Page 110 of Rook of Ruin
Hours later, in the last throes of the evening light, we crest a hill to see a small village. I notice its defenses are lower than what we saw in Lautterum and the other Bethalian towns.
Simon points. “That’s Greetia. It’s—” But he isn’t able to finish his sentence because an abrupt explosion spouts from the small village. Screams pierce the night, and Simon turns to me. “Stay here.”
I scowl at him, but before I can say anything, he takes off with Isle, Callan, and the majority of our warriors. Warriors in only black follow Callan, while warriors in black and silver follow Simon. Leaving me with Dove and ten others. We watch as warriors descend upon the chaos, passing villagers fleeing on foot, barely missing families with small carts of children too small to walk. At full speed, the villagers are barely making it up the same hill the Bethalian warriors previously descended.
“Ruin.” The fear in Dove’s voice makes a shiver go down my spine. Movement in the vast grain field that divides the villagefrom us is too fast to be anything other than those furry fucking demons.
“Fuck,” I grind out, pushing into Sal and taking the eleven warriors with me. White fur moves closer to the villagers’ carts, and I take out my shortsword as Dove throws her spear, landing in a pouncing Roggenwolf. Children scream and cry as mothers try to hush and comfort them. Quickly, we make it to the carts. I jump off Sal as the warriors surround the people.
“Get the women and children out!” I hand the reins to a woman and help her mount Sal with a small crying child, placing an older child behind her. The woman screams when a Roggenwolf leaps up, sinking its claws into the hide of a donkey next to us and bringing it down. I leap forward, my sword slicing through white fur, black blood splattering my face.
“Get them out now!” I order our warriors. My dagger follows my shortsword, ripping apart furry flesh. Warriors grab a hold of civilians or follow my lead and dismount to allow mothers to escape with their children.
Loud panting and hissing snarls cut through the fearful cries as more monsters crash through the field. They are leaving the village, coming straight for us. Pulling my dagger out of the dead Roggenwolf, I bring my shortsword down and my dagger up, slicing through another.
“Fuck!” Dove yells, “They are trying to cut off any escape from the village.”
“Hurry! The children!” I command loudly while Dove throws another spear. It lands in the monster’s chest, preventing the leaping Roggenwolf from sinking its claws into a little girl. I scoop her up into my arms and run. Bow reaches down and pulls her onto his horse just as claws leap out from the field and push into my back.
“O!” Callan’s voice seems far away.
Bow roars, holding on to the young girl, and he tries to strike down the Roggenwolf. Careful not to lose balance, I push off the horse, bringing my dagger into the demon’s neck, slicing down smiling as I watch death enter its eyes. Black blood gurgles up, and I clash with another large Roggenwolf.
“Go, Bow!” He takes off with the young girl. Dove comes to my side, and we to fight back to back, becoming quickly surrounded. I murder another Roggenwolf, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Simon and Callan with our warriors riding towards us.
A claw slices through the air, almost taking my face, and a spear flies out as an arm reaches forward, pulling me up. I’m surprised to see it is Callan who takes me up onto his lap, and we ride off away from the chaos.
A green light begins to burn bright to our left.Wraith.
Simon pulls on Artho’s reins, taking off for it. “No! Simon!”
Spears fly, but they do not hit their intended target as white fur leaps up into the air, sacrificing themselves, same as before. Callan holds on tight to me, his arm completely wrapped around me. I struggle against his strong grip.
“Stop, O. Simon told me—”
“I don’t give a fuck what he said!” I scream. “Give me the horse and get off!”
“No.” His breath hits my neck. I don’t like it.
“Then give me the reins,” I shout back.
“Do you have a fucking death wish? I see you can fight, but what is out there will get you killed.”
“I can save them.” I almost plead for him to understand.
Callan snorts.
Dove rides alongside us with a horse, not her own. “Like last time?”
“Yes.” I push my heels into Callan’s horse and grab at the reins.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Callan takes his hands off me to grasp the reins with both hands and halts his steed.
“Saving us all!” I duck under his arm, jump off, and mount Dove’s horse as she dismounts. She hands me the reins with a nervous glance at Callan.
“You’re a fucking nuisance. If I get killed, my wife—well, she will probably celebrate.” He laughs out.
Dove hands him a spear, and we both ignore the future king of Bethal’s cursing. Pushing the horse forward, Callan follows me, yelling, but I don’t pay much attention.
