Page 150 of The Blackened Blade

A shiver runs up my arm with his words. Mallyn was gone? Where?

Had he come into contact with one of those creatures? Had something gotten to him–I shake the darkening thoughts from my mind. I didn't even know Mallyn that well. But from the little time we did spend together, he seemed quiet and reserved, only ever close when needed and keeping a firm distance from everyone else as much as he could.

But there was something about him; something familiar about those grey-blue eyes that seemed to draw me in and wanting to close some of the distance between us.

“What?” Shouts Ezra, pulling me from my thoughts as he turns to stare wide-eyed at Creed. “How?!”

“How the fuck did anyone even get close to that asshole?” Annex shakes his head before grinning. “Well, whoever it is will soon be dead…the problem will be the clean-up.”

“No jokes Annex. He’s been missing since this morning. I tracked his phone and found it by a dried up brook in the forest…” He narrows his gaze at them, “With his clothes torn apart.”

“During the day?” Ezra asks as Creed gives him a curt nod.

“Fuck.” Ezra drags a weary hand down his face as Annex whistles.

What was I missing here? What had happened to Mallyn? And why were all their expressions likethat? They didn’t seem worried or fearful for Mallyn, it seemed like there was something else going on here.

“Is Mallyn–”

I’m cut off by a loud roar, followed by another and then another. Then I feel a pair of hands pull me behind them.

Annex positions me beside a wide-eyed Morgan. Her eyes jump from the two beasts now in front of us, and the one making its way near to us from the other side.

The two creatures in front of us are similar to the yellow-eyed beasts I’d fought during my little kidnapping incident. Whereas the magical beast to our other side was new.

It was pure black, its body as sleek and shiny as a snake but without any scales of its own. It crawls on all fours with small limbs like a crocodile but its head is shorter and round with jagged teeth that are already bloodied.

A chunk of flesh falls from its mouth and I almost retch.

Morgan turns to Creed, her shaky hands clutching an unconscious Ash as she calms her breathing and closes her eyes. When they open again her eyes are iridescent and a shield begins to form around us.

“I don't know if I can hold it against multiple magic beasts if they attack together.” She pulls Ash closer, cradling him against her as he heals slowly. Creed gives her a nod before turning toward me and opening his mouth.

Suddenly a high pitched screech bellows from the courtyard. Another beast, the strange looking ostrich from earlier appears. Four beasts in total now all surround us. Two to our front and another to each side.

“You take the bird Ez,” Calls Annex as he palms his blade, “Make sure you don’t damage the skin too much though…I promised Red a present.” He gives me a wink before he points his blade toward the two creatures in front of us. “I bagsy these freaks.”

“Annex.” Creed calls, and it's enough to make him halt his next step. “Let Grey help.”

Annex sighs as Grey makes his way over.

“No!” Shouts Morgan as he leaves her side.

“He’ll be fine.” Creed pats Morgan's shoulder before he turns toward the black croc-beast. “This will only take a few minutes.”

“I can help.” I take a step toward him, but he puts his hand out to stop me.

“Stay beside Morgan and Ash.”

“I can help, Creed–”

He turns back to me, his eyes beginning to turn an obsidian black.

“Keep her safe then.Bothof them. If any of them get past us…protect them.” He gives me a look, one different from his normal glares or stubborn asshole expressions.

I glance toward Morgan and Ash, still laying on the ground. I would prefer to fight instead of staying back, but looking at the way Morgan was clutching Ash, I realise I couldn’t leave her like this. Not when she had helped me before and while she now looks so vulnerable.

I give Creed a small nod. I’ll just bide my time and be ready for when I’m needed.

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