Page 123 of Saints & Sinners

Marnie was ahead of me, her slim, shadowed figure slipping through the underbrush easily while others had scattered indifferent directions, disappearing into the dark.

Hunter was nowhere near in sight. Of course, he wouldn’t be. He was always too fast and agile.

I pushed the thought away and focused on the path ahead when a flicker of movement to my left caught my eye. I turned sharply, body tensed, but it was just another competitor darting between the trees.

But something was wrong.

I could tell.

I could sense it.

That was when I heard it.

A low guttural growl curled through the dark.

Shadow beasts.

The hairs on the back of my neck rose, and I didn’t even think before I ran with every fibre of my being.

I kept running until I couldn’t breathe anymore, and only then did I slow down.

Pressing my palm against the trunk of a tree, I tried keeping my breath shallow, but it was impossible. “Come on, Grace, come on,” I whispered. “Find the stones and—”

The branches above creaked.

I froze.

Slowly, I looked up.

Eyes.

Glowing, pale eyes stared down at me from the branches, unblinking.

Before I could scream, it lunged.

Instinct took over.

I threw myself to the ground as claws swiped through the air where my throat had been a second before.

It hit the earth hard, snarling—a beast made of shadows and bone, limbs too long and its mouth full of jagged dark teeth.

I scrambled backwards, heart pounding in my throat.

How were we supposed to outrun these with no weapons?

The creature slowly moved towards me, its movements unnatural, as if its bones were constantly stiff and breaking.

My breaths came in ragged gasps, cold air burning my lungs.

Move, Grace. Move!

The creature’s head tilted in slow motion; those glowing eyes fixed on me as it stalked forward.

Run!

My body finally listened to my mind as I scrambled to my feet, boots slipping on the damp forest floor, and bolted.

Branches whipped at my face as I tore through the trees, but the beast was faster. I could hear it crashing through the undergrowth behind me, snarling low and closer with every second.

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