From Darkness Won - Jill Williamson [193]
The man dropped onto Averella’s legs and rolled off. She twisted to see him draw onto his hands and knees then collapse, gasping in deep breaths of air. Averella crawled to his side and pulled off his helm. A thatch of frizzy blond hair puffed out.
“Sir Caleb!”
He groaned, and his eyes fluttered until his gaze settled onto hers. “My lady?”
“Are you hurt?”
“I don’t think so.” Yet his body slumped unconscious.
Averella! Her mother’s voice made her jump. What are you doing here? You were to stay with Sir Eagan.
I have to stop Khai. He is just ahead of me on the sentry walk. Can you see into his mind?
I am uncertain who Khai is—wait. The man sitting near you? He is the tanniyn’s wielder. I just stormed him. Kill his body before he gets back to it.
Kill him?
Try your best. Your father needs me. I shall return.
Averella ran to Khai’s body. The tanniyn had taken her sword, and Khai sat on his in such a way that she could not free it from its scabbard. She drew her boot knife and held it to his throat. Her hand shook so badly that the blade blurred, so she sheathed it and grabbed Khai’s boot.
She dragged him, one tug at a time, past Sir Caleb’s body, to the place where the tanniyn had broken the crenellation. She pushed until his leather armor scraped over the broken stone. His body slid away, but just before his head went over he caught himself on the sides of the wall.
Averella gasped. She peered over the edge and stomped on Khai’s gauntlets, but fiery green wind from his lips blew her back to the other side of the wall.
The green wind swirled around her like a cage, keeping her pinned, whistling, screaming. Averella watched, mortified, as Khai climbed back onto the sentry wall.
“I don’t care who wants you.” Khai stepped toward her and pulled off his gauntlet. “You’re far too daft to stay where you should. This is a war. Death happens. My prince will have to find another way to take Carm.”
He reached through the funnel of wind, grabbed her throat, and squeezed. His touch sent a fire down her throat that seemed to coat her insides in ash.
Arman, help me! Lungs void of air, she choked. A plume of black smoke puffed from her lips. How? Drops of water fell on her head. Was it raining? She glanced up to see what seemed like a tree trunk of scales curling overhead.
The tanniyn had returned. It plucked up Khai in its maw and rose, taking him into the air like a morsel and pulling Khai’s grip from Averella’s neck. She fell to the sentry walk. The wind ceased. Averella panted in long breaths of moist air. Should she hide? Run? Would the tanniyn eat her next? If Khai was not controlling it, who was?
Khai’s scream drew her gaze skyward in time to see his feet vanish into the creature’s mouth. The beast lowered its head, and in an instant its long neck coiled around Averella, encircling her like yet another cage. The beast’s golden eyes stared into hers as if asking permission to eat her next.
“How do you fare, Vrell? Did he hurt you?”
The familiar voice came from just above the tanniyn’s head. Averella blinked. The darkness obscured her friend’s face but not his large body sitting atop the tanniyn’s neck as if riding a horse.
“Jax!”
He slid off the side of the tanniyn and jerked his head to the side, and the tanniyn slithered back over the crenellation.
Averella embraced him. “I thought you were dead. I thought—”
“Aw, it takes more than a fall to best Jax mi Katt.”
“But you said animals were not your strength.”
“Not your father’s strength. I can’t storm, but I have a way with water beasts.” He frowned over her shoulder. “Is that Sir Caleb?”
Averella turned and crouched at Sir Caleb’s side. “He is breathing, and I see no flesh wound, but he is obviously injured. Perhaps he hit his head or passed out from fright? He was fighting the tanniyn.”
“I hope his sleep is peaceful, then,” Jax said.
Averella glanced up to the watchtower. Achan had asked her to stay away. She must grant him that request, but what if he were hurt? Your Highness? How do you fare?
She winced and waited for his reply.
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