Page 184 of Frost and Death
I send a prayer to Alora, pleading for this to work and that the bear I am about to attack is not Leander himself.
All I have to do is injure it enough for Jerrick to take over.
I… I can do that.
As the knife touches my shoulder, the bear slows to a stop.
But the horse grunts its unease, and a low grumble responds. The steed staggers, its neighs drawing the beast’s full attention to us.
I go rigid, my lungs and heart stopping when the bear makes eye contact.
A force shifts the dagger from my hand into Jerrick’s, and he uses all his strength in the release of the knife over a longer distance. It launches toward the bear, and my prayer is answered as it inches close enough to strike true.
But the bear shifts, and the knife slashes across its arm.
The beast’s loud roars are deafening as the knife meets the tree beside it, the horse neighing once more, earning another bellow from the beast in challenge and fury.
All I can do is gape in fear, frozen in place.
“Freeze him!” Jerrick screams, needing a distraction to get to his bow.
But I can’t sense my magic.
I’m going to die. I’m going to die.
Rustling behind drums in my ear as Jerrick jumps up, his movements rapid as he unties the animal from the tree, smacking it on its ass to run.
Jerrick looks between his weapons and me.
The horse neighs again, jumping up on its hind legs and standing taller than the bear.
Jerrick staggers as the steed rotates its front legs in defense when the beast meets the threat. He rushes to my side, pulling me upright as the black horse lands on all fours, running away from the scene.
The world stops as the bear turns on us, growling and ready to devour me.
Jerrick grabs my face, pulling my attention away from the massive predator. “RUN!”
He pushes me ahead, I finally remember to move, running away from the bear with no end goal in mind. All our gear, weapons, and horse abandoned and forgotten.
Darting through trees and branches, I avoid fallen logs, praying to the Makers we don’t run into another creature.
Jerrick’s pace passes mine, and exhaustion tugs at my body as I run. My heart thumps as I scan my surroundings in fear.
Jerrick takes my hand, steering me to the left.
“This way!” he yells, dragging me with him.
I bump into him, almost causing us both to fall. I struggle to keep up with his pace, and like an idiot, I glance behind me to see the bear following closely.
“Jer!” I shout in warning, my feet stumbling underneath me.
We jump over a fallen tree stump as Jerrick drags me along. His hold yanks every few steps, tugging me to keep up with his pace.
“There’s a river up ahead, and we can let the current take us away.”
My heart falls out of my chest.
I cry through ragged gasps. “I can’t swim!”
