Page 26 of Knight's End
Connor ignored him as he used a little bit of pink light to partially heal my cuts.
Quinn used his fingers to mime running, and we nodded. Having lost the advantage of surprise, we needed to get away and regroup. And heal Declan somehow.
Quinn disappeared with Declan. Carrying the other knight didn’t seem to hamper his speed at all. The rest of us were silently picking our way down the stairs when, suddenly, the thatched roof was ripped off the building.
Two giants peered down into the darkness. Their breath washed over us, and it smelled of death. Blood and rot. They gnashed their teeth as they peered down inside. Each one of their teeth was as large as my hand. Luckily, they’d been in bright sunlight, so the darkness of the back stairwell was a bit harder for them to see.
We all froze for a second in horror. And then we forgot that we were in Raslen uniforms. That we might have simply walked down the stairs and made our way out. Prey instinct made us run.
It was the running that tipped them off.
A giant hand reached toward me.
Behind me, Blue screeched. I heard the sound of the tin squeaking as he opened it. I didn’t look back. I kept running, heart pounding as I ducked the huge fingers. I heard Blue’s grunt as he launched the tin and amulet at the huge giant. The creature’s fingers snatched my disguised hair and I felt a sharp, tight tug that sent red ribbons of pain darting across my vision. I was lifted a foot—only to come crashing down on the stairs as dust fell like rain, filling the stairwell.
Blue snatched me up as I coughed and darted toward the open servant’s door.
The footsteps of the other giant, who must have been on the other side of the tavern, shook the earth as it ran around the building toward us. In front of me, Connor suddenly blurred and disappeared in a whip of wind. I hoped that meant that Quinn had grabbed him. But I didn’t have time to think, because just then, a huge, bare, calloused foot stepped around the corner, and a shadow fell over me and Blue.
The second giant snarled down at us and my eyes flew up to meet its furious gaze.
It stomped forward.
But instead of running toward the forest, Blue backed up with me in his arms.
What are you doing?I thought furiously.
Look at the ground.
My eyes scanned the ground and spotted the black stone. Blue must have hit the first giant with his throw, and the stone must have fallen with the dust pile.
Dini reformed on my arm. She turned and saw the giant, letting out a terrified squeak just before the giant’s foot smashed down onto the amulet.
I barely had time to close my eyes before a second cloud of dust washed over us.
That’s when Blue ran for the forest with me in his arms. I leaned over his shoulder to look back at the road. I couldn’t be sure but I thought I saw a little pile of black dust amongst the rest. It looked to me like the giant had destroyed the death amulet.
Connor had Declan already mounted onto the gargoyle in front of him, his arms around the other knight to ensure he wouldn’t fall.
Quinn helped Blue and me mount up and then he slid onto Declan’s former gargoyle.
“But—” I started to protest. Quinn couldn’t nag the beast to get him moving.
Connor cut me off. “He’s been practicing. He’ll be fine.”
And my stupid shite of a gargoyle took off before I could hear my silent knight say his first word. He took off so fast that my bloody wrist scraped against his neck and my wound reopened. The blood soaked into the stone.
We flew over the tavern, watching as Isla and her generals burst outside to see what had happened.
Isla’s howl of rage was music to my ears.
We hadn’t cut the head off the snake.
But we’d certainly wounded her.
I made my gargoyle dip low. I had no way to kill her, not without the amulet—not with her soldiers and generals still surrounding her. Not yet. But I could add salt to the wound. I made certain she could see my blue uniform as I called out, “Your Majesty, it’s been a pleasure betraying you!”
I yanked at my gargoyle and, for once, the damned thing obeyed easily. We swerved and gained speed as we flew off.
Dini laughed into the wind. “That was the best adventure I’ve had in nearly two centuries!”
I ignored her. As Isla disappeared below the clouds, my thoughts turned to my capital, Marscha, because that’s where Ryan had gone.
Isla’s thoughts about the battle there had been happy thoughts.
Fear lit like a torch in my heart.
I selfishly prayed to the gods Ryan hadn’t been hurt. That he was safe. That he’d arrived after any attack that had occurred.
I urged my stone beast to hurry, but I knew, whatever had happened, I was already too late.
