Page 54 of The Witch and His Crow

Crows. A countless number of them. But unlike Caym, their eyes glowed a deadly shade of red, their wings blurring as shadow oozed from them.

Sinking dread dropped from my chest, into the pit of me.

‘Caym,’ I said, words captured by the winds. ‘What are those?’

‘Run, Hector. Run!’

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Iwas tired of fucking running. Both mentally and physically, because as I pelted across the uneven terrain, my muscles throbbed with a deep-rooted ache that I didn’t have the chance to shake.

Caym was making up for the time he’d been separated from me by filling my head with cawed demands. If I wasn’t so focused on not falling, I would’ve told him to shut up.

Arwyn was at my side, his body powerful and fast. To his credit, he hadn’t asked me any questions yet about my sudden response to the flock of birds. If we survived this, perhaps I’d explain what was happening.

The flock of monstrous birdshadto be a part of the trial. It made sense. But I couldn’t shake another image that crept into my mind. It was of Jordan’s body being dragged beneath the earth by similarly monstrous shadows. But it wasn’t only what the birds looked like, but the feeling that followed them.

Something was twisted and evil about them.

Caym still fought hard to keep a distance, although the flock was quickly closing in. Out across the hillside, there were no shadows or places for us to hide within. Even if I turned back,left Arwyn and allowed Caym to engulf me, I got the impression these creatures would follow.

‘I saw a small village not far west from here,’ Caym spoke into my mind, his exhaustion evident in his rushed tone. ‘It’s protected.’

There wasn’t time to contemplate what Caym possibly could mean about this protection, but I trusted him enough to act without further questioning.

‘West,’ I shouted aloud, catching Arwyn’s attention. ‘We need to head west.’

If I expected Arwyn to refuse, he didn’t. There was a fear in his bright eyes, enough to unsettle me. I didn’t have the luxury of being scared. Gone were those days. If I’d focused on what frightened me all my life, I’d never have survived.

‘Lead the way,’ Arwyn said, his voice clear like he wasn’t running for his life. I nodded, changing course alongside him. It took another half a mile or so until the ground’s incline levelled out. Patches of grass became few and far between, giving way to loose stone and chalk. Without protection from the elements, the wind became just another enemy. I felt every push and shove. Sweat drenched my body and my muscles felt like they were being burned with acid. But I couldn’t stop. Iwouldn’t.

As I crested the top of the hillside, the views were breathtaking—or they would be, if I had any air in my lungs left to take. Caym had been right. Because in the valley below me, nestled beside a twisting river, was a small village.Villagewas likely too generous of a word for the four houses and patchwork farmland, but still.

‘Hector!’ Caym screeched, almost deafening me with the volume. I ducked down to the ground just as sharp claws raked at my back. I heard the material of my shirt rip andfeltthe scoring of my flesh.

Pushing down the pain, I spun around, ready to thrust out my power when a flash of blue fire overwhelmed my view. Arwyn was standing before me, both arms raised. He was bellowing at the sky as though he hated it. Circling atop us was the flock of demonic birds, swirling like a storm cloud with us at its centre, leaving us staring up at a hint of bright sky in its core.

The creatures attempted to fly down, their blood-thirsty beaks ready to tear flesh. But every time one broke formation, trying to reach us, Arwyn’s flames grew to pillars, casting them back. It wasn’t lasting, though. Every time he attempted to scare them back with flame, it was as if the crows lost a little more of their fear against it.

Caym flew beside me, hopping across the ground to where I was sprawled out. Every slight movement sent agony lancing across the flesh at my back. I tried to reach back, my fingers coming away red.

‘Is it bad?’ I asked, wincing as the torn material of my shirt got stuck in the folds of my scratched skin.

I already knew the answer, even before Caym silently drew his beady black eyes over my back. It wasn’t words he gave me, but the emotion which rippled down our bound proving that the damage there was certainly worse than I’d hoped.

‘Get up,’ Arwyn groaned, fire deepening in tone to a rich sapphire. ‘I’ll hold them back as long as I can, but you’ve got to keep running.’

It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him no. To refuse and remind him we were a team. But we were not, in fact, a team. Romy was my team, and I didn’t have room to worry about anyone else. So, before my better judgement took over and I said something I regretted, I forced myself up.

Discomfort coursed through me as my torn-apart back pulled with the movement. It felt wet, but I knew that sensation wasn’t because of water. I extended an arm for Caym, noticing howit shook, but trying not to worry about my depleting energy. The corners of my vision were darkening, my thoughts growing foggier by the second.

Caym flew up and perched on me. Unlike when the demonic birds sunk talons into my flesh, Caym brought peace as he pierced my skin.

‘You’re hurt, Hector.’

‘No shit,’ I growled, taking the first fumbling steps towards the distant village.

Caym flapped, unable to control his reaction.‘They’ve caught scent on your blood. They’ll not relent until they’ve sated their appetite for it.’

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