On Death's Honor

Chapter 21: Crude Reminders

Sharp, chipped talons dug unto my back, digging behind the collar of my vest. I barely managed to secure my hold around my weapon when I was lifted clean off my feet.

Adria's Dream had somehow gotten bigger, rotting flesh and poisoned blood oozing out of random patches on its body. It held me with one of its lower arms, and it moved one of its upper ones to secure a tight grasp around my hair - then released my vest.

I never needed to know what it felt like to be suspended mid-air by my hair. Frantically, I dug my fingers into the being's tough wrist, scalp burning and eyes watering. I found myself staring straight into its deep, dark eyes, its leathery lips peeled back to reveal those rancid tendrils. Its chest heaved, signaling that it was about to roar in my face.

It never got the chance. Mustering strength in my left arm - the one that held the sword - I swung myself forward, lodging the blade straight up its chin and directly into its brain.

The beast's body stiffened, its eyes slightly widening in surprise. I bit back a snort. Three times - three times, now, that I've had to fight this damn thing, and each time it seems to forget that I contained a specially forged sword that was fully capable of slaying just about any entity out there. Somehow, its grip on my hair never wavered, so I had to release my sword while it was still stuck inside the monster's skull so that I could better prepare myself for the fall.

We landed over the newly deceased tree. Breathing heavily, I tore myself out of its grip, trying not to think about the large chunks of hair I left behind in the process. Then I stepped over the creature, grabbing my sword, and bent so that I could watch the light fade from those eerie eyes. Whatever it was that its essence was made of was slowly leaving its now useless vessel.

"Tell Rhoe that her fight is with me, not anyone else," I breathed, then yanked my weapon free.

I didn't wait for the thing's body to stop moving before I took a couple of steps back and plotted myself down on the ground.

"Why . . . Why didn't you use more magic?"

I craned my head back to peer over at a stumbling Lanie and bewildered Orik. Lanie was suffering a giant bruise on the side of his face, and he was nursing his right leg, but he seemed fine, otherwise.

Lucky kid.

"Told you," I grunted. "I'm human."

"But you used a rune," he insisted.

"Just need to know how to read," I turned my gaze back around, not at all enjoying the headache forming in the back of my head. "I wasn't born with the ability to use the Sixth Source."

No, it was forced into you like a special science experiment.

And what a lovely experience that had been.

Behind me, Lanie scoffed.

"You're Circle Bound, aren't you? They don't accept-"

"Good thing I never applied," I snapped, wishing the boy would drop it and head back home. "Trust me, kid, you don't know shit about the Reftin Circle. Now stop antagonizing me and leave."

"What are you doing, now?" Orik questioned. Judging by how hastily it was spoken, Lanie had been about to speak.

"Guards from Canden are on their way," I informed. "This beasty most likely woke up everyone within a few miles," I nudged the huge corpse next to me with my foot. "I need to be here to confirm that I killed it."

"What is that thing?"

I heard him stumble up to me, eying the dead monster.

"Careful," I warned without looking up. "You don't want its essence leashing out at you."