Chapter 16
Azpians know there are lower realms that house creatures wild and elemental. We avoid those beings as much as possible, but there may be others unknown to us. What creatures lurk in forgotten realms? Perhaps they are best left alone.
—GAXIX, DRACU PHILOSOPHER
The rhythmic beat of wings came a moment before Zeru appeared, diving like a hunting hawk. Arms outstretched, he yanked Enora out of the shadowy creature’s grip a moment before it descended into the gorge below.
Thea’s eyes were half-blinded by dirt, her fingers bloody from pulling at rocks, but she shouted with relief when she saw that Zeru held her sister securely.
As he carried Enora from harm’s way, Thea peered down into the gorge.
Burke’s dropped lantern illuminated the riverbed, which held a few feet of stagnant water.
All that was left of the thing was a jumble of sticks gleaming under the water’s surface.
Hauling herself up, Thea breathed a sigh as she spotted Enora’s silver hair where it should be—attached to her head, which was attached to her body, which was firmly on solid ground.
“Are you all right?” she asked, her stomach still churning.
Enora brushed off leaves and ran her hands over her head twice before tucking loose strands of hair behind her ears. “Dizzy as if I drank five too many glasses of fruit wine.” Her laugh was shaky, her lopsided grin bright with the heady relief that comes from a near escape.
“Was that a scucca?” Burke asked, staring down at the remnants of the creature.
“A cursèd large one, if so,” Enora replied, plucking twigs from her sleeves.
“Not like any I’ve seen,” Zeru agreed, tucking his wings to his back. “The others were held together with moss and vines. This one contained something dark that moved.”
Thea’s chest ached with the need to share information about the shadow realm, to warn her sisters and the rest of the Huntsmen. But even thinking about it made her mouth close up. Would she fare any better trying to write down the truth? Her fingers twinged with a cramp at the notion.
“Even if it was a scucca,” Enora said, “who would have made it? Selkolla is dead. At least… that’s what Cassia thought. Is there any possibility she was wrong?”
“No,” Zeru said firmly, but his green, glowing eyes showed a hint of panic. “Where is Cassia?”
“Wasn’t she with you?” Thea demanded.
“She insisted we split up to cover more ground.” He spat what sounded like an Old Azpian word, then spread his wings, their claws shining in the lantern light, and lifted like an arrow shot into the sky. A moment later, he was out of view.
Burke ran his fingers through his hair and brushed at bits of plant matter lodged there. “He seems more concerned with finding Cassia than with making sure the threat is neutralized.”
“First of all,” Enora said, stepping to Burke and tilting her chin to look up at him, “finding my sister is the priority right now. Also, that Dracu just saved my life. And he’s part of our patrol, so get over whatever your problem is with him.
You may be Second, but I was put in charge of this mission. Right?”
Burke looked annoyed but chastised. “Understood.”
Thea admired Enora’s ability to be both calm and firm. She really could be First if she wanted.
A few seconds later, two pairs of wings caught the lantern light, one of them golden and moving quickly toward the ground.
Cassia met the ground hard, scudding to a stop on loose stones, her hands hitting the dirt to break her fall. She pushed up, rushing to her sisters. “Are you hurt?”
“I could ask you the same,” Enora said, smiling to reassure her sister.
Zeru alighted gracefully a second later, shaking his head as he went to stand next to Cassia. “You have to slow down as you land,” he muttered, but Cassia didn’t seem to hear him. She grabbed Enora’s hands, looking her over.
“Couple bruises but I’m fine,” Enora assured her.
Burke chimed in dryly, “I’m fine, too, in case you were worried.”
“She wasn’t,” Zeru said without sparing a look at the Huntsman.
As Enora told Cassia and Zeru the details of what had happened, Thea looked around, a prickle of awareness on the back of her neck alerting her that they weren’t alone.
Taking her time, she scanned the surrounding trees.
A hint of movement caught her eye. She drew her knife in readiness, but her instincts weren’t saying “threat.” More that someone was trying to get her attention.
And she had a feeling who it might be.
Seeing that Cassia and Zeru were taking all of Enora’s and Burke’s attention, she moved toward the trees.
As she reached the edge of the tree line, a silky voice spoke from the darkness, making her shiver with recognition. “I thought I made it clear you were to come to the dance every night.”
Thea drew up short, her eyes searching but not finding him.
“Where are you?”
Damon stepped into view. As always, his handsome face stole Thea’s breath.
If she could have dreamed someone like him, she would have.
The urge to touch him did not seem to be fading, no matter how she fought it.
He must have traveled by root once again to bring her to the dance.
Or is he here for another reason? Last time, he’d made his shadows into birds to scare off the Skrattis.
Could he have created the shadowy scucca monster?
“Was that thing yours?” she demanded in a harsh whisper.
Damon took a step closer, his brows knitting. “What thing?”
She gestured in the direction of the riverbed. “A huge creature made of sticks held together by shadows. It grabbed my sister and nearly tumbled her over the gorge.” Thea’s skin chilled remembering how she’d been helpless to save Enora.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Damon said, his expression confused.
She watched him closely for a moment, trying to decide if she believed him. “Do you know about the scuccas that Selkolla created?”
Damon nodded. “Moss creatures animated with trapped spirits. I heard the Seer who created them was killed.”
“Some of them linger in the forest. But this thing was much larger. And it was held together with shadows. Like yours.” She nodded to where a shadow curled around his neck.
His eyes shifted as if he was considering. “I truly don’t know anything about this new creature. But the dance is almost over. Come.” He held out his hand to her.
She had a sudden, overpowering urge to put her hand in his, but a thought held her back. “If I disappear after what happened, my sisters will be beside themselves with worry.”
The intensity in his stare called to something in her. “Thea. I need you there.”
Steeling herself against the plea in his eyes, she said, “Not this time, Shadow Stranger. I’m not leaving my sisters alone when there are threats in these woods that I don’t understand.” She turned on her heel and walked way.
“Thea,” he said in a low voice. “I can’t give you answers if you don’t join the dance.”
She whirled around. “You rarely give straight answers anyway.”
He shook his head, his face tight with anger. Then a doorway appeared, and he was gone.