Page 149 of The Shadow Path
Thunk!
The harpy shrieked and fell back, and as soon as it released, Cadell wheeled to the side, surged into the air, and Duncan was thrown against the side of the coracle where Carys lay as the dragon let loose a stream of fire that lit up his belly.
The searing heat cut across the coracle, and Duncan threw himself over Carys to shield her from the blast.
The scent of burning feathers filled the air.
There are harpies attacking the dragons,Cadell said.There are dozens of them.
Carys struggled to her feet as the coracle evened out. “There are dozens of harpies,” she told Duncan. “As many as there are dragons.”
He ran to an arrowslit and looked out. “I see them. They look like a flock. They’re grouping and clinging to the coracles.”
Release the coracles.Carys was still hearing the strange voice in her mind.
“Some of the dragons are landing,” Duncan shouted. “No, they’re just dropping the war coracles and flying again.”
We cannot kill the harpies with the coracles in our grip,Cadell said in her mind.
“Drop us if you need to,” Carys shouted.
She ran to an arrowslit and saw Demelza, Anwyn’s great red-skinned dragon swooping down over the harpy-covered coracles and plucking a feathered beast from where it clung. Then she lifted the harpy into the sky and tore it to pieces with her claws.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Duncan said.
“Cadell, are there any around us?” Carys felt a rush in her blood.
The harpies appear to be congregating around the Fomorians and fae in the field below. At this altitude, we do not have their attention. Shall I continue circling?
“We’re fine, go lower!” Carys knew that Cadell was trying to protect her, but she wanted to return to the fight. “Have Lachlan and Winnie charged yet?”
Carys heard horns in the distance and knew the Alban and Anglian troops wouldn’t be long from the fight.
The wolves are on the plain,Cadell said.
“There’s something dark— Wolves!” Duncan yelled. “The North Wolves are here.”
Carys ran to another arrowslit and spotted them.
Like a dark cavalry, the wolves charged ahead of the human soldiers, Anglian foot soldiers running with them as the Alban cavalry fell back.
“What’s Lachlan doing?” Duncan cried. “He’s off to the side now, the idiot!”
Flank the enemy,the voice in her head whispered.Divide their attention.
“The fae have the front lines with the Fomorians and the wolves have their back now.” Carys ran to another arrowslit as Cadell began to circle lower. “Lachlan is flanking them.”
“I suppose he’s not as big an idiot as I thought then.” Duncan stepped back and used a piece of his coat to clean his sword.
The harpy blood was sizzling on the blade. It looked like harpies didn’t like iron much either.
“We’re going down again.” Carys picked up her bow and nocked an arrow, ready to start shooting again. “Keep your sword handy in case the harpies try again. Eyes and claws.”
“Eyes and claws.” Duncan braced himself along the wall of the coracle and kept his eyes up as Carys aimed and started to fire at more Fomorians on the field.
Carys’s arrow found a bloody monster’s eye a moment before the badger-headed giant swung down, slashing a wolf with its massive claws.
Around them, the Saris Plain was wet with Fomorian and fae blood. Wolves and humans charged forward, and dragons ripped harpies apart in the sky as Cymric longbowmen fired toward the back of the Fomorian line.
