Page 11 of Wicked Prince of Shadows
A throaty scream sounded from below.
With a gesture, he sent his eels streaking toward the next deathbeak that rose toward him. They wrapped around its neck, crackling with dark energy that made the beast shriek.
The ground shook again, rippling this time as if the earth had become a wave. I stumbled, falling against the stone and scraping my knees raw. As I pushed myself up, I saw another crack forming farther down. A centipede the size of a horse scrabbled at the crack, trying to force its way through.
Hell no! That thing wasn’t getting anywhere close to me.
I bolted across the courtyard. The palace shuddered again, and the fissure widened, pieces of masonry crashing down, shards spraying across the courtyard amid the clacking of the deathbeaks and the bellowing of the behemoth. Hiking up my skirts in one hand and shielding my face with my elbow, I shoved my way through the gap. The rough edges scraped my arm and snagged my sleeve, but I tore free and stumbled out.
The ground trembled again, and I looked around in shock. Where was the city? How could this be a whole kingdom if there was only the palace? This was even more desolate than what I’d seen when he took me up facing the chasm.
The earth was the same dead grey as the palace walls, split and fractured into uneven ridges as if something had sucked the life and nuance away. Fissures veined across the ground like a spiderweb, glowing faintly at the seams as if embers smoldered deep below. The air struck colder here, thin and sharp against my skin, and every breath rattled in my throat. My lips cracked, and blood trickled down my chin. I dashed it away and pumped my arms to run as fast as I could.
The dark forest of leafless trees was perhaps three hundred feet away. Three hundred feet of open land with only scraps of rock and rubble and cracked earth between here and there. The largest bit of cover was chunks of rock that were barely waist high.
Helm’s bane! I swore as I forced myself to move faster. Another rumbling tremor shook the ground, jarring the pebbles and lifting the dust.
A shadow passed over me, and I glanced up just in time to see a massive shape blotting out what little sunlight filtered through the clouds.
My heart clenched.
A deathbeak circled overhead, its wings spanning at least fifteen feet across. The creature's head turned toward me, enormous, armored beak glinting like polished steel as it focused on me.
"KLAK-KLAK-KLAK!" It tilted its posture, wings adjusting to the currents before it shot down at me.
I threw myself sideways as it plummeted downward, talons extended. Wind rushed past my face as the creature missed me by inches, its massive beak striking the ground where I'd just been standing. The impact sent tremors through the earth.
"Maker preserve me," I gasped, scrambling to my feet.
WHUMPH.
A second deathbeak landed heavily on a crumbling section of wall, its dead silver eyes fixing on me with terrifying intelligence. It stood easily six feet tall, perched on spindly legs that belied its strength. Its feathers were a mottled grey and black, slick like oil on water, and its armor-plated head swiveled mechanically as it assessed me. “Grrruuuuuu Nnnnkh.”
I backed away slowly, my bare feet scraping across the fractured ground. The first deathbeak was extracting its beak from the earth, turning to face me again. "KLAK-KLAK-KLAK!"
The second one lunged forward in a grey blur. I pivoted and ran, feeling the rush of air as its beak snapped closed behind me. Something tore, and my blue skirt ripped back. I tore myself forward, tearing off the outer veil of the skirt. The fabric tore easily under the sharp beak’s pressure.
I spun in time to see the massive bird shaking its head, the scrap of silk fluttering from its beak like a trophy. The first deathbeak leaped into the air and flapped its wings togain height. The second stalked toward me. “KRUKK…krukk…krukk…”
Both creatures were now fully focused on me, advancing with methodical, stalking steps.
I sprinted across the barren landscape, my lungs burning with each breath of the ashy air. There was nowhere to hide—no trees, no buildings, nothing but endless cracked earth stretching until the forest.
The harsh cry of the deathbeak behind me sent another spike of fear through my body as I ran. My bare feet slammed against the cracked earth, each impact sending jolts of pain up my legs, but I couldn't slow down. Not with that monster gaining on me.
"KLAK-KLAK-KLAK!"
I risked a glance over my shoulder and immediately regretted it. The deathbeak was closing the distance with terrifying speed, its armored head bobbing with each powerful stride, those dead silver eyes fixed on me. Above, the second beast circled, its shadow passing over me like a grim promise.
The forest. I had to reach the forest.
My lungs burned with each ragged breath of the ashy air. The blue silk dress, now torn and filthy, tangled around my legs. I yanked it up higher, bunching the fabric in my fists as I pushed myself harder. The ground beneath me felt wrong—too brittle, as if it might shatter at any moment.
"KRUKK!" The sound came from directly behind me, far too close.
I veered sharply to the left, feeling the rush of air as the deathbeak's beak snapped shut where I'd been. The momentum of its lunge carried it forward, buying me precious seconds. I used them to change direction again, zigzagging toward the treeline.
Above me, the circling deathbeak let out a throaty clattering call.
