Page 42 of Fateless

And before I could say anything else, he whirled and sprinted away toward the battle and the towering monster in the center of the deck. I watched as he charged fearlessly up to the massive predator and hurled something at its injured face. There was aburst of fire and smoke, not large, but the abomination turned with a snarl to face this new enemy.

I bit my lip and ran for the door.

Screams followed me, the enraged shrieks of the abomination grating painfully in my ears. I clenched my jaw and didn’t look back, praying the monster wouldn’t notice me. I put on a burst of speed and reached the door at last, my fingers closing over the handle.

And then... I stopped.

The battle raged behind me, the hisses of the abomination mingling with Halek’s explosions, the clang of Raithe’s sword, and the drone of beetle wings. The three of them fighting not only for their lives, but for the lives of everyone aboard. And here I was, running for safety once again. Abandoning them to their fates.

My fingers tightened on the handle. I wasn’t a warrior. I wasn’t a fighter. I was a thief, and in my world, it was everyone for themselves. When a guard appeared, you hid. When a patrol spotted you, you ran. You didn’t worry about the others. You didn’t go back for them, even if they were caught. Vahn and the guild had taught me this. Take care of yourself first, and let others do the same. A brave thief was a dead thief.

But there had been no hesitation on Raithe’s part. Even when faced with the scariest, most terrifying creature I had ever seen, he hadn’t fled. Neither had Halek or the insect rider. They were all fighting to protect everyone on the ship, and to make sure I could escape.

If they die, where will I be? I have no one. Everyone else is gone.

I raised my head, took my hand off the door handle, and turned.

Immediately, I saw the huge creature in the center of the deck, and terror stopped the breath in my throat. It seemed even bigger than it had a moment ago, its movements frighteningly quick. Raithe and Halek were doing a good job of keeping its attention split between them as Kysa and her giant beetle harassed it from above, but the three of them looked like ants trying to take down a scorpion.

I breathed slowly, trying to think. The creature’s legs were armored, and its body was massive. My thin daggers would do very little if I charged in from below. Maybe if I came at it... from above.

My gaze fell to the strider’s center mast and the swaths of canvas stretched over the deck to protect it from the sun. The network of ropes and cloth was high enough that the top of the monster’s head cleared them with room to spare, but anyone dangling from those lines would be within easy reach of its serrated jaws. If I was noticed, my choices were to risk the long drop to the deck, or watch my bottom half fall away as I was bitten in two.

Fear crawled up my spine. Before I could think too hard, I ran for the mast. Toward the abomination and the three souls still fighting it valiantly. Reaching the ladder, I started to climb.

Heaving myself to the top of the mast, I peered through the gaps in the cloth at the pale, segmented body of the monster below. Now that I was closer, I saw that I’d been right; the back and legs of the monster were heavily armored with chitin,which turned away most sword blows. And the hairy, bloated abdomen, though it had been cut several times and was leaking a greenish fluid onto the deck, was so large that the small gashes weren’t slowing it down. Only its face, where Kysa’s spear had first struck, seemed vulnerable.

It was also the closest point to those grinding, gnashing jaws.

My heart roared in my ears. I could see its eyes, black and shiny, protruding from the top of its head. They twitched... and then fixed right on me.

Instantly, the abomination broke away from Raithe and Halek, spinning around and rushing toward the mast. I threw myself across the network of ropes, feeling them sway under my feet as I scrambled away from the horror now crawling toward me. The huge arachnid easily scaled the mast and crawled onto the ropes, its multiple legs balanced on the lines as easily as on a web. I saw its jaws working, grinding against each other, as if it could taste the prey just within reach. My thoughts fractured in utter terror as I stared into the face and soulless black eyes of death.

“Sparrow! Cover your eyes!”

Halek’s voice rang out behind me a moment before something small and round flew through the air and hit the side of the monster’s head. The blinding flash that followed caused the abomination to shriek and whirl around to search for its attacker.

The buzz of wings droned as the huge black beetle appeared overhead, its rider holding out one armored hand as they swooped in.

“Jump!”

The monster whirled back toward me, jaws gnashing as it lunged. I leaped for the insect rider’s outstretched arm, grabbing her wrist, and the beetle rose swiftly away. The abomination’s face filled my vision, serrated jaws coming for me as it rose after us, legs waving to either side. I kicked, and the toe of my boot struck the inside of one mandible as the beetle pulled me farther into the air.

Raithe scaled the mast, leaped onto the ropes beneath the monster, and plunged his sword into its abdomen.

In an eyeblink, the abomination curled in on itself, serrated fangs working as it sought to destroy the iylvahn now trapped beneath it. For a second, it was directly below me, head bent as it scuttled in circles trying to get to Raithe. It was horrifically quick, its movements frantic as it pursued its prey. Once more, I had a split second to make a decision.

I let go of the insect rider’s hand.

She gave a dismayed shout as I fell, the enormous, hairy body of the abomination rushing up at me. I hit the monster’s head with athumpand instantly felt the creature respond. One long jointed leg came up, raking at its head. I felt the bristly hairs of its legs brush my shoulder as it passed. The other appendage did the same, swiping at the intruder who had hitched a ride, barely missing me. I flatted myself against the monster’s carapace, ignoring the hairs that pricked my skin, knowing that if I fell or was scraped off, I would be chewed into pieces.

Heart racing, I reached to my belt, curled shaking fingers around the hilt of a dagger, and pulled it free. I could see the monster’s eyes, shiny with fury as they glared at me from atopits head. The legs continued to flail; one bristly hair caught in my clothes, pulling me down a few inches and making my heart stop.

No time to think, Sparrow. Just do it.

I aimed for one of those bulbous eyes, still glaring at me like pods from hell, and plunged my dagger straight down, sinking the blade in as far as I could. The eye burst, black ichor spattering my face and staining my hands, and the abomination went crazy, screaming, hissing, all its legs flailing at me. I closed my eyes, shoved the dagger down even farther, and clung to the hilt for dear life.

I lost track of time, or maybe I passed out for a split second, because when I regained my senses, things seemed calm. My eyes were closed, and I was too scared to open them, though I could feel my dagger under my fingers, something warm and slick covering the hilt and my skin. Beneath me, the abomination was quiet, swaying gently with the rocking of the strider, but I still kept my eyes tightly shut, as if everything would shatter into chaos if I opened them.

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