Page 127 of Clash of Storms
"What the hell are you laughing about?" Roar snarled. "You don't have a single weapon. And Father painted blood runes on our skin to protect against your murderous gifts. You cannot crush my heart. You cannot defeat me. You are powerless."
The shadow moved closer, its head swaying from side to side, its form growing clearer with every second.
"I'm smiling because I know something you don't."
"What?"
"Didn't father ever tell you bedtime stories? Oh, that's right. He never knew you existed until you showed up on the mountaintop, begging to be let into the court. Well, let me tell you one of my favorites." Sirius slowly climbed into a crouch, pitching his voice in a mocking rendition of a loving father. "Once, a long, long time ago, Tiamat birthed the race of wyrms into the world. And one of the biggest and meanest was a creature they named after the Midgard Serpent, Jörmungandr."
Florian froze. He knew the story.
And that was when the wyrm attacked, an enormous gray head striking out of the mist like a whip. Razor-sharp teeth snapped Florian in two, severing his body right through the middle.
Then it was gone, tossing the top half of him up in the air, and swallowing it when it came down. Florian's legs spasmed as they hit the ground, and Sirius could just make out the large bulge being worked down the creature's throat in convulsive swallows.
"Mother of dragons." Roar gaped at the creature.
Sirius drove to the side as Jörmungandr struck again. The resounding crack of sharp teeth missed him by inches. He plunged into the steam, his eye raking the area.Fuck. Where in the nine hells was it?
Roar had thrown himself aside, rolling onto his forearms and knees right in front of him. Roar's dagger clattered between them; he'd lost the sword somewhere. Sirius took the chance to drive his boot right into Roar's ribs.
At the last second, he saw a shape blurring at him from the side.
They rolled apart, and the wyrm hissed as it missed them both—and withdrew into the steaming mists.
He saw his bastard brother's eyes lock on the dagger. Sirius pushed into a crouch and scrambled on all fours across the rocky beach.
Too late. Roar's fingers curled around the hilt, just as Sirius slammed into him.
The pair of them grappled, Roar trying to drive the dagger lower. Sirius's perception was still askew, but if he stopped trying to see what was coming, and relied on instinct and years of muscle memory he could manage. Sirius dug his thumb into the tendon in Roar's wrist. Drawing his head back, he smashed his forehead directly between Roar's eyes.
Roar's heel caught on a rock, and he grabbed hold of Sirius's shirt as he staggered back.
Then they were both going down.
Water splashed up around him as they slammed into the lagoon. Sirius came up with a gasp, surprised by the shock of hot water. It was deeper in the edges of the lagoon than he'd expected. His legs thrashed as he fought to rebalance himself.Fuck. It was in the water somewhere.Hewas in the water. This was Jörmungandr's realm.
What had they always said about wyrms?
They're mostly blind.
Hunt by sound, by vibration.
Instantly, he forced his legs and arms to stop thrashing. His body sank, until the water was up to his nose. Nearby, Roar splashed and spluttered, searching about himself everywhere.
"You fucking bastard!" Roar's teeth flashed as he snarled. Black hair dripped down his face. "You fucking— What was that?"
He froze and looked down as if something had brushed against his boot.
Sirius slunk under the water, barely daring breathe.Goodbye, bastard.
Roar looked up, their eyes meeting.
And then he vanished under the water with a gurgle and a thrash. Water churned, turning bright red against the vivid blue.
Time to get the hell out of here. Sirius grabbed the rocky ledge above him and started hauling himself up.
He cleared the water and crawled across the rock shelf, breathing hard. A quick glance behind him showed calm waters. A shape moved toward him like an arrow.
