Page 99 of Soul of Thorns
The spell book’s magic rushes forward just as the manticore’s foot flies down at me and Rev. With a boom, my blade connects with his scaled hoof, and it slides into the soft spot in the middle. Not far enough. Not a large enough wound. But the beast reels back with a roar of anger and pain.
I leap again before he has the chance to regain his balance and carve my blade into the soft spot under his ear. Holding onto the hilt with both hands, I throw my weight into it and slide down his neck. His massive hand flies and smacks my body away as if I really were a fly. Or perhaps a wasp. I intend to sting.
I land shoulder first on the gravel, sliding onto my back, but the pain doesn’t even register. I hop back up without a moment to catch my breath, ready to end this. I am numb to pain. Numb to fear.
He grabs for me, roaring in pain and anger, but he is slow. Black blood now flows freely down his neck to his armored torso. His scaly tail swishes, back and forth.
I leap several times in rapid session—by his feet, clinging to his upper arm, back to Rev. I fling my iron blade through the air and then leap again. He jerks as I land on his shoulder but bounce back in an instant.
My blade finds its mark—his left eye—just as I manifest right before his face. I kick the hilt, slamming it as deep as I can manage. The squishing sound and splatter of gook and blood churns my stomach, but the taste of victory distracts me.
His roar turns to panic as he claws at the blade, carving his own nails into his flesh.
Panting, my feet find solid ground. The manticore’s dying groans echo through the valley, and finally, he falls face down, body limp.
I’m not given even a moment to enjoy my victory before five massive roots shoot from the ground and clamp down on Rev’s body.
I scream. His dark eyes meet mine just before he’s dragged below a cage of tree roots.
“You didn’t think it would be that easy, did you?” the Night Terror whispers, her voice riding the acidic wind. Ash begins to fall gently, and my heart falls.
I beat the manticore. She can’t touch me so long as I have the spell book.
And it’s still nowhere near enough.
I turn to face my enemy, my whole body trembling.
“Hello, my pet.” Tremors quake through my body and I close my eyes. I don’t know if I can do this.
I could still win. I could walk out of here, and she’ll never be able to touch me. If I could find some ounce of hope in a world without Rev, I could do it.
You faced a being just like this one once before.
“And I’ve never gotten over it.”
But you walked away, alive and with the upper hand.
I swallow.
“Well,” the Night Terror draws pleasantly. Seemingly not at all bothered by the loss of her minion. “Now that that business is over and proved fruitless, let us move on, shall we? Now, I have the spell book in my sights. There are many possible bargains to be struck. Who would like to offer first?”
My soul shudders. I could save Rev by giving the Night Terror what she wants. But I would doom the world to their mercy, and I know better to think we’d be free from their terror. I cannot make that trade.
I’d be better off letting us both die.
Seek the right death. I swallow. The right death. I can die so long as my soul remains alight.
Is there an afterlife?I ask the book.
Yes, the book whispers.
“This is the afterlife, you foolish girl. You’ve seen it. Walked through it. This is all there is!” the Night Terror roars. “The afterlife ismy dominion.”
My knees tremble, but I keep my body upright, my shoulders straight. “I wasn’t asking you.”
Yes, child, the book whispers.There is more. Not all will see it. But there is light on the other side of the darkness.
“Caelynn has made her choice,” the Night Terror calls out. Darren blinks at me. I’m unsure what the expression means. Is he displeased? Shocked? Had he expected me to condemn the world to save Rev? I would, I think. Under the right circumstance. But I’ve bargained with these beings before, and I will not do it again.
