Page 56 of Cursed Shadows

Anona.

Somethin’ surprises me, though. I ain’t as ’fraid as I was before. I feel scared for my friends, but if anyone can save ‘em now, it’s me. I drop the stone behind a tree an’ try to cover up its bright blue with some dirt.

Then I fly real quiet-like into the woods, far enough away but where I can still see the flickerin’ flames o’ the fire. I still my wings an’ try to be real quiet whiles I move from tree to tree, close to the flames as I can get without revealin’ my position.

As a general rule, sprites ain’t known for their stealth. There’s assassins an’ shadow creatures that can hide in shadows an’ stay outta sight. That ain’t me, though.

At least I got my smallness on my side, an’ I’m close enough now to count the figures in front o’ me. Three sit at the fire—I recognize the shapes of Anona an’ Dravon—her, thin and worm-like; him, thick an’ worm-like. Some other big guy’s there, too. Can’t see his face, though.

There be more shapes I recognize, all slumped ‘gainst trees, lookin’ dead as dogs. I creep closer, my wings keepin’ me off the ground.

Shadow Butt Jr., otherwise known as Thoradin, be closest to me. I think he must be asleep, but as I get me closer, I hear him move his head to see what’s behind him.

“It’s me,” I whisper. “I’m here to save your sorry asses.”

A sprite don’t have many moments to play hero, an’ my chest puffs in spite o’ the fact that we could still die. An’ we probly will.

Big guy don’t say nuthin’, but when I work that rope free from his hands, I see him nod an’ I fly on to release the others.

The closer I get to Anona, the more my body starts shakin’ somethin’ awful. She talkin’ to the vamp now, an’ the guard walks o’er to him. I take the time they’re spendin’ distracted to untie the rest of their ropes.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CAMBION

Mortal Realm

The buzzing grows louder until I feel the rope at my hands being pulled. Within a few seconds, the binds begin to loosen. Even once my hands are freed, I remain unmoving, fighting the smile that threatens to take my lips.

I’m so grateful for that fucking sprite, I could kiss him.

“The others?” I ask in as low a voice as I can manage.

“They’s all been freed,” he whispers. I square my shoulders and face the question of what to do now.

“I don’t recall where the antidote is located,” Baron says.

“Just tell me the name of it,” insists Anona.

“It possesses no label, thus it will be impossible to find.”

“How convenient,” she mutters.

“If you look at the vials, you will notice very few have labels,” he responds.

She glances down at the satchel and nods, agreeing with him. “Describe the antidote,” she orders. As she approaches the fire, I hear the rattling of glass once more.

“It’s a clear liquid with a slight purple hue,” Baron says.

“There are two that match that description,” she answers. “I can barely see anything in this blasted light.”

She’s correct. It’s difficult to see anything in the darkness, and I mostly rely on my keen hearing. I make out the sounds of footsteps crunching and watch as Anona approaches Baron. Dravon and the other men are just beside her. Before I know what’s happening, Baron kicks the burning coals of the fire directly at them, catching Anona in the face and the men in the upper chest area.

In a moment, I’m standing. My muscles protest the movement, but I brace myself for a fight and run to Baron’sside. Eilish and Thoradin are fast behind me. I don’t know where Dragan is, but I don’t have time to wonder.

Overhead, we hear the heart-stopping whoosh of large wings, and when I glance upward, I see Dragan diving down from high above us. He’s partially in his gargoyle shape, but he maintains his fleshly coloring. With his long hind talons, he grips onto the shoulders of one of Anona’s men and soars back into the sky, only to release the man on top of an especially dead tree.

The man screams as he’s impaled through his neck on a branch. Dragan then dives down and grips the shoulders of another of Anona’s men before flying back up into the sky.

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