Page 39 of Unbound By Shadows
The Harpy laughed—it was a nasal, unpleasant sound. Then she launched herself into the air. Sam pushed Selene back. “Go hide behind those trees,” he commanded.
Seeing the fear in Selene’s eyes made his rage grow. This creature thought to steal from them, prevent his entrance to Iriswood, and frighten Selene? No. Unlike the bread thief in Padu, he had no doubt about whether or not this Harpy deserved to be punished. It was time to take care of this situation.
Destroy her.
Vengeance.
Sam felt the weight of the twin knives strapped to his belt and began to strategize. A blade thrown just right could hit directly into the Harpy’s heart or her eyes. And if that didn’t stop her? He could do some real damage to those wings once she plummeted to the ground. Make the thing bleed, sob, and cry for mercy. She would truly regret the day she thought to thwart a demon.
The Harpy crowed above, taunting him. What was about to happen couldn’t be helped—another obstacle between him and Zaybris had to be eliminated. More thunder rumbled and the sky turned dark when the Harpy released a piercing battle cry.
Sam looked into Selene’s terrified face and said, “I’m sorry you have to see this.” He cracked his knuckles, and with a deftness born from experience, pulled out the two knives from his belt.
“Wait!” Selene cried, sprinting out from behind the tree and holding up her hands. “Wait, both of you, please!”
Sam was startled by Selene’s boldness. The Harpy dive-bombed toward them, but then landed silently in front of Selene. Cocking her rust-colored head to the side, she ignored Sam to fix her full attention on Selene.
Selene’s voice was frantic as she asked, “What does Queen Aello require for tribute?” The Harpy tilted her head to the other side, her rough features lit with confusion. Sam stepped toward them, but Selene held up her hand. “No! We’re just talking.”
At the sound of her voice, the Harpy moved closer. Relaxing her posture, the winged female let out a soft coo. Selene swallowed and Sam could tell she was fighting the urge to run. He held his breath as Selene looked up to meet the Harpy’s eyes. “M-my name is Selene. What’s yours?”
The Harpy blinked, then murmured in a tinny voice, “Pydiana.”
“That’s a lovely name.” The Harpy fluffed her feathers.
“Pydiana, you’ve been given an important duty to guard the entrance of Iriswood. Is that right?” Selene asked. Pydiana hooted her confirmation, then bent to sniff the top of Selene’s head. “You’re doing a wonderful job.”
The Harpy rolled her neck, seeming to quiver with delight. There was a beat of silence as a few of the dark clouds overhead shifted. Sam tightened his grip on the twin knives. Selene saw the movement and gave him a small shake of her head.
In a dreamy tone, the Harpy implored, “Speak again, lady.”
Selene bit her lip. “Pydiana, can you tell me what your Queen has asked you to collect?”
“Tribute.”
“Yes. But what?”
When she didn’t answer right away, Sam interjected, “Our food. Harpies steal food.”
Pydiana made a hissing noise and shot him a look of contempt. Then she leaned closer toward Selene. With a conspiratorial air, she whispered, “A stolen offering.”
Sam could smell the creature’s putrid breath from where hestood and couldn’t imagine how Selene was enduring it. Her ability to remain so calm was unfathomable.
“What sort of offering?” Selene asked.
Pydiana showed a smile of chipped teeth, then shook her head.
“You won’t tell us?”
The Harpy shook her head again. She began to giggle and started to twirl in a circle before Selene. Suddenly, she sang out, “Lady Storm Swift feeds her brood by snatching a stranger’s song or food!”
The moment the words left her mouth, Pydiana gasped and stopped spinning. Her face was stricken.
Selene exchanged a look with Sam. “Song or food?”
“I shouldn’t have told… ” Pydiana said.
“We can give you a song as tribute?” Selene asked.
