Chapter 30 The Cavren
The Cavren
Caramyn
Asterious tore himself from their embrace as the rustling sounds of the forest neared.
Two shapes emerged from the tree line, hulking and malformed, their bodies massive and uneven as they prowled forward on all fours.
Their cracked skin looked carved from the earth, like stony hide stretched too tightly over sinew and muscle, cracked in places as though it might split under the strain of movement.
Their legs were too long, their gait lurching and predatory.
Thick, curled horns like a ram’s jutted from skulls encased in rock-like armor that tapered down their spines and along a jagged tail.
And where faces should have been, there were none. No eyes. No nose that was visible. Only a vast, monstrous mouth lined with rows of jagged teeth. The grating growls that rolled from them ceased all at once as their heads tilted. Even without eyes, it was easy to see they were locked on to them.
Caramyn’s breath caught. The air itself felt as though it had tightened around her chest.“What… what are those?” she whispered, horror crawling up her spine.
“Cavren,” Asterious said, already moving in front of her.
His arm came out instinctively, shielding her.
“Relics of the Lightborn army summoned from the depths of the earth. They guarded the land from Shadowbloods.” His jaw tightened as he watched the creatures prowling before them.
“They don’t come above ground to wander,” he continued. “They’re after something.”
The Cavren’s mouths opened wider, their bodies lowering, claws scraping against the soil mixed with silty stone.
Then one lunged. Past Asterious and straight for Caramyn.
She barely had time to scream before the creature slammed into her, its weight driving her backward toward the cliff’s edge.
Stone bit into her spine as she fell hard, the Cavren’s jaws snapping inches from her face, hot breath reeking of rot and magic washing over her.
She clawed at its armored hide, useless, just before some force pulled it back.
Asterious. He seized the Cavren by its horns and ripped it off her as though it was no more than a yapping dog.
The ground shook as he slammed it down once, twice, then wrapped his arms around its body and crushed the air from its lungs.
Its form crumpled beneath his bulging arm muscle.
The sound was sickening. Bone cracked like rocks. Flesh gave way.
The creature went still.
Caramyn lay frozen, gasping, staring up at him as he stood over the ruined body, chest heaving, hands slick with rust-colored blood. For a heartbeat, he did not look human, and those silver eyes gleamed an unearthly white.
The second Cavren was gone. Asterious’ gaze snapped around, sharp and searching. “It didn’t flee,” he called, the sound of restraint in his voice buried in a guttural growl. “It’s circling.”
Caramyn pushed herself upright, trembling. In the prince she’d seen something she could not name as he’d cracked that vicious creature in half like he was squeezing a lemon. No Lightborn could possess strength like that. Not even the strongest steel singer in the world.
Asterious followed the motion of the second Cavren as it returned, prowling, closing in. Once again, it’s sights seemed focused on Caramyn.
Asterious’ eyes widened. “The letter you’re carrying from the Shadowblood. They’re designed to hunt Shadow magic. It must be the letter they sense. You need to get rid of it. Now.”
The word landed between them like a blade. Caramyn knew the truth. She knew why they were really here if they were truly Shadow trackers. But she had to at least hope by some miracle disposing of the letter might be enough.
Her heart lurched. She tore into her cloak with shaking hands, pulled the letter free, and hurled it over the cliff. The wind caught it, spinning parchment into nothing before it vanished into the foaming waters below.
A distant, furious roar echoed from the forest. Asterious gestured toward the horses. “Run. Get to your mare and go. I’ll handle the other one.”
“No—”
“Caramyn.” He started to grab her shoulders, but then hesitated. “It will come back for the letter, and I can fight it…but you cannot be here.”
“I’m not just going to—”
“Go!” He howled, a burning white flashing in his eyes. Enough to horrify her.
Enough to recognize them from the moonless night she’d tried to escape the castle.
“Go!” His voice boomed again.
She didn’t argue. She ran.
Her mare whinnied as Caramyn vaulted into the saddle, heels driving her forward just as the second Cavren burst from the trees, not slowing or hesitating, but locking on to chase her.
Branches tore at her cloak as she drove the horse into the woods, heart pounding so violently she thought it might shatter her ribs. The forest closed in fast. Too fast. Hooves thundered. Stone claws struck earth behind her.
Then the Cavren leapt.
Instinct took over. Not thought. Just a hand in front of her face, shielding herself.
And then Shadow surged outward in a violent burst, swallowing the space around her in cold, living darkness.
The force slammed into the creature midair, earth-colored blood spattering over Caramyn like hot rain.
The Shadow hurled it back with a bone-rattling impact that split bark and sent it crashing through undergrowth.
And then it withered, like the soul had been yanked right out of it.
The woods fell silent. The shadows receded, dissolving in thin air.
Caramyn slowed her horse, and stared at the dead beast’s gargoyle-esque form. Then felt a presence long before she even looked. But when she finally did, she saw him. Asterious stood at the forest’s edge, staring.
Not at the Cavren, but at her.
The distance between them felt wider than the cliff, wider than the sea. He took a step back, as if she’d struck him. Betrayal warred with grief in his eyes, raw and unguarded.
And Caramyn knew before he spoke another word that whatever they had almost been to each other moments before had just been torn apart, as surely as that creature had been crushed between Asterious’ hands.