Page 84 of Kingdoms of Night

The wyrm twisted around and snapped the crane up in its jaws. It disappeared in a single gulp.

Idalno whipped the blowpipe off her necklace and loaded one of the venom-tipped feather thorns into the end. She held it near her mouth. “I’m too far away; I’ll have to get closer.”

The wyrm shook its head viciously and then snarled, its voice a low bubbling gurgle now.

“Careful what you wish for,” he muttered.

She shot him another glare, her hand with the blowpipe still near her mouth. That thing had a short range, and if she got much closer, that’d be it. Although he wanted to know what Puck had said would happen if one of them died, he wasn’t about to ask.

He would do what he always did. Handle it himself. “It isn’t going to let us go without a fight. You and the wolves should run. I’ll handle it.”

“You can’t handle it alone.”

Hawthorn and Buttercup chimed in at once, their voices indignant.Of course not. Staying to fight.Buttercup growled.

That’s what the pack is for,Hawthorn agreed.We split, move fast, attack. But we don’t leave the pack behind at times like this.

“Then nobody attacks yet.” The cold greasy sensation in his stomach intensified, but with it was an almost iron-like strength that insisted this was where he was supposed to be.

He was supposed to fight this creature. It was as if he’d been called here specifically for that. Something here wanted him to fight.

It wouldn’t surprise him if Puck was here watching the show. Their backs were against the wall, so if Puck wanted a show, he’d get one. “Let it get closer.”

The wyrm moved closer and lowered its head, scenting the air.

Its head turned in their direction.

Merde.

Slowly, slowly, it drew nearer. The black waters rippled around it, the stench so strong his eyes watered.

To stand a chance against it, he’d have to Change, at least partially. In wolf form, he could fit its head in his mouth, minus the antlers. Not that it was his first choice for dealing with the wyrm.

Already his beast blood burned within his veins, his wolf ready to explode out into the world with the rush of vicious power. If Idalno could shoot it in the eye, it might give him enough time to Change. But she couldn’t do it alone, either.

He eyed Buttercup and Hawthorn.It’s got weak points in the scales near the throat and down a couple feet lower.Looks like another across the back of the neck at the base of the skull. Don’t get eaten, all right?

Not planning on it,Hawthorn responded darkly.

Nope. Don’t want to get eaten, Buttercup added.But after this, we run for fun.

He took a deep, slow breath. He’d never been part of a pack before. But he’d been lousy enough already at protecting the people he loved.You two just stay here. I can handle this alone.

What?Low whines followed.

You heard me.He glanced sidelong at Idalno. “If you shoot it, I’ll attack. I’m going for the weak point on the back of its skull. Whatever else you do, you stay back.” Not just because of the wyrm, but because of him.

“Got it.” Idalno’s hand remained surprisingly steady, her gaze fixed on the wyrm. “You have a blade?”

He hid a rictus grin. “Something like that.”

The wyrm slithered closer. Its head was disproportionately large in comparison to its body. Enough pressure back there might snap it even without his fully Changed form. Claws and wolf teeth might be enough.

Even a partial Change was violent, at least for him. He didn’t want to risk catching its attention, but if it became his only option, he would.

The waters churned beneath its lengthy frame. Although the head was large for a creature this size, the wyrm wasn’t nearly so muscular or powerful in appearance as a dragon or wyvern. Certainly nothing like the ones that had attacked the capital or that he’d spotted soaring through the gray clouds on their way to ravage and brutalize the countryside.

He’d never fought a dragon or wyvern, let alone defeated one, but the wyrm being smaller was the only comforting thought he had.

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