Page 16 of Feral Guardian
Kor’Tar charges across the rocky beach, his breathing labored and strained. He doesn’t stop when he reaches the water’s edge, galloping into the frigid spray with abandon. He wants her back just as much as I do.
The icy seawater soaks into my clothes and sends a jolt of pain up my legs to my spine. I turn the ring on my left index finger and press my thumb into the pin at the top. My blood spills over the garnetgem and it flares with my magic. A shield of warmth envelops me just over my skin, fighting back the cold.
When the water is no longer passable for Kor’Tar, I dismount and turn his head to shore. “Go! Wait for me!”
He whinnies in protest but turns back. The armor and supplies are weighing him down. He wouldn’t make it any farther than this.
So close. Save her. Kill them.
The demon claws at the surface again and I set him free. With the added strength and heat, I begin to swim. Arm over arm, legs slamming left-right-left-right as the rain pours down on me. I gain on the pirate ship. I can hear their shouted commands as I get within sighting distance. I have to slow my approach or risk alerting them to my presence.
The sails unfurl with awhumpand the ship begins to drag through the water, pushed by the storm’s wind. I swim to the aft, avoiding the lookout’s gaze on the port side. The ship is slick with black tar at the bottom, offering no handholds. I dig my claws into the rubbery substance and hang on as I’m pulled through the water.
My body is tired. The expenditure of magic from healing and letting the demon out is weighing on me. But I refuse to pause. I climb, fist over clawed fist. My feet dangle below me as I hoist myself up to the window of the main cabin. I’m too big; I can’t fit through.
I bite back a snarl and keep climbing toward the deck. Visions of ripping these fuckwits limb from limb urge me upward, and I ignore the burning in my muscles. I steady my breathing as I reach the top railing. The hammering rain obscured much of the noise I made all the way up, but now I must be stealth incarnate.
I peer over the edge and see three pirates: the navigator, the captain, and some other bastard with a wickedly curved sword attached to his side. I left my axe with Kor’Tar, unwilling to lose it to thesea or let it drag me down. I’ll have to fight them hand to hand at first. Three armed men against one magically exhausted, unarmed man sounds like bad odds.
How long will I have to wait before the captain retires below? I need to keep them in the cove, keep them close to Kor’Tar—
And kill them all.
Yes, and kill them.
The captain paces, giving commands in Seterian. “Secure the cannons and paddles! Run Wolfsheim merchant colors!”
Wolfsheim.Those dead-eyed fucks sent these pirates to collect? One Fynren princess isn’t enough for them? They need mine, too?
I glance back at the shrinking shore. I need to act soon. Be brave for the princess. My life is meaningless without her.
The wood railing is slick from the rain as I pull myself over and drop into a crouch. No one is looking toward the aft of the ship, and no one sees the dark, horned demon crawling in their midst. I glance over the crew I can see below. Ten more, thirteen total.
Fuck.
Before I can rethink this stupidity, I lunge for the man with the wicked blade. I slash my claws across his throat and pull his sword from the scabbard with my other hand. I cut him down, just to be sure, and whirl on the captain. He’s wide-eyed with fear, and his hand is stuck on the hilt of his rapier but he hasn’t pulled.
One good thing about the demon; fear is a powerful weapon.
I slice through the air and the captain dodges back just in time. I lurch forward and eat up the distance between us until he’s pressed against the railing. I slash and catch him across the chest. He shrieks and rolls over the side of the ship into the water below.
The navigator screams and abandons his post, running for the stairs. I throw the sword and it impales him through the back. Hefalls down the stairs and lands with athunkat the bottom. The others on deck pull swords and daggers, and charge toward me from either side.
I dodge the first terrified, sloppy attack, and kick the pirate into the other on the left. They go down in a tangle of screams and slicing daggers, blocking one of the stairs. I focus my attention on the next man, who’s seriously rethinking coming at me. I charge instead, slicing my claws through his belly and spilling his guts on the deck.
The man behind him jumps overboard with a horrified wail. I feel the urge to go after him, to put an end to every one of them, but Lily is here somewhere and I must get to her. The pirates regroup and form a half-circle of seven men around me.
I grin. “Nol’Ther is ready for you.”
Chapter six
Lily
The man assigned to guard me smirks from beyond my cage. It’s a lazy, salacious gesture, meant to frighten me. I am just a little scared. Not much. The jangling of the enchanted copper chains overhead is not from my trembling fear.
It’s from my rage.
But I keep my rage from my face. I try to look scared. I try to remember what scared feels like on my face and mirror that.
