Page 99 of Whispers of the Elderoak

It was a giant snake, silver scales luminous in the light of the moon. Casimir cursed in front of her as they watched the silver serpent slither closer, footlong fangs dripping withvenom. It rose and hissed at the group while Casimir lifted his sword, bringing it down to sever its head when its tail lashed out and knocked him over.

Two more serpents crawled over the wall, racing toward the group. Quinn and Thorne lunged toward them but were thrown aside with their tails as the first snake rose and began to speak.

“We have a message,” it said with a voice that sent shivers down Ava’s spine.

The three warriors had gotten up and joined the rest of the group behind the table, waiting for instructions from Casimir.

“Hold steady,” he said quietly.

The three serpents were now swaying and spoke in unison, their voices different. “Ava, darling.” It was Andras’ voice. She trembled behind Raine as Casimir and Thorne appeared, flanking her and carefully watching the serpents. “I know you can hear me, dear. Come back to us and your new friends will be spared,” he crooned, his voice mixed with the hissing of the serpents. “We miss you.Imiss you. I long to hear your screams again as The Scourge plays with his toy.”

They had found her. Heart beating frantically, her hands shook as she started to back away, but Casimir put a hand on her shoulder. “We won’t let them take you,” he whispered with certainty.

“You’re harboring a fugitive, King.” The snakes now spoke to Thorne. “Release her to us and your people will be spared.”

“I do not make deals with daemons, Andras,” Thorne asserted. Then, turning toward Quinn whispered, “Now.”

Quinn, Raine, and Thorne had been tunneling into their power while the serpents spoke. On Thorne’s command, sharp vines burst through the ground, impaling the snakes through their bodies. As the monsters tried to retreat, a giant golden eagle swooped down and grabbed one of the creatures, carrying it away. Then, Raine’s wolf and a black panther leapedover the wall and tore into the other two while Raine and Quinn jumped into action and severed their heads.

The snakes were gone but more screams sounded from inside the pub behind them. They all turned to the sudden chaos and one of the bar maidens ran up to Casimir and shouted, “Daemon soldiers in the tavern!”

Casimir launched into action and barked commands at the group, immediately assuming the role of fae general she had heard so much about.

“Get a team of soldiers herenow,” he said to Quinn who nodded and ran over to her panther, communicating through the animals. He then turned to Ava. “Stay behind us,” he ordered.

She did as he instructed, joined by Fanya and Kai who were not trained fighters. Patrons of the tavern were screaming and running, trying to find a way out as they congregated along the back fence. Ava looked inside of the pub and froze as she met eyes with one of the daemons. He had short black hair, green eyes and a pock-marked face. It was the one who had killed that prisoner in front of her. The one whose face Ava had spit in. And when he saw the terror and recognition on her face, he sneered.

Fuck.

Ava backed up as the warriors launched into action. The daemon soldiers were outside now, and the clanging of swords reverberated as the fae faced their enemies. It was pure chaos and Ava didn’t know where to look.

Raine raised green vines from the ground that wrapped around the legs of one of the daemons just as his wolf, Sabriel, jumped and clamped down on the soldier’s neck, black blood painting her silver fur. Quinn unsheathed a dagger and whipped it toward another, her weapon finding purchase in his throat. Jorrar was engaged in a swordfight with a large daemon as Thorne came up behind the unsuspecting soldier andbeheaded him with his sword in one smooth swipe. Though the warriors were cutting through the daemons quickly, more continued to come through the doors of the tavern.

“Hold the line!” shouted Casimir as he ducked under the sword of an advancing soldier, Aro coming up from behind and slicing the soldier with his giant paw. “Where are the rest of our forces?” he barked at Quinn.

“Almost here!”

Citizens continued to scream and tried to escape the fighting, but several were cut down by the enemy force as they pushed their way further into the fight.

“Mother have mercy,” Fanya whispered beside Ava.

Ava reached down and gripped Fanya’s hand as she looked at the fleeing patrons, trying to comfort her new friend. The fence around the establishment was too high, blocking their escape. Panic unfolded as she worried they’d be sitting ducks if Casimir and the rest of them couldn’t control the advancing unit.

Several daemon soldiers pushed their way through and one of them closed in on a small hobgoblin, gutting him with his sword before moving on to his next victim. Ava immediately thought of Remy and without hesitation she rushed over and pressed her hands on his open wound, kneeling next to him.

“Ava!” Fanya yelled, but she didn’t listen.

She couldn’t just stand there and do nothing while innocent civilians were brutally murdered. Technically, she was still behind the warriors just like Casimir had instructed.

“What’s your name?” she whispered as the goblin took a shuddering breath and looked at her.

“Tash,” he barely got out as his whole body trembled.

“Okay, Tash. I’m here. You’re going to be okay,” she said. “Kai!” she shouted as she turned to where he was standing with Fanya. “Help him!”

Kai ran over, shaking his head and kneeling. “His injury’stoo severe. I don’t have any supplies and my magic isn’t strong enough to heal him.”

Ava felt the prickle of tears forming. “Please,” she begged. “You can’t doanything?”

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