Page 15 of Justice
“We’re going to talk when we get home, young lady. It’s fucking offensive to call me a million years old.”
On the opposite wall, another stone foot stomped down from its resting place, shaking the ground with such force, I stumbled down. The moment my butt hit the dirt, a hand was in front of me, offering to pull me up. I took the hand and was up in an instant, unsure of what to do. Hell, none of us were sure what to do at this point.
“Um, guys? We have a problem.” Ellis’s voice broke through my panic. I searched him out, finding him peering over the edge of the cliff into the lava.
“We have a lot of fucking problems right now; I doubt it could get worse.”
He had to say it. Oak had to fucking verbalize that shit couldn’t get worse, so naturally, they did. “What about lava monsters? Who has those on their bingo cards?”
“We are playing fucking monster bingo?” Ramsey moaned, “Why didn’t anyone tell me? I love that game!”
I couldn’t even concentrate on the ridiculousness of the conversation because I dumbly looked over the edge, staring down a smoldering stone monster scaling the wall. I jumped back, trying not to panic but knowing damn well that panic had set in. In the distance, the sound of dogs barking grew closer, the snarls and growls approaching, and I knew that in minutes if not sooner, they would surround us, a beast on every side.
“I don’t know what to do.” I couldn’t even hold back the tears that now spilled onto my cheek.
Oak grabbed my chin and forced my eyes to look at him. “You do what you’ve got to, Liberty, and don’t worry about the consequences. The hag stone will protect you.”
I took a deep breath, replaying his words in my mind.The hag stone around my neck would protect me—agift from Oak. I was protected—another deep breath. Then, I gripped the handle of my knife and charged at the closest obstacle.
Chapter 7
JUSTICE
Once upon a time,there was a king. A handsome king, a charming king, a damn worthy as fuck king. He ruled his people with dignity and grace, abiding by a solid moral code and a personal code that was iron.
But the king was lonely, as most are, never really sure who wanted him for who he was instead of the power he wielded. He was cautious with his trust, careful with his love, unwilling to give it to anyone less than deserving.
Until he met her.
A goddess so beautiful and graceful, it was hard not to fall. And the king fell. He fell hard. Unwilling to see the trap that was laid, the foolishness he possessed by trusting the beauty. He gave all she wanted, did all she asked. Sacrificed what was most dear to him – his life, his people, his beast.
He never suspected, never imagined, his beauty would harm him, would trick him, would trap him in his alternate form until it was too late. Until the fur pulled forth from his skin and his teeth elongated into deadly fangs, until his vision changed, and his back arched so painfully from the force that he knew he might never go back.
His Beauty stole his man.
For sixty years, delirious thoughts crept in. He was consumed by a mind that was part human, part creature. Longing to be whole again tugged at every nerve, but his beast’s body became his cage. A cage he was destined to live in for the rest of his days until his beast’s heart gave out, and he died alone on a cave floor.
Once upon a time, I was a king, and I – I fell in love with a beauty. And she stole my life away.
Chapter 8
LIBERTY
As it turns out,the hag stone was more of a spiritual protector, not a physical one. I learned that piece of information quickly when my body was tossed back like a bag of foam on a windy day. Oak, bless his heart, was there, already chipping away at the offending stone monster as he searched for a weakness. He was barely pushing it back, but it wasn’t advancing either.
Behind me, I felt the heat of the creature as he breached the cliff, pulling himself onto level ground with a burning, gurgling roar. I shifted as far from him as I could, more willing to be crushed to death than burned alive.
The roars of beasts I once heard sounded closer as giant wolves broke through the stone creatures, hissing and snarling. Their jaws snapped as they attempted to bite into Ramsey. Panic surged through me as I ran under the legs of a stone monster, trying to find safer ground. My men followed, each of us advancing a few steps before being pushed back.
“I don’t know what to do!” I shouted.
“Just keep moving forward; maybe we can ditch them like the vines,” Oak screamed.
“That’s a solid idea!” Ellis countered, “Except for the snarling beasts waiting to rip out our throats.”
“Fuck,” Oak growled as he barely missed the stone foot that nearly flattened him.
“Get them in the knees!” Ramsey instructed, and his assessment was successful. The minute Ellis’ long blade sliced into the space between rocks that formed the knees, the boulder monster crumbled to the ground, shattering into smaller rocks and debris as it hit the earth.