Chapter 30 Dylan
Dylan
The camp was utter chaos.
People ran in every direction, some clutching their children to their chests, and others helping the injured or the elderly get away from the flames.
Some had managed to escape through the summoning circle that we'd all used to travel here. But the distance between Llwyn Onn and our Coven home of Plas Ffynone was a good distance, and the magic in the circle was only able to carry two at a time.
It would take far too long to get everyone evacuated that way.
Our best chance was to use the circle hidden in the forest on the opposite side of the encampment. As Llwyn Onn was only a short distance from here, we could likely send a dozen through each time.
But it wasn't just the fire to deal with. The overgrown bats that Gwaun had sent were also a huge problem.
I'd only managed to find Lleucu and Zenn amidst the chaos; gods only knew where the others were. Even Caerwyn hadn't been spotted since the attack, but the old bugger was as tough as nails, so I doubted he would have met his demise just yet.
“Two of the leathery bastards have just turned around. They've got their sights set on this end of the camp,” Lleucu panted, and she doubled over with her hands against her knees. Her shield, Manawydan, clattered to the floor.
“We don't have enough people who can fight to cope with a two-pronged attack,” Zenn said as he wiped the black blood dripping off his knives on his trousers.
The shadows of the Cyhyraeth moved towards us across the smoky sky. I turned to Zenn, who was wincing as he touched a welt on his upper arm.
“How many people do we have that can fight and are accounted for?”
“Nine, maybe ten.”
Fuck, that was a pitiful amount.
We'd been so concerned that Plas Ffynone would be vulnerable while the Coven attended the Anoethau that I'd ordered most of our best Witches to stay behind and protect the Coven headquarters.
As I contemplated our next move, one of the Cyhyraeth swooped low, aiming its claws at one of the larger pabells that sat near the fairway.
I reared back, Caledfwlch ready to sink into the fucker's skull, but a flash of silver skimmed my nose.
Lleucu was quick, already having launched Manawydan at the beast.
As her shield was also a god weapon like mine, I expected the razor-sharp edge to make easy work of the Cyhyraeth's papery skin. But just as Manawydan hit its mark between the beast's ribs, it swiped the shield to one side with its wing, as if it were no more than a piece of aluminium.
“When did they learn to do that?!” Lleucu roared as Manawydan spun through the air and landed with a clatter.
The Cyhyraeth circled above us before joining up with the other one who'd been heading our way. They flew side by side towards us, dark liquid dripping from their maws. I readied myself for another dive attack, but instead, they flew right over us.
“Where are they going?” Zenn asked as his eyes tracked their movement. “There's nothing on that side of the camp apart from the circle back to Plas Ffynone.”
Lleucu swore under her breath. “They're going to pick off the people trying to flee.”
Fuck, this was going from bad to worse.
“Zenn!” I screamed. “Gather all the Witches who can fight and take them with you to track the two fuckers. Lleucu, follow me, we'll try and tame the fire on the other side, maybe even get some hits on the other two leathery twats that are skulking around somewhere.”
Both Zenn and Lleucu nodded approvingly, and we all sprang into motion.
We ran as quickly as we could to the burning side of the camp, skidding to a stop when we found Caerwyn throwing buckets of water on the flames.
“Dyl, my boy!” A fresh slash ran down his wrinkled cheek.
“What in the name of Bran are you doing out here on your own? And without a pissing weapon!”
Caerwyn tsked and went back to throwing water on the fire.
“Doing what I can to help. If these were off, I would have had the buggers out of the sky in seconds!” He gestured to his manacles that pulsated with silver light, his power desperate to break free.
“Stop fussing and use that water of yours on these flames, good boy!”
I was already exhausted from fighting, but I needed to do something drastic if I wanted to stop the fire from spreading. Digging into my reserve of power, I summoned the biggest wave I could manage—which was pitiful compared to what I knew I could have summoned if I wasn't so exhausted.
It crashed down, extinguishing the fire and sweeping away most of the debris from the burnt tents, clearing this side of the encampment to an open plane of soaked ash.
I scanned the sky, expecting the Cyhyraeth to start attacking us at any moment, now that we weren't protected by the cover of the smoke. But they were nowhere to be seen.
“Did they flee?” Lleucu asked Caerwyn.
“Bah! We should be so lucky. They're being kept preoccupied by those two.” Caerwyn nodded behind us.
