “Any idea what beast he’s talking about?”

“I was incapacitated.” Silas stood and helped Lex up. “Hopefully whatever ate these nonhumans is gone now.”

As if taking Silas's words as a challenge, a deep roar rang out from the garden.

Gale-force winds shot through the roses, and they all looked to the sky. Above them, a colossal lion made of stone came flapping over the horizon with heavy wings. It slammed down onto the earth. Its eyes were leaky black pools, and its body was wrapped in thorny branches. Its stone mane was covered in moss and dotted with dead roses. It was easily seven stories tall, and cracks ran along its body like little spider webs. Black ink dripped from the cracks on its belly like rain, and faint white light glowed from inside.

“The soul,” Silas said, quietly under his breath. “It’s inside the lion.”

The beast lowered its head, locked eyes on Lex, and tail swished as if it wasn’t made of stone but flesh and blood.

Lex looked down at this wrist, then at the scattered handless bones around them. “It’s biting the compass off.” Lex’s world started to spin. Before he could process that he was the lion’s next meal, he was shoved backward into Julian and Mora’s arms.

“You need to leave with Castor and your family,” Silas said firmly. His eyes were locked on the lion. “I’ll handle this.”

“You can’t be serious.” Panic rose in Lex’s voice as he tore out of his family’s hold and clutched Silas's forearm. “That thing will kill you if you go alone.”

“Darling.” Silas cupped his cheek and gave a sweet smile. “This is what I do. I’ll be fine.” He looked to his brother and spoke his words carefully. “I think Lex may try to follow me. Do you understand what I’m saying? Keep him with you.”

Castor’s eyes widened but he nodded. “Understood.”

“Obviously I’m going to come after you!” Lex’s words shook with worry. “I don’t want you to do this.”

“I’ll come back before you can blink. I promise. Now, go and stay put.” He stepped back, shifted into his werewolf form, and dashed toward the beast. It roared, accepting Silas as his first challenger. Its heavy paws slammed on the ground as it charged.

“Wait!” Lex reached for him, but in a bang, he was gone. In place of Silas and the beast was a wall of crisscrossing thorny branches that towered over him. He blinked, confused, then saw Mora’s hand on his arm and realized she’d teleported them away. “No! I want to go back. How far away are we?”

“I hate to say it, but Silas is right.” Julian crossed his arms. “If that thing so much as swats you, you’re done for. I don’t want you to get eaten.”

Lex rushed to Castor and pleaded. “You’ve fought with him. You know he can’t do this alone.”

“I know you’re anxious, but I was ordered to keep you safe, so that’s what I’m going to do. We are all staying here unless he calls for help. That’s that.”

“What is all this fuss about my safety all of a sudden? Is it the compass that’s so important?”

“It’s not the compass, it’s you,” Castor said, looking a bit guilty.

If Lex had enough energy to use his flames, he was sure his hands would have erupted. That invisible tug toward Silas came back, but it was urgent now. A yank letting him know being away from Silas was wrong. His eyes began to well with tears as he grew overwhelmed. “Can you go help him? I’ll stay. I just don’t want him facing monsters alone.”

“He wants me here watching over you—which I think is the best idea. Just try to relax until he gets back.”

“Lex, talk to us,” Mora pleaded. “What’s gotten into you?”

“It’s painful when I’m not with him. It hurts in my bones. It hurts to breathe. Everything just hurts.”

“It hurts?” Julian repeated. “What do you mean? Like you’re upset?”

“No. It’s different. I don’t know.” He kept picturing Silas being crushed by stone paws or ripped limb from limb by stone teeth, making it hard to think clearly. “It’s like when things first ended. Everything just hurts when he’s not with me.”

Lex saw a flicker of understanding on Castor’s face. When he stayed silent, Lex’s rage sparked. “Why are you and Silas keeping secrets from me?”

“I hear something.” Castor ignored Lex and walked past him and his family. He squinted through the rosebushes. “Get down!”

There was a large crack as Castor was tackled by one of the statues. It was a minotaur with wild eyes that bled ink. It had a stone axe in its grasp and brought it down toward Castor’s head.

With a grunt, Castor caught the stone blade and wrestled with the stone creature.

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