Page 52 of Storm of Fury
“Do you really want to know?”
Not right now.He had other, more pressing concerns on his mind. “She’s coming back round!”
Bryn yanked him to his feet. She’d sheathed the sword, and looked down at the narrow goat’s trail that led toward the river. “Not ideal.”
“Use the cloak! She won’t be able to see you!”
“It’s barely big enough for two!” But she shoved him against the cliff face, whipping the cloak over the pair of them.
Tormund clutched her tight, breathing hard. Every inch of them was aligned, and wisps of her hair tickled his nose.
Thedrekishrieked as she whipped past, her wings stirring the cloak around their feet. She must have seen their boots, for she gave a high-pitched roar and he just knew she was going to circle again.
“Run!” Bryn screamed, pulling him down the mountainside.
The blackdrekiwas making another dive. Tormund leapt after her. The world was a blur. Wings in the sky. And shale underfoot.
He slipped, staggering into the cliff, and then his boots went out from under him. “Watch out!”
He skidded into Bryn, taking her feet from under her.
Wings thrust down, the wind of thedreki’spassage almost flattening the pair of them. Another near miss. Claws scattered off stone. Tormund rolled over Bryn, and then she was catapulting over the top of him. On and on, locked together until they finally hit the bottom of the ravine.
Tormund slammed into a rock and stayed there, staring at the sky. “Ow,” he wheezed, trying not to move.
He could hear water trickling past, as the river glided over smooth pebbles. And the sound of a furiousdrekiscreaming her rage.
“Get up.” Bryn hauled on his arm. “She’s not done with us yet.”
“I don’t think I can.” How the hell was she moving? Every inch of him ached and shit, he could barely place any weight on his left foot. His ankle threatened to give way.
“If you stay here, you’re dead.” Bryn set her feet and yanked him half upright. “I’m not going to protect you with my magic cloak unless you get to your feet and run. Get up, Tormund. Get up. I’ll leave you here. I swear I will.”
Somehow he gained his feet. Thedrekiwas circling back around. “I must have taken the full brunt of that rock. You’re not even limping.”
Bryn slipped under his arm, anxiety written all over her face. “I hurt too. But not becoming adreki’snext meal is a powerful motivator. Move.”
They hobbled up the bank of the river into another grassy glade.
He wasn’t going to make it. Every step made him wince, and he was only slowing her down.
Tormund shoved her away. “Go,” he rasped. “Get out of here. I’ll hold her off.”
“Hold her off? You don’t even have your axe.”
“Maybe she has a respect for beards that I find sorely lacking in you.” He limped into the middle of the clearing. There were trees to the right of him. A small stand of rocks. “It is a she, isn’t it?”
“Tormund!” Bryn’s voice rose. “That’s the queen. I don’t think she’s going to find you half as charming as I do.”
“You find me charming?”
“Not at the moment, you idiot!” Bryn shot thedrekia frustrated look. “Damn it.” Reaching over her shoulder, she drew the sword. “This is the worst time to make a final stand!”
“Then run.”
She stepped in front of him, holding the sword low. “If you think I’m going to let you make some brave, idiotic final stand out of some misguided sense of chivalry, then you don’t know me very well. This bitch might be the queen, but I’ve faced bigger monsters than her in my time.”
“I thought you threatened to leave me behind!”