If my jaw could have hit the floor, it fucking would have.
Never in a million years did I expect to see Non running towards us in a dressing gown with Carnwennan strapped to her thigh.
Next to her was someone in a red habit swinging a staff through the air.
The two Cyhyraeth hovered only a few metres above their heads, and when one snapped its jaws in Non's direction, it almost managed to sink its teeth into her shoulder.
“Non!” My voice was hoarse from screaming, but I needed to tell her to get the hell away from those things. She looked over her shoulder and gave me a casual wave.
Uffern dan, this woman would send me to an early grave.
“Non! Get away from them!” I demanded, but she ignored me, turning her attention back to the beasts circling above her.
As I started moving towards her, Lleucu grabbed me by the shoulder. “If she's stupid enough to get herself killed, then let her; we have bigger issues to deal with.”
Zenn had filled me in on Lleucu's confrontation with Non a few days prior at Llwyn Onn. Given their history, I understood why Lleucu felt the way she did, but putting all the blame on Non was unfair.
“Take the old man and search the area for any survivors.”
“I'm a warrior. I'm more help here fighting—”
“That's an order, Lleucu!”
I hated the way her expression dropped when I went from friend to her Ail, but she wasn't going to listen to being told nicely, and I had enough to do trying to keep Non alive without Lleucu in the mix.
I looked back at Non in time to see her summon Carnwennan from its sheath to her hand and raised it above her head.
It whipped through the air, straight towards the Cyhyraeth.
But as the blade arced in the air, I could tell it wasn't going to land as she intended.
The dagger still managed to punch a hole in the beast's sinewy wing.
As it sliced through its flesh, the creature let out a piercing screech.
For a second, I thought Non had lost her connection with Carnwennan when it didn't fly back to her hand; instead, it continued in an arc around the back of the beast. But when it shot through the creature's other wing, ripping it to shreds, I realised she knew exactly what she was doing.
The Cyhyraeth hit the ground with a thud. Now that she wasn't distracted, I bolted for Non's side.
“Nice work,” Jazz said as they slashed their spear, Rhongomyniad, towards the other beast that was wild with fury over his fallen comrade.
I had a million and one questions to ask Non, but the beast whose wings had been destroyed pushed itself onto its hind legs and lunged for Non.
I threw Caledfwlch with all my might, and it sliced the tip of the creature's forked tongue, spraying Non and me in its black blood.
As the beast wavered, I took the small moment of reprieve to grab Non's upper arm and turn her to face me.
“You came.” It was all I managed to say.
“Well done for stating the bloody obvious, but now isn't really the time for small talk.” She threw Carnwennan over my shoulder, and it hit the beast with a thunk.
At the same time, the barbed tail of the beast Jazz was fighting whipped towards Non's neck.
I launched Caledfwlch over her shoulder, slicing the whole thing clean off.
Non placed a hand on my arm, and I shuddered, feeling the warmth of her skin deep in my bones. I hadn't realised my shirt sleeve had ripped open until her fingers brushed the exposed skin.
“I need you to order everyone to make their way to the summoning circle that will take them to Llwyn Onn. We have a plan, but I need you to get everyone out of the camp as soon as possible.”
“Happy to help, but these fuckers and the other two attacking the fairway are making things a little difficult.”
The grounded Cyhyraeth launched itself at us, and I pushed Non behind, swinging Caledfwlch down on the beast's skull, burying it between its eyes. It let out a wail of desperation before dropping to the ground, motionless.
“One down, three to go!” Jazz exclaimed.
Non grabbed my wrist, ripping the entire sleeve of my shirt off, exposing my forearm.
“If you wanted me to undress, cariad, you only had to ask.”
She gestured to my inner bicep. “You're hurt.”
I followed her line of sight to see a curved fang protruding through my skin, black veins snaking out from the wound. I shrugged off Non's fussing. “It's nothing, just a little nick.”
Ripping the fang free, I tossed it to the ground and turned towards the other beast still battling with Jazz. My path was blocked by Non, who was now sporting one of her adorable frowns. I reached to smooth my fingers over the crease between her brows, but she swatted my hand away.
“You need a healer, not to throw yourself back into the fight. I don't know much about these”— she gestured to the beast— “things, but those black veins don't look good.”
Lifting my arm, I showed Non that the wound had already closed, the veins receding like they'd never even been there.
“See? I'm fine, now what else does this plan of yours entail exactly?”