Chapter 23 #2
How were they supposed to fight eight giants?
Lia wasn’t a trained fighter. Sure, she was scrappy and had learned skills from her travels to keep herself safe.
But compared to the muscled warriors surrounding them, she knew they had no hope.
They needed to come to some sort of understanding or be able to outrun them.
She glanced down at Mizar which was just too far away for help.
Loshika might be able to escape but not Lia.
“If you don’t mind, we will leave you and be gone. Our families will be missing us. They do always worry when we come home late,” Loshika replied.
They took a step down the mountain, and the giants slowly closed in.
“It seems you have something of ours, and we can’t bear to be parted from it,” the leader said.
Lia winced. The pin.
She reached into her basket and pulled out the silver dimedon pin. “I believe you’re referring to this?” she said, proud that her voice didn’t shake.
One sniffed the air like a hound, and she bit the inside of her cheek hard. Giants could scent emotions, and these ones were no different.
Don’t be afraid.
It was easier said than done.
“Loshika,” she said softly. “It seems I found a pin that belongs to our friend. Would you be so kind as to return it to them?” Lia dropped the pin into Lo’s open palm. She felt more than saw the healer toss the pin to the leader.
“We’ve returned your property. We shall take our leave.”
That was Lia’s cue.
She started down the path with Loshika hot on her heels.
“I’m sorry, but our time has not ended yet. There’s much more we need to speak about.”
“Run!” Loshika bellowed.
Dahlia picked up her skirts and ran, whistling to Serenity.
The leader yipped and then howls filled the air.
Goosebumps broke along her arms, and she glanced over her shoulder.
All giants but the leader sprinted down the mountainside after them.
Loshika paused, picked up a branch, and slammed it into the head of the nearest giant, knocking him out.
Another one tackled the healer to the ground.
Lia slowed, a scream caught in her throat.
Her friend produced a blade from somewhere and stabbed the giant in the throat.
She got to her feet, eyes widening. “Keep running!”
Lia spun around, her arms pinwheeling at the steep incline. A growl to her left had her speeding up. Clawed hands snagged the back of her cloak. She snapped the closing pin at her throat and kept sprinting, tossing her basket at the giant behind her.
Loshika wailed.
It was one of pain.
No.
The distraction was all it took for the giant to catch her.
An iron band caught her about the waist, knocking the air out of Dahlia. She wheezed as her feet left the ground.
Not today.
Lia ripped her blade free and blindly stabbed any skin she could see. Her captor howled, his grip loosening enough that she dropped to her knees in the snow. Lia wrapped her hands around the hilt and drove it into his groin as Serenity dove from the sky, raking her talons across his face.
The giant dropped, moaning and twitching—his silver blood soaking into the snow.
Lifting her head, she spotted Loshika fighting two giants, another dead on the ground. Her heart flew to her throat when one pinned Lo’s arms above her head and the other climbed on top of her legs, tearing at her skirts.
No.
She scrambled to her feet, cut off the front of her dress, wrapped it around her wrist, kicked off her loose boots, and ran toward her friend, her astrylle in the sky above her.
Her lungs burned, and snow soaked through her stockings.
She didn’t care about any of it. Only that she got to her friend before the unthinkable happened.
A hand caught her hair and yanked.
Lia cried out, almost dropping her blade. Tears pricked her eyes when he yanked her back into his body. She kicked him in the shin, but it hardly fazed him.
“That’s enough of that, half-blood,” the monster spat.
Searing pain struck her neck. Dahlia screamed, tears running down her face. The brute had bitten her shoulder. He shook her, tearing more of her tender flesh. The giant released her and breathed harshly in her ear.
“I’ve marked you for all to see what you are. A slave, a lesser being meant to serve. At least, the human half of you is.”
Loshika cried out again and again, and Lia fought against the pain. She couldn’t stop now.
Distract him.
Lia went limp in his grasp, folding forward.
Serenity screeched.
He grunted and shook her.
She didn’t react.
“Weak saloes,” he spat.
Lia would show him weak.
When he took a step forward, she stabbed him in the inside of the thigh.
