Page 18 of Rebel Fae
“Watch out!” I exclaimed, falling to my knees next to the Khurynian and slashing at the thick tendril that wound around his torso. I hacked at it once, twice, and barely did any damage. Baeleath slid toward the brush with a violent jerk. He dug his hands into the dirt to slow himself down. Desperate to release him, I scrambled after him, sawing away at the thick appendage. I sliced the knife across it, fraying a few more strands through its hair-like quality.
Gòrak!It was much thicker than the one that had held Vaughn, and there was still the one strangling Baeleath’s leg. I needed to hurry or whatever that was behind the bushes would take him.
Movement snatched my attention away as someone ran at us. Vaughn, in his wolf form, began helping me, sharp teeth snapping at the tendril near the Khurynian foot.
As we cut the tendrils to a third or their thickness, Baeleath jerked his trapped leg, stumbled to his feet, and used his giant hands to tear the rest of the tendril off. When he was finally free, we all turned tail and ran toward the hut.
I halfway flew, halfway ran through the door, Baeleath quick at my heels. I skidded to a stop, barely registering Becca and Ronnie huddled together in the corner beside a table, and glanced back toward the door. Vaughn leaped from the bottom of the outside steps and soared through the air.
Behind Vaughn, one of the thick tendrils reared back then lashed in his direction, trying to snatch him before he made it into the hut. Gritting my teeth, I whirled and dash toward the door. As soon as Vaughn leaped in, I slammed it shut and braced my back against it. I quickly fumbled for a latch that helped keep the door closed. But would it hold?
There was athudon the other side, followed by a horrible shriek.
“Stay away from the windows!” I ordered, wishing I knew what kind of beast was outside, so I could weigh our chances and devise a plan of attack. It was dark inside with only a dim glow from outside filtering through the curtains. I willed my eyes to adjust.
The beast’s shrieks got closer. I scrambled away from the door and stood next to Vaughn’s massive wolf shape. Our eyes stayed on the door, waiting.
Becca whimpered and hugged Ronnie tighter. I gave her a pointed glance. She buried her face in Ronnie’s chest to muffle herself. Regina was silent, pressed against a corner of the small space. Baeleath stood ready to fight, his healthy wing half-outstretched and brushing the thatch roof above, his great horns slightly angled toward the door. Vaughn stood next to him, hackles raised, teeth bared. A growl reverberated deep in his chest. One of his huge paws slowly raked backward, leaving gashes in the wood.
A misshapen shadow appeared at one of the windows behind the curtain.
My lungs froze. What was outside? My imagination conjured a nightmarish creature capable of strangling us all in one fell swoop of one of its tendrils.
Uneven steps thudded on the decking that surrounded the hut. The beast’s breaths were loud and phlegmy as it stalked, moving to the other window and leaning closer to peer in.
Yet, it didn’t try to come in. Why? Maybe magic protected the hut. Vaughn had said we needed to get to it for a reason.
“I… I don’t think it can come in,” I whispered.
Vaughn pushed air through his snout as if in agreement. I had the crazy urge to sink my hands into his fur, to find comfort in touching him. Chiding myself for my foolishness, I took a step away from him and toward Becca and Ronnie instead.
I squatted next to them. They had practically crawled under a wooden table against the wall. “Are you two all right?”
Becca shook her head while Ronnie kept his eyes glued on the strip of dim light under the door.
“If it could get in, it would already have,” I said in the most reassuring voice I could manage.
At this, Becca let out a pent up breath, even Baeleath and Vaughn seemed to relax a little, though they didn’t totally abandon their defensive positions.
My eyes flicked to Regina. I didn’t think she’d want my comforting, but I kept watch over her just the same.
We stayed like this for several long moments, quiet, unmoving.
There were sounds around the hut, to the side and the back, as if the creature were looking for a way in. After what felt like an eternity, we heard it walk away and there was silence, at last.
I pushed the curtain aside and peeked out. There were no signs of movement—not even nocturnal animals seemed to want to come out. The pot that had hung over the fire had disappeared, presumably taken and its contents devoured by the monster. My stomach growled in protest. At least, we had MREs, which was much better than we’d had the first time around.
Feeling more at ease about our chances inside the hut, I glanced around the space. It was small, about twelve by twelve. Hammocks hung from the ceiling, six in total. Though, I doubted the wooden beams could support Baeleath’s weight. Matches and a gas lantern rested on a corner shelf. I walked over to light it, but Ronnie got there first and ignited a flame with practiced magical hands. Warm light filled the space, casting long shadows.
Vaughn lay in a corner, rested his head on his enormous paws, and closed his eyes. He had ripped his clothes when he transformed outside, and he didn’t seem willing to shift back. Did he have anything else to wear? I searched the room for his backpack, but it was nowhere in sight. Glancing out the window again, I scanned for a moment and spotted it, discarded on the ground. I shook my head and sighed, pulling away from the window and pressing my back to the wall.
Gods, I hated this place.
Surprised, I blinked at Ronnie. He was on his hands and knees, pushing something along toward Vaughn. It seemed the boy had cut the top of an MRE packet, making it into a bowl, and was trying to feed Vaughn.
I watched, half-amused, as Vaughn’s nose twitched, and one of his eyes shot open. Ronnie froze and tried to look like he was invisible.
A deep rumble sounded in the back of Vaughn’s throat, and the side of his muzzle lifted, displaying two-inch fangs. Eyes wide, Ronnie scrambled back to Becca’s side. From the other corner where Baeleath sat, he let out a hearty laugh. Becca followed suit, then me. After a moment, Ronnie chuckled, too, if a bit nervously. Only Regina didn’t join in. She had slumped down the floor, looking troubled. Vaughn closed his eyes again, indifferent to our laughter and the food.
