Page 64 of A Vow of Shadows
Evander stood taller as the shadows gathered around us. “Can we assume you are here to validate those rumors?”
“His Highness is curious,” she hedged.
“Is that how he knows about her? Who started these rumors?”
“It is said the whispers began in his court.” Ani inspected her claws, a picture of lethal calm. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he sent the words on the wind himself just to stir things up. It seems you have managed to slip through his fingers thus far.”
The sharpness in her tone was the only warning before she lunged.
Sam met her blow head on, raising his cane in time to deflect the worst of it. Evander yanked me behind him, reaching into a nearby shadow and removing his scythe. The wicked edge gleamed as it sliced through the air, forcing Ani to jump back. The reprieve was short lived as she sprang between them. I watched in horror as she effortlessly exchanged blows with both men, somehow avoiding the whistling steel and quick jabs.
I was suddenly very aware that I was a human among demons. The three beings formed a maelstrom of claws and onyx. Evander was a sight to see, when I could see him. With only one eye, I struggled to track him amongst his shadows. One moment he was there, the next he was swallowed by darkness, reappearing steps away in a blink.
In the chaos, I’d somehow ended up on the wrong side of the fight, unable to cross the melee to sneak back inside. Two of the shadows broke off from the group to stand sentry beside me. I welcomed Inky’s and Storm’s cool embrace as they ushered me back from the fray. Together, we inched away, the three demons too engrossed in their battle to notice.
I stumbled over the unfamiliar terrain, unwilling to turn my back on the terrifying creature in our midst. My next step reached the space where the ground should have been and kept going. Water soaked my skirts as I tripped into ankle-deep water. Though the splash barely sounded over the ruckus of the three demons, Ani halted mid-strike, canine ears swiveling to locate the source of the noise.
I froze, holding my breath against the scream that wanted to crawl up my throat.
Evander and Sam swung at once, a powerful strike that Ani parried effortlessly. With a swift kick, Ani sent Sam sprawling. Evander stepped into his shadows, disappearing once again.
Thinking she was distracted, I hoisted myself out of the putrid water. Ani’s head whipped toward me, but Inky and Storm formed a wall of darkness before me.
Somehow, I could still make out her form through the gloom, though it seemed I was fully hidden from her view.
Evander reappeared behind Ani, scythe held high. She turned, exposing her back to him as though he were no real threat.
In a gesture more canine than human, she sniffed the air. Her head snapped in my direction, gaze narrowed on the space I occupied, still camouflaged by my shadows. I tensed as her eyes slid over me, unseeing, and yet, I had the distinct impression of being found.
Evander’s scythe arced down, but she was already moving.
Toward me.
I spared no thought for her superior strength or longer limbs. I ran.
Inky and Storm kept pace with me, covering my retreat as best they could in spite of the noise I was making. I ran until Ani’s panting breaths sounded from far too near. Two sets of footsteps joined with mine, and I wondered if Evander was keeping pace with her, or if she sprinted on all fours like a hound.
The air shifted, and I veered sideways, narrowly escaping a swipe of her deadly claws. Black surged around me, and for a moment, I was weightless. Heartbeats later, the darkness broke. My feet stuttered as I found myself in a different area of the swamp.
A howl of frustration went up from somewhere nearby, too close for comfort. I ran away from the sound, vaulting over mossy rocks and fallen trees. The sounds of pursuit followed me as I splashed into another shallow pool. I risked a glance behind me and bit back a sob at the fearsome image of the demon crashing through the brush.
I knew the moment she saw me, knee-deep in the acrid water. She stalked toward me with a smile that looked all wrong on her canine face. That smile transformed into a snarl as Inky and Storm picked me up again.
This time, I started running the moment I touched back down. I had to trust that my protectors would not face me toward danger.
Ani bellowed her fury, and farther off, I heard Evander calling for me.
I didn’t dare giveaway my location in case Ani hadn’t yet picked up on my scent.
A wall of shadows erupted in front of me, but I didn’t slow. I knew those shadows.
The path cleared, and I flung myself into Evander’s waiting arms. One hand cupped the back of my head as I panted into his chest.
“Kat, I want you to run.” His voice was a rumble against my skin.
I shook my head, unable to form words. I’d been running, didn’t he know? My leg throbbed at the mere thought of going any farther.
“Do you remember what I told you about the Corridor?”