The giant grabbed her by the hair and wrenched her upward.
The world swam when he tossed Lia into the snow.
She clutched the blade to her chest and clawed her way up the mountain away from the limping giant.
He fell upon her, and she slashed at him, catching him across the cheek.
He squeezed her wrist, forcing her to drop the dagger.
“Your little body is disgusting. I want to destroy it,” he hissed, ripping the shoulder and arm of her dress, her corset exposed. Nausea rose up at her blood smeared down his chin, the scarlet liquid stark against his grey skin.
Lia’s left hand patted the snow for anything. Her hand touched a sharp rock, and she swung with all her might. He turned his face at the last moment, and she slammed it into his right eye. The giant roared, rolling away from her with the pointy rock lodged in his eye.
Move, Dahlia.
She rolled onto her stomach and retched when the monster gurgled next to her. She swiped the blade from the snow and forced herself to her feet. She swayed, noting the leader had disappeared over the ridge.
Reinforcements?
How many had there been?
Eight?
The leader had left. Lia had dispatched two. Loshika three.
Her eyes narrowed. Now there were only two left.
Help us. Help me.
Lia pushed herself toward Lo, unwrapping the fabric around her wrist. She whistled at the astrylle.
The giant holding Loshika’s hands spotted her first. He said something in Loriian to the male messing with the laces of his pants.
He spun to face her as she leapt at him, wrapping the fabric around his neck.
His claws cut her around the ribs as she spun behind him, using her weight to choke him with the fabric.
It wouldn’t hold, but it was enough to get him off Lo’s legs.
He grunted and then swiped, cutting the makeshift garrote from his neck. Lia tumbled backward and scrambled to put space between them as he spun around. Hate burned in his eyes.
Serenity attacked the other giant, her furious screeches echoing in Lia’s ears.
“You die now,” he hissed.
“You first,” she spat.
This was it. There would be no more tricks or gimmicks. He wanted her death. She had no more strength left.
He pounced. Lia held up her dagger, but it never struck him. Loshika had clobbered him over the head. Dahlia watched as the nonnae staggered to the groaning giant and continued to beat him. He stopped moving, and the giantess kept hitting him, screaming at his corpse in Loriian.
Slowly climbing to her feet, she observed the area. None of their enemies moved. Lia held her hands out and took care to stay in Lo’s sight as she crept closer. “Loshika, it’s okay. You can stop.”
Her astrylle dropped to the giant’s legs and began viciously tearing at his thigh.
Her stomach turned at the mangled mess the giant had been beaten to. She edged around the crying giantess and bravely set her hand on Lo’s bare arm. Black eyes flashed to hers as she lifted the branch in the air as if to hit Lia. She braced herself for the pain.
“It’s okay, Lo. He can’t hurt you. I’ve got you. You’re okay,” she crooned.
Loshika trembled, tears tracking down her cheeks through the makeup.
Her arms shook, and eventually, she dropped the silver-coated branch.
She feel against Lia, hugged her so tightly she could scarcely breathe.
Lia returned the embrace, scouring the snow for more enemies. They needed to get to Mizar now.
She whistled to Serenity, who launched into the air, her beak shimmering silver in the rising moonlight.
“You’re okay,” Lia kept saying over and over. “But we need to leave.” She pulled back, lacing her fingers with Lo’s, and led the giantess down the mountain. They stumbled and slid. Loshika’s body became heavier and heavier.
Dahlia didn’t know who the local healer was. Where was she supposed to take her?
The tavern.
They stumbled into the alleyway between the inn and the tavern.
Lia pounded on the door, and Diaz opened it with a scowl that melted away instantly.
She lifted Loshika’s left arm around and slung it over her shoulder, helping them inside immediately.
They moved past a wide-eyed Jaiix and into the kitchen.
“Hunt,” Diaz barked.
The burly man dropped his ladle and cleared the gigantic table in the middle of the room. He helped lay Loshika down on it.
She shivered, her eyes rolling up in her head. Lia went to hold her hand but noticed the punctures in her palms. The bastard had pinned her down using his claws.
Bile burned the back of Dahlia’s throat, and she fought not to throw up.
