Page 93 of Rook of Ruin
“Yes! Very obvious. Carriage sex.” Paul laughs. “I think I’m starting to like him.”
“Me too. I think I’ll keep him.”
On the morning of the sixth day, we reach the vast fields that separate Acros and Bethal. From the narrow path in the woods, we can see a small farming village nestled between the two great nations. It looks whimsical from afar, the picturesque cottages with thatched roofs and a giant windmill with a large stream next to it. As we approach the fields, the wind shifts, hitting us with a foul and sinister smell. What I initially thought was chimney smoke is smouldering homes. Instead of the busy sounds of a village, there’s an unsettling, haunting quiet. Simon holds up his arm for us to stop.
“Stay here, O.” Not a request. I bristle at his command.
Simon edges down the narrow path, yelling for Paul and Isle, his second in command. Isle is a warrior through and through, with silver-grey short hair, piercing blue eyes, and a body that could crush me with a flick of her wrist. They meet him as quickly as they can, maneuvering their horses through the narrow wooded path. I look out into the fields and squint against the sun as Isle and eight other warriors move past me. They giveme a small bow of their heads as a sign of respect, and I do the same in return.
I watch their horses pick up speed as they follow the path to the village while Simon and Paul, along with a few other warriors, draw their weapons and begin walking in the fields. They all split up, carefully searching through for survivors, and a sick feeling comes over me. The only reason to dismount is the fear that a horse could trample a small child hiding in the tall grain.
Warriors to the right and left of me begin filtering out of the woods. Some dismount and watch. Some sit patiently on their Bethalian horses. We wait for what feels like an eternity. I dismount Salann and relieve myself in the woods, throwing a wish into the world that I could remember what it was like the first time I traveled through Acros with the people who poisoned me.
On my way back, a female voice interrupts my thoughts. “Ma’am, you are needed.”
The warrior begins weaving quickly through the carriages and horses, back down the narrow path. “One of our archers spotted something in the fields.” We walk to where a few warriors mingle together, and I’m handed Salann’s reins so I can pull myself up to see what they are pointing to. Movement so slow, it’s barely noticeable, ripples across the fields.
Sal tenses beneath me. “It can’t be,” I whisper, and I watch for a few more seconds. I look at the warrior on my left, who signals for everyone to ready themselves to fight.
“What the—oh, shit! Look!” The archer points, and we all turn. Large, vicious, white creatures appear around Simon and Paul. They’re surrounded.
Someone whispers, “Roggenwolf.”
More large demons weave their way towards them. Paul strikes out with his shortsword as Simon severs the spine of a monster with his black sword.
The female warrior to my right hands me a spear. I look at her, and she nods.
“To our prince!” I yell at the others.
Fast as the wind, Sal takes me out into the field as arrows soar out before me and around me, protecting us as we ride out to meet the vile creatures. The stomping of hooves behind me sounds like the very depths of hells have come thundering up to claim every Roggenwolf. I scream bloody fucking murder as I throw my spear into white fur. Charging forward, I quickly pull out my shortsword, ready when a monster pounces up through the air to knock me off my warrior horse. I slice through it, black blood spattering on my face.
“Keep going, Sal. Faster,” I shout.To my husband, to my friend. I feel like we are flying as white fur blurs past us. Salann dodges and kicks as I cut and stab my way tothem.
Arrows and spears fly, striking down leaping beasts as I ride through. “I will not lose them today.” Black blood hits my chest. “I will not lose them to you.” I strike a blow. “You cannot have them,” I snarl as my shortsword pierces the flesh of another monster. “Forward!” I scream, our warriors charging behind me.
Simon’s eyes briefly catch mine as he disembowels a Roggenwolf with his sword. Paul stabs one in the neck and shatters another with his power, his brace glowing bright. Back-to-back they fight. When one Roggenwolf falls, another takes its place.
Power like I’ve never felt before is at my fingertips. Something crackles and burns under my skin. A soft light glows under my leathers where my brace was for years. I don’t even question it, just push it out and into the ground. I want to take everything from these foul creatures, like they have taken so much from us.With that thought, I do. Light and wind explode around Simon and Paul, pushing the Roggenwolves back, killing most.
I fight on without a second thought. A few warriors finally catch up to me as the light disappears from under my skin. Spears fly, swords swing, and daggers are thrown as we continue to slaughter our way through.
Into the chaos Sal runs until we can go no farther, and I jump off as she crushes a Roggenwolf with her hoof. “Get to safety. Get to Artho.” Taking orders, she kicks out once more, killing another Roggenwolf, and retreats. Cutting through a snout, I leave the faceless white beast and run for Simon and Paul, down the middle of the chaos. I dodge a claw and rip through fur. A Roggenwolf pounces and pushes me to the ground, and I slice through its middle as an angry cry rises from my throat. I jump up and keep running. Again, arrows hit the ground before me and around me.
“To the princess!” someone shouts.
“To your prince!” I yell back.
Another spear is thrown as two women jump off their horses and flank me. I glance quickly at one and notice the blonde-haired warrior has a mean scar down her neck. I growl and bare my teeth to the demons before us, my chest heaving from the adrenaline.
“You’re fucking fierce!” the raven-haired woman with a close shave around her head and warrior braids yells at me. Two large monstrosities run at us, and we move with such quick ease that we are able to kill one, not with brute force, but with finesse. The second Roggenwolf uses its strength and pushes into my raven-haired warrior, the impact taking her down as the blonde and I hack through its body.
I will murder with every breath I have. My teeth clench as we move forward carefully, methodically. The grain is just above my head right before the land slopes up to Simon. My heart is tellingme to go faster, we must go faster, but we are in the fucking thick of it. White fur moves fast, and the blonde warrior to my left drops her sword thanks to the teeth around her arm. I gut the beast and notice her silver-lined fighting leathers prevented her whole arm from being taken off. She nods her gratitude, picks up her weapon, and fights on. Fucking ferocious is what she is, what they both are. I find myself smiling as I strike through fur and flesh, leading them on to our prince. I must look a sight, grinning wide as I rage.
Movement different from the others catches my eye. A giant white furry frame comes into view from the path ahead. Taller, wider, almost the size of a bear. The sheer enormity of the Roggenwolf has my hands tingling. The leader—the alpha—and it’s stalking us. I cut off a demon’s leg and watch the large monster as it tries to corral us.
“To your right!” I roar. We form a tighter triangle, and I take the lead, moving us into a path larger than the three of us combined. We will kill anything and everything between us, Simon, and Paul.
The leader is patient, observing as we try to push forward uphill against the vile creatures moving in every direction. I concentrate on the monstrosity before me—it’s a fucking threat waiting to pounce.
