Page 71 of Aberrant Monsters
“August, her pulse is slowing,” Archie said. “I’m not sure how much longer we have left.” His tone shook with fear.
I looked back the way we’d come. Back toward the barriers and the nearest summoning pillar.
I knew what I had to do.
“August, no!” Archie cried.
But I was already sprinting back to the dock.
* * *
I couldn’t lose Nandi.I wouldn’t lose her.Telarion, I need you.He wouldn’t be able to help Nandi, but he could help me get off the dock once I’d touched the summoning pillar.
If he responded.
He would. Of course he would. He needed me alive.
Legs burning, arms pumping, I made it back to the barrier in half the time it had taken for us to get away from it. I ducked under it and ran for the summoning pillar, focused on my goal.
Ignore the vipers. Don’t look at them. Don’t count how many are headed your way.
Rubble was piled around the pillar. A deterrent, an obstacle for unsuspecting victims who needed to call for help. I clambered up it, aware of the bloodsuckers on my tail, kicking out at their hands eager to grab my ankles.
I needed to touch the stone. One touch and a plea were all that was needed.
I could do this.
A hand snagged my boot.
“No!” I kicked out hard enough to dislodge the grip, scrambled the final distance, and slapped my palm to the cold stone.
“Help me. Please help me.”
Biting fingers grabbed my legs and yanked. The pillar lit up, runes dancing across its surfaced as I was dragged back over the rubble and onto the ground.
I twisted, bringing my arms up to fend off attack as the vipers converged on me, tearing at me, desperate to get to my soft center.
I tasted my blood on the air, their frenzied growls vibrating in my ears, then they were gone. Torn away from me and flung across the dock.
I stared up at Telarion through my tears. “Thank God.”
His jaw ticked, then his roar rent the air as he expanded, sprouting inky claws and ivory teeth.
I sat up, wincing through the pain in my arms and thighs, and watched him tear into the vipers as others bolted in fear for their lives.
The ground beneath me shuddered and trembled, and a monolithic, gray, winged figure landed in a crouch by the barriers. He stood slowly, unfurling his huge body, wings snapping at the air.
A woman tumbled from his arms.
Devyn? “Devyn!” I pulled myself up. “Thank God.”
My attention went back to the gargoyle, who had his piercing silver eyes fixed on the scene behind me. On Telarion in his monstrous form as he created carnage.
The gargoyle charged.
“NO!” Adrenaline rushed through me, giving me the power to move fast enough to plant myself in the gargoyle’s path, blocking his route to Telarion. The gargoyle ground to a smooth halt.
I held up my hands. “Don’t. He’s with me.”
