CHAPTER 8 #3
A glowing pair of yellow eyes had emerged from its depths.
The lower half of the creature’s face was submerged within the water, only a scaly scalp and a long, thin tail covered in emerald spikes high above its head visible.
The water stirred and its tail bobbed higher, the spines along it prickling as it reared back.
“Get down!” I screamed, pulling Anama with me as a second barb flew inches above our heads.
Blood was dripping down her arm. So much blood, turned black by the moonlight. I didn’t want to take the spike out and risk increasing the blood loss. My hands fluttered across her shoulder. I didn’t know what to do. “Can you move?”
She gritted her teeth and nodded. “I can try.”
Moric and Lana were at our sides, Lana looking frantically toward the river. I kept my gaze fixed firmly on Anama. She looked so pale.
“We need to go,” Lana cried.
I reached around Anama’s torso, hauling her up so she could lean her weight against me.
“We have to go. That thing is coming!” Moric shouted.
Anama blinked sluggishly. Her injured arm hung limply at her side. I guided her one step forward, then another. I didn’t dare look at the river.
Anama’s legs trembled and she gasped for breath.
“Help me!” The words ripped out of my throat, a guttural sound I did not recognize.
“I can carry her.” Moric reached for Anama.
“No.” Anama’s voice was so soft, so weak. “I’m losing… too much blood. You need… to leave me. I’m sorry… for bring– bringing us… west.”
“Don’t say that. Don’t fucking say that.” I scrubbed a hand across my eyes to get rid of the tears blurring my vision.
“Guys!” Lana shouted, and I looked up in time to see that the creature had risen from the water enough to bare the ridges of its exoskeleton. Its abdomen was shiny and round, and several spindly legs protruded from its sides. Yellow eyes stared straight at us as that lethal tail lifted once more.
“What the fuck is that?” Lana wailed.
“Arrow-tailed lancer,” Moric breathed.
A single, sharp dart flew, aiming right for Lana, but she dodged expertly, rolling along the bank.
Anama clutched at her arm. “Stop,” she moaned. “I’ll only… slow you… down.”
“Moric!”
“On it.” Moric heaved Anama into his arms, hands cradling her lower back and thighs.
He took one step forward and then staggered as an arrow nicked his leg.
Anama lurched forward in his arms, slipping from his grip.
They both rolled to the ground, Anama whimpering as she landed on her injured shoulder.
I cast a panicked look at the river. The water stirred violently as the arrow-tailed lancer surged forward. I grasped at Moric, my gaze skirting over his wound.
“I’m fine.” He pushed me toward Anama instead.
Grabbing Anama, I wrenched her up. She winced in pain, and her eyes fluttered open, focusing on me.
“Run,” she said firmly, even as her legs wobbled.
“No.” I dragged her forward as if my sheer will would be enough to get us all out of here alive. The air screamed as another arrow whizzed through it. It hit Anama’s torso dead center, the force propelling her out of my grasp. Her eyes bulged, hands rising to her stomach.
“No!” This couldn’t be happening. How could everything be occurring in slow motion and so quickly at the same time?
I took a step forward, but Anama rose a shaky hand toward me. I could see the agony and defeat in her eyes. Blood bubbled, trickling from her mouth as she began stumbling away from me.
“Anama. Get on my back!” Lana screamed, trying to tug her over. But Anama shook her head, pushing her away.
“Run,” she coughed. “Please…”
The arrow-tailed lancer reared back again, its scales bristling, the spines on its tail quivering. Anama swiveled slowly to face it.
Its tail lashed out, quick as a whip, and tore into Anama. And then it was dragging her forward, right to the edge of the bank. I sprinted forward, not thinking, hand thrown out, fingers clawing for her as the arrow-tailed lancer pulled her into the river. My fingers grasped at air and nothing.
Dark blood drifted to the surface.
A choking sob split from my chest, my hand still outstretched. The creature, distracted by its prey, slipped beneath the surface, submerging until even its yellow eyes and arrow tail had vanished completely.
“Anama!” Her name clawed against my windpipes, a rough grating sound that was swallowed by the gurgling of the river. Lana was at Moric’s side, her fingers skating across his thigh, ripping at the fabric of his pants to reveal brown skin, marred by a long, thin gash.
“I’m okay. It’s a surface wound,” Moric said, but there was terror in his voice.
Lana appeared beside me, her hand on my arm. She pulled me to face her. “Lirah, we need to go before that thing comes back.” Her eyes were wild.
My breath tore from me in ragged gasps, and I turned one last frenzied look to the river, then to my friends. Moric was injured. And Anama was gone. Adrenaline coursed through me. Every second we spent on this bank put my friends’ lives in more jeopardy.
“Are you sure you’re fine?” I asked Moric, quickly.
He nodded.
“Then fucking run.”