“What the devil happened here?” Diaz asked brusquely.
Lia held Loshika’s hand and squeezed. “Lo, you can’t go to sleep.”
Jaiix pushed through the double doors, her eyes round. “What happened? How can I help?”
Hunt placed a steaming bucket of water onto the table while Diaz grabbed clean rags.
“Send Felix for the nonnae and close the tavern.”
Jaiix nodded. “Done.” She disappeared back outside and began barking orders.
Both Hunt and Diaz began cleaning the blood off of Loshika. Lia moved toward her face and began to play with her damp hair, murmuring nonsense.
Cosmos stepped into the kitchen from the scullery and froze. His face paled as he stared in horror at Lo. “I heard all the commotion and came to check . . .” His attention moved to Lia, and he gasped. “Sis, you’re bleeding.”
Lia barely felt the pain. “I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not,” Hunt commented, his gray eyes flashing to her neck and then back to Loshika. “You’ve lost a lot of blood. You should sit down.”
If she sat down, she might not be able to get up again. And she had things to do.
Lo’s eyes flew open, wildly flitting around the room until they landed on Lia.
She forced a trembling smile to her lips. “It’s okay. You’re safe. We’re home, but you need to keep your eyes open for me.”
Slowly, some lucidity filled her friend’s dark eyes. “Not safe.”
“You are. Isn’t she, Diaz?”
“Nothing and no one will get you here. I will make sure of it.”
Lo slowly shook her head. “No. The Northerners. They are coming.”
Lia’s brows furrowed. The Northerners? “The pale ones?”
“Yes. When they pinned me,” Loshika rasped, more tears dripping down her cheeks, “they spoke of spoils of war and payback for all who associated with saloes like the king.”
Dahlia sucked in a sharp breath.
War.
A dimedon.
Hate for the king.
They weren’t just bandits but a possible rebellion.
Loshika’s bottom lip trembled. “Go. News like this cannot wait.”
She shook her head. “No. I can’t leave you. I won’t.”
“You must.” She looked pointedly at Cosmos and then Hunt and Diaz. “This is life or death, Reilleve.”
Hunt and Diaz both froze, there gazes bouncing between Loshika and Dahlia. She stared down at her friend. There would be no hiding now.
Lia slowly lifted her head and gave the couple a pointed look. “There is much that is happening in our kingdoms. Not all is as it seems, but my need for discretion and protection for my friends and family is a must. Can I count on you?”
The husband and wife exchanged a glance before nodding. Diaz eyed her. “I knew you were hiding something.” She glanced at Cosmos. “He makes a lot more sense now.”
Dahlia pressed a kiss to Lo’s scarred cheek. “I’ll be back soon.” She spun on her heel and walked to Cosmos, who shook his head.
“No, you can’t go back,” he argued. “It’s not safe. You can’t leave.”
She pulled him into a hug, her cheek pillowed against his bony shoulder. “I’ll be back. You are never leaving my side again. Take care of Lo, please?”
Cos nodded, trying not to cry. Hunt glanced at her brother and waved him forward. “Come here, son, I need your help.”
She gave the kitchen one last lingering look and then forced herself out the double doors and through the exit into the alley. Her steps were silent as she made her way down the main roadway.
Dahlia didn’t feel the frigid breeze on her cheeks. Nor the snow seeping through her wet stockings. Or the blood that dripped sluggishly down her collarbone and chest. A whistle flew passed her lips, and Serenity replied.
She strode into camp with her dress torn, shoulder bloodied, and hands shaking.
Lanterns and firepits burned around the camp, painting the snow and canvas tents yellow and orange. No one paid her much attention at first except for the occasional knowing glance. It wasn’t uncommon to find men and women warming the beds of warriors.
But it was when they got a good look at her and smelled her blood that the giants began to take notice. She’d reached the center of the camp when a warrior touched her shoulder. That was all it took to dissolve her false calmness.
She stabbed at his arm and then somehow ended up with a sword in her hands with the giant on the ground.
“Don’t touch me.”
“Niliave.”
Lia closed her eyes as his deep accented voice washed over her.
Neve.