Page 257 of Eldritch
“We have to go!”
“I can’t just leave him!” she cried out, her arm outstretched toward the creature.
Raivox let out a roar and a blast of silver sprayed across the broad side of the spider. The arachnid twitched and hissed, scampering off the Corvugon.
“He’ll be fine. He can protect himself.”
The patter of footsteps and crunching vegetation echoed through the forest around them.
Kazhimyr sent out a blast of white mist and as the shadow of a horde moved in closer, he and Ravezio spun around, darting in the other direction. “Move! Now!”
“Let’s go!” With a yank of Maevyth’s arm, Zevander led her away from the Corvugon and deeper into the woods.
CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE
ZEVANDER
The thorny bushes tore at his leathers as Zevander ripped through the line of shrubs surrounding the archway. Once cleared, he swiped Maevyth into his arms and within the clearing, the four men formed a line, surveying the surrounding trees for any sign of the chasing spiders.
No movement.
Zevander could hear them though. Their collective sound of clicking, somewhere in the distance.
A glistening streak shot through the air and hit the ground beside his boot with a hiss. Dirt and vegetation curled into itself as the acid burned it away. Beside him Ravezio let out a growl and he turned to see acid had struck his arm, chewing away at his leather sleeve. More saliva arced toward them and Dravien cursed.
“Get back!” Zevander shouted.
He summoned the flame around them, creating a boundary that crackled each time the spiders spat at them, the flame consuming it before it reached them.
Shadows unfolded from the darkness as the spiders scampered toward the flame. A grotesque, half-human hybridstreaked between Zevander and Ravezio, a ball of violet flame that breached the fiery wall. It squealed and crackled, twitching on the ground then darted straight for Maevyth.
A fast strike severed the head from its body when Dravien struck with his blade.
As he held the boundary steady, Zevander glanced over his shoulder. “Get to the other side!”
“I’m not leaving without you!” Maevyth argued back.
Two more spiders tumbled past the boundary, their bodies crawling with a violet glow of the flames and Zevander’s growl died in his throat.
Before Dravien could strike again, Maevyth’s whip lashed out with a powerful strike, shattering the bodies on impact.
“Balls of Castero!” Ravezio said beside him. “When did my girl learn that trick?”
“Call her yours again and I’ll have her aim for your groin next time.” In the distance, Zevander caught the hulking shadow of a massive spider—one that might easily step over the boundary.
“Shit on a shamrock, I think our luck just fizzled out,” Kazhimyr said beside him. “Go on, I’ll hold them off.”
“No. The moment I step through that boundary, this flame will die. Go. I need someone I trust on the other side when Maevyth steps through.”
Kazhimyr frowned but nodded. “I’ll see you there,” he said and the two clasped forearms. Kazhimyr gave one more pat on his shoulder and strode toward the shimmering boundary. En route, he swiped up Maevyth’s arm. “Follow after me, yeah?”
Scowling, she gave that stubborn shake of her head that stirred another growl out of Zevander.
He strode toward her and gripped her arm. “Please. I need to know you’re safe. Do this for me.”
Her eyes widened, gaze trailing upward, telling Zevander the beast must’ve loomed over them. “Is that the same one that attacked Raivox?”
A quick glimpse showed no sign of the melted carapace where his flame had burned it earlier. “I don’t think so.”
