Page 128 of Clash of Storms
"Sirius?" a tremulous voice echoed through the mist.
Everything in him went cold.
"Malin! Get out of here!" he called.
Water rippled behind him.
He threw himself forward, and felt something cut through his boot. Sharp teeth locked around his ankle. The creature gave a jerk and Sirius screamed as he was hauled back into the waters.
* * *
Malin watchedit happen as if time slowed down.
Sirius crawled onto the shore, and then turned, as if alerted by some unnatural instinct. He threw his arms up as the wyrm began its fatal strike—
And then vanished back into the eerie blue waters.
"Sirius!"
Heat suddenly welled within her. It gushed through her veins, sending her right over the edge of that cliff inside her. Every time she'd reached this point she'd fought for control, but there was no time. Only the sight of the enormous wyrm opening its maw, its razor sharp teeth wet with blood, and Sirius swimming toward her. He'd never make it in time, he'd never—
"Noooo!" she screamed.
And suddenly the sound reverberated in Malin's throat, until her roar of denial shook the world around them.
The shift burst through her like water pouring through newly opened sluice gates. Desperation and rage exploded within her, and Malin threw herself forward, her arms lengthening into enormous wings.
The wyrm flinched, turning at the last second to meet her, but Malin was a creature of fire and fury now. Claws slashing, wings flaring. For the first time in her life, she had teeth of her own.
And she used them.
Lashing out, she tore through the wyrm's scaled neck, hearing its high-pitched scream. Hot blood welled in her mouth. It tasted vile, but she was beyond the physical. Ripping and snarling, she tore a chunk from its throat, her claws raking up its smooth underbelly. The action threw her off-balance, the weight of an unfamiliar tail sending her sideways. Sharp teeth raked her shoulder joint, and she tore herself free, suddenly frightened for her wings.
Oh no, you don't.Malin hissed and leapt upon its face, front claws raking those blind eyes.
The wyrm screamed, a high-pitched noise that tore through her eardrums. It retreated into the depths, and Malin's blood boiled with fury. She launched herself forward, hot water splashing around them, her wings flared to give her balance. That was better. Water surged around her belly, the stink of blood in her nose—
"Malin!"Sirius, linking with her on the psychic plane."Get out of the water! It's trying to lure you in."
Rage of the kind she'd never felt before filled her. She thrust backward, her wings carrying her onto the shore. She wanted to follow it. Wanted to tear the creature limb from limb, and rip its throat out.
"He is mine!"she screamed, as she alighted on the rough-hewn rocks of the shore, hovering over Sirius's mortal body, where he'd crawled back ashore.
The wyrm hissed at her, half submerged in the water. There was a murderous look on its face, but the froth of its dark blood stained the water like a kraken's ink. They were both marked with blood, but she'd won more.
Malin crouched over her lover and flared her wings wide, as if to dare it.
"Malin, stay back!"Sirius grabbed her front claw."We need to get out of here. It's bigger than you."
She tried to curl her claws carefully around him, but this body was so large, so cumbersome. And she'd barely managed to work out her own wings.
Jörmungandr began streaking forward again, preparing for another strike when an enormous yell caught her attention.
She spun around.
Tormund ran toward them, brandishing an axe. He hurled it over his head, muscles flexing in his arms. The axe whistled through the air, striking the wyrm directly between its blind eyes.
It screamed in fury, slamming back beneath the waters.
