Page 117 of The Weaver

Rekosh hacked through one Claw’s throat with the blackrock axe, sending him reeling. The male’s barbed spear fell from his hands as he reached up in vain to clutch at the gaping wound, from which crimson flowed in a stream.

Rekosh caught the spear before it could hit the ground. The other Claw staggered back in a panicked retreat.

A black shape crashed down on the retreating male from above. Bones crunched and snapped, and the Claw uttered an agonized, strained cry.

Rekosh blinked. Another male had fallen atop the fleeing Claw—one of the lookouts from the tree platform, who had a spear with familiar feathers adorning it buried in his chest.

That weapon looked like Telok’s.

“Defend our camp!” Ulkari shouted from behind Rekosh.

He glanced over his shoulder to see her only a few segments away, war spear raised and pointed toward the camp’s entrance. Her eyes flicked to his.

Ulkari began pivoting toward him, moving her legs asthough to advance in his direction. Rekosh spun around and threw his spear hard. The weapon struck the female’s abdomen, making her movement falter, but it didn’t penetrate deep enough into her thick hide for the barb to catch.

She reached for it.

Before her fingers could close on the wood, Rekosh charged at her. He slammed his palm against the butt of the spear, not allowing himself to slow, using his strength and momentum to drive the weapon deep into Ulkari’s belly.

She swung her spear at him in a wide, wild arc. He ducked under it; he both heard and felt her weapon cut the air just above his head. But he grasped his spear with all four hands and pumped his legs, pushing the barbed head deeper still with a savage snarl.

Ulkari stumbled, losing ground to his assault, and made a pained grunt. She sent her spear at his face in an unwieldy backhand thrust. A tilt of his head avoided the strike. He clamped his mandibles on the shaft, breaking the wood apart.

The female’s rear legs slid to the edge of the pit, and the ground beneath them crumbled. The female teetered, her eyes going wide, and he gave one more mighty shove.

“No!” Ulkari cried as she fell.

Distantly, from another world, someone called Rekosh’s name. A familiar voice, a friendly voice.

Fire and embers leapt high and smoke swirled as Ulkari struck the bottom of the pit.

Rekosh kept hold of the barbed spear as it swung vertical, using it to aid his leap over the pit. Ulkari thrashed and screamed, sending up more fire, and heat lashed Rekosh’s legs and underside.

He collided with one of the males beside Zurvashi’s bones. The male fell to the ground, and Rekosh came down atop him. Before they’d even come to a full stop, Rekosh struck the male with the axe several times in quick succession.

He felt the weapon’s impact jolting through the haft, into his hand, and up his arm, again and again, felt the blood droplets spraying his hide, felt the other male’s writhing. But neither the blood nor the male’s sounds of agony were enough. Only one thing could satisfy Rekosh’s instinctual urge.

Rolling off the male, Rekosh sprang upright and raced in the direction Ahmya and Ogahnkai had gone.

Shouts sounded behind him, adding to a rising cacophony, but he did not look back.

Everything he wanted lay ahead.

His mate, hisnyleea. His heartsthread.

And she needed him.

CHAPTER 29

Please be okay,Rekosh. Please, please be okay.

With her breaths like shards of glass in her sore throat, Ahmya threw herself onto her hands and knees before the wall of branches and thorns.

She knew she was being followed, knew that there was no way she could outrun a vrix. It was only a matter of time before they caught her. But all she needed was a little more time. Enough to allow Rekosh to get free, to get help.

She wouldn’t find that time while she was trapped in this camp. For Rekosh, she had to go as far as she could, had to last as long as she could.

Ahmya crawled into the narrow gap beneath the wall. Branches and thorns scratched her skin from all sides and snagged her hair and dress, but she had to move forward. Always forward, endlessly forward…until she couldn’t.

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