Page 84 of Tusks & Saddles
Fuck, they’re hungry. They’ve been starving and too stubborn to leave!
The realization sent Beatrix’s heart to beat at double time. There wasn’t enough time to getGambler’s Luckset up to take a large shot and she had three bullets left. She could buy Welborn a fracture of a moment, and he would need to make it count.
Why had she indulged him in this rescue? Why hadn’t she ordered him to stay? Why had she given him so much freedom?!
The questions rampaged through Beatrix’s mind as her fourth shot rang out five feet from Welborn’s feet. It frightened the monster, but not enough to stop the other two. They were right on top of Welborn, bodies propelling forward. Their armored hides were hard enough to cause a man’s heart to stop beating when it made impact with its prey.
Welborn,Beatrix panicked mind cried.Welborn!
Chapter Twenty-Three
Welborn
He was certain his rib was bruised, though it felt like it was broken.
Welborn’s father had a broken rib once when he had been very small. He remembered how his mother would fuss, scolding her husband for pushing himself when he was trying to recover. Even the slightest breath would cause the man to stiffen. But unlike Welborn, his father had injured his rib saving a group of travelers from some bandits. His father had survived the encounter.
Unlike him.
Or so the thought barely formed in his mind as he pushed himself off the ground. His hand resting on the dirt as three hungry monsters approached him.
Welborn wanted to call out. Send his voice across the winds to say goodbye to his father. To apologize to Boone for failing to do something as basic as keeping himself alive. Not that he had any assurance that it would work. After all, he had called out to his brother just that morning and now he was facing death head on.
At least I’ll get to see my mother again…
The thought was somehow comforting above the ringing in his ears. Welborn wasn’t sure if the sound was from the Sand Slithers or perhaps the goddess of death herself. Ancient lore said that the Bellringer got her name from the ringing of bells heard just before death. For all he knew, that was true, as the Bellringer was one of the oldest deities to ever exist. At least, to the knowledge of all of Ordia. Welborn liked to think she would extend her skeletal hand toward him and gently lead him toward where his mother was.
Heart racing, Welborn braced himself for the hard exterior of the monster that would tear through him with one hit…only to suddenly find himself landing on his injured rib. The second fall left him stunned, and for a moment, Welborn thought he might have been in shock. He hadn’t felt the bite yet, hadn’t felt the blood spill beneath his armor—
“Get up!” a voice exclaimed near his ear.
Welborn’s eyes shot open, shocked as the form of Miss Eaves began to hoist him up. She wasn’t the strongest, but Welborn wasn’t the hardiest of men either. Together, they managed to get him onto his feet, but he had no time to adjust. Miss Eaves had firmly wrapped her hand around his wrist and was pulling him behind her.
The first few steps quickly became a full sprint as the ground beneath their feet began to shake violently. The symbol of the All Seer bounced against his sternum, wind harshly cutting against his cheek. His rib ached, his breath felt shallow, but Welborn wasalivewhich was a gift he had no intention of turning his nose up at. But—
“Why did you jump?!” Welborn exclaimed as he twisted his wrist just enough to free his wrist and properly grasp her hand.
Why had Miss Eaves done it? Welborn had been ready—as much as anyone about to be pulverized by an infant giant sand worm could be. Ready to lay his life down if it meant Miss Eaves would be safe. Granted, it had been more for the mysterious construct than Miss Eaves, but—
“Because we’re in this together!” Miss Eaves barked. “There’s no me without you, for fuck’s sake, Welborn!”
“You would have been fine!” Welborn retorted, lifting his knees high to jump over a large tumbleweed. He wasn’t one to get angry, but a shot of frustration flew through his frame. “You’re the professional survivalist!”
“Maybe I don’t want to survive!” she shouted. “Maybe I’m sick ofjustsurviving!”
The answer surprised him, drawing his eye from the horizon toward her profile, “Miss Eaves—”
“Oh, would you shut up and run, Welborn! We can discuss this if we live!”
Sweat had begun to cling to Welborn’s brow, sliding along his skin from his exertion. The optimist in him was desperate for them to make it. If they just kept running, if the Sand Slithers got tired, if—
Too many ifs, too many ifs! We need to figure out right now!Welborn thought.Think!
The water tower was still too far away, though from their vantage it was a lot closer than it had been when they’d been stuck on the boulder. No, no, there was no way they could reach it before the Sand Slithers reached them! The vibration in the earth was louderthan the hooves of cattle, louder than the engine of a train. If Welborn didn’t know better he would almost think—
The ground cracked, breaking his grip on Miss Eaves and sending Welborn to the side. Dust and rock flew into the air as a massive Sand Slither burst from the ground. The unnatural heat of the creature was so intense, Welborn immediately broke out into a heavy sweat as he tumbled into the base of a small bit of bramble. From behind his broken glasses, Welborn could only gawk at the massive monster. This wasn’t the same as the other Sand Slithers.
“Move!” Miss Eaves voice rang out from a distance. “It’s the mother!”
