Page 91 of Thorns of Deceit: The Beast Within

The monster shrieked. The sound reverberated through the ballroom, sending shards of pain lancing through Skylar’s skull. Vines and roots lashed out in all directions. Nobles screamed, high and panicked, scrambling for safety.

“Captain!” Skylar barked, falling into command. “Get everyone to the far side. Now!”

He nodded sharply. “You heard the lady! Move your arses!”

One guard, face pale with fear, spoke up. “But… the King is over there, my lady.”

Skylar’s eyes narrowed. The Gryphon’s irritation merged with her own. “I don’t care where the King is. That side is furthest from the enemy. Everyone goes.”

“We can’t just?—”

She tilted her head towards Arye. “Unless you’d prefer to explain to His Highness why you left his subjects to die?”

The guard shifted uncomfortably, then hurried to comply.

Skylar reached up, touching her hair. A dull ache throbbed at her scalp, loose pins fell away. An idea formed. She turned to the Gryphon, its feathers gleaming even in the chaos. If she could ride it…

The Divine Beast nudged her tenderly, a gesture so reminiscent of Noire that Skylar’s heart ached. She hauled herself onto its back, feeling its power thrumming beneath her.

Arye tensed beside her. His hand gripped her ankle, squeezing gently. “Be careful.”

“Always.”

The transformed Princess Quince towered before them. Her eyes, once filled with haughty disdain, were now pure white. Devoid of humanity. Spasms wracked her monstrous form. Low, pained moans escaped what had once been lips.

“She’s suffering,” Skylar murmured, pity and revulsion twisting in her gut.

No time for sympathy. The monster lashed out. Vines whipped through the air with deadly force.

Skylar urged the Gryphon forward. Its powerful legs propelled them into action. Her stomach lurched at the sudden motion. She gripped tighter, struggling for balance.

The Gryphon leapt. Its wings spread wide, guiding their trajectory. They ricocheted off a wall. The impact jarred Skylar’s bones. She gritted her teeth, forcing herself to move with the Divine Beast.

The battle that ensued was like nothing Skylar had ever experienced. She and the Gryphon moved as one. Her combat experience melded with the Divine Beast’s preternatural reflexes. They bounded from wall to wall, ceiling to floor. Dodging grasping vines. Severing writhing tendrils.

The air filled with the sickening squelch of sliced vegetation. Acrid fluid dripped from each wound. Skylar’s senses overwhelmed her. The Gryphon’s heightened awareness bled into her own. She smelled fear-sweat. Heard rapid heartbeats. Tasted blood. Dizzying. Exhilarating. Terrifying.

“Your left!” Arye’s shout cut through the chaos.

The Gryphon twisted mid-leap, barely avoiding a lashing vine. Skylar’s heart pounded. Adrenaline surged.

Below, the battle raged. The Captain and his men clashed with Thorncrest soldiers. Arye was a whirlwind of deadly grace,his blade singing as he cut down foes. His eyes constantly darted upward, checking on Skylar.

Nobles cowered behind overturned tables. Lady Emma’s gown was stained with blood. Her face a mask of terror as she clutched someone’s arm. “This is madness!” she shrieked. “We’ll all die here!”

A Thorncrest soldier charged towards her. Captain Knox appeared, his blade slicing through the attacker’s neck. “Get to the safe zone, now!” he barked.

But Princess Quince’s monstrous form was relentless. Each severed vine regrew almost instantly. Frustration built within Skylar as the fight dragged on.

“We need to find a weak point!” Arye shouted from the other side of the room, ducking under a wild swing.

Skylar’s eyes scanned the writhing mass, searching for vulnerability. Sweat trickled down her back, muscles burning with exertion.

The princess’s body. If they could reach the human part…

The Gryphon angled towards the grotesque torso. Skylar raised her sword, ready to strike?—

Disaster struck.

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