Page 86 of Kingdoms of Night

A long rumbling hiss and sickly gurgle came from behind him.

The wolves yipped, then snarled.

He turned.

The creature’s body flopped, then twisted. It writhed violently, splashing black poisoned water in every direction.

He stepped back, scowling. By the gods, what was this? Had it eaten something else that was coming back out?

A large bulge formed at the top of its severed neck.

Idalno’s dark eyes widened. “It’s growing its head back!”

It was. It really was.

It could heal itself, even after a death blow? It flung itself back and forth, turning the waters into black froth.

It had to have a weakness. Had to. And if he didn’t do something fast, in less than a minute, it’d be full health and full bodied.

There was only one thing to do. He stripped, then Changed.

CHAPTEREIGHT

IDALNO

Idalno stared at him in shock. What in the ten plagues and flood plains was this blood beetle doing? He flung first his shirt, the scarf, and then his boots and trousers back at the bank.

Those clothes barely landed on a broad flat stone before he was shifting into a—into a—

She winced.

The bones and flesh cracked and snapped, merging with the disgusting sounds of the wyrm’s own transformation. It was as if the wolf form tore its way out—oh, that looked like it hurt. Covering her mouth and leaning forward, she gasped as the wolf form took hold. There was something particularly violent about this transformation.

The wyrm hissed, its gaze locked in her direction.

Oh, blood beetles.

She cursed herself inwardly. That caught its attention. Not the man turning into a wolf behind it.

Too far away to risk moving to prepare another venom-tipped thorn. Still too close for comfort.

Feron leaped on its back again, his form entirely changed to that of a large gray wolf with black-tufted ears. He seized it once more by the antlers and bit down on the back of its neck.

The wyrm flung its head back, jaws snapping. Spittle flew from its massive maw.

He bit harder and twisted with his jaws until the neck snapped. It collapsed into the waters again. He released it, then ran to the base of the neck and ripped the head free at the shoulders.

The body slumped back into the waters. Once again the antlers crumbled.

Hmmm. Her stomach twisted. Vile. That poison in the air mixed with the blood? How could he put his mouth anywhere near that? Utterly and totally vile. And—

Her eyes widened. “Feron! It’s moving again.”

The wolves snarled.

He growled, baring his teeth.

Obviously they weren’t hitting whatever death point was needed to kill it. But what place was it?

---