Wyrd Calling (Wyrd Bound Book 1) (32 page)

 
I laughed softly. "I'm sure there's another reason for his odd behaviour. I'll take him to one side when we get back and ask him."

We continued talking about easy, familiar things for what felt like a few hours before we fell asleep. It was a fitful, uneasy sleep, but we had to snatch what we could. That was what kept us going over the next few days.

Chapter Two

I had no real way to track how the time passed down there. There was no light source outside of the one in the hallway, and that only appeared when the heavy-booted creature threw cold meat through the hole in the door. We had no contact with anyone other than each other. I had to give it to Ryan; he was holding up better than I had hoped. We paced around the little room on a regular basis to keep our muscles working. It also helped to de-stress us a little when we needed it. We tried katas, but the small space and pitch blackness made them very difficult. We quickly learned to move and catch the meat before it hit the ground. It made us feel a little better, if nothing else. I didn't put too much thought into where the meat came from or what it was. I just viewed it as sustenance.
 

We discussed everything from the boys, our hopes for the future, Ryan's past and family, to movies, food, and music. I tried to keep myself in the calm alpha position. I didn't give him any more information about myself and my past than I was absolutely comfortable with, and he didn't push. I remained calm and in control. When he grew frustrated or started to withdraw, I held him close and stroked the back of his neck and got him talking again. We had to keep our minds out of the black little box that had become our home. It was the only way we'd survive.

**

We knew that day would be different. More meat had been thrown at us and the square of light remained there for a few moments after the meat had been thrown. I didn't look up at it. It hurt my eyes too much.
 

"Are they going to throw us in the pit?"

Ryan's voice was surprisingly calm and almost curious. I couldn't hear any fear there. I took another bite of the bland, cold meat and thought for a moment. It seemed like the most logical bet.
 

"I suspect so. Keep your wits about you. Don't waste any energy fighting them unless you're sure we can get free."

He gave a soft grunt of understanding, and then the waiting began. Our usual conversation ground to a halt as we waited. We fidgeted and paced around the little room.
 

I took a deep breath and pulled Ryan close to me. "We need to calm ourselves. No wasting energy."

He simply nodded and bent his knees as though to sit, but we heard the heavy boots, and they weren't alone this time. We tensed and stared at the door. I had no idea what to expect, but I had to think we'd be blind at least momentarily. His fingers dug lightly into my ribs as he tensed and held me close when they stopped outside our door. The sound of metal scraping against metal rang in my ears. Every muscle was tensed, ready to leap out of there. Slowly, a thin crack of yellow light appeared forming a large rectangle, and then the door was thrown open. The faint screech of the metal scraping against the stone sent chills down my spine, but the light was too much for my eyes. I turned away to try and protect my eyes.

Large rough hands grabbed me around the scruff of my neck and pulled me backwards towards the door. Ryan growled but stayed close to me. Once I could see again, I saw that we were being escorted by four large draconics, their heads almost brushing against the high ceiling and their shoulders rubbing against the stone walls. They were easily three times as big as me, their skin a mix of black and deep purple scales. Their eyes were the colour of old yellowed paper, and their dense black claws dug into the back of my neck.
 

"Give us a good fight, we have some big bets on you two."
 

His voice was gruff and deep, entirely devoid of emotion. We rounded a corner to see the pit. It was smaller than I'd expected.

We entered a large round room with tiered seating along two walls and a cage in the middle. It was only the size of the living room at home. The floors were soft white sand. I wondered how often they had to completely replace that. The thing that confused and worried me was the set of pitch-black metal doors at the back of the cage, two of them. That suggested that whatever we were fighting wasn't entirely under their control. It wouldn't be entering willingly, and it wasn't being dragged there from another cell like we were.

I looked around the room. The only exit, other than the one we’d just walked through, was guarded by a pair of particularly surly-looking draconics. A fat human-looking man with a bulbous nose and small toad-like eyes sat in the middle of the seating on his own raised white seat with a higher back, almost like a cheap white throne. Around him were sat a collection of creatures, from smaller draconics, a couple of banshees, a siren or two, to a number of hellhounds and their demon masters. They all sat and watched us, some with a look of disgust, others with sadistic anticipation.

The toad-like man leered at us. "I do love watching shifters try and fight."

It was as they shoved us through the doorway into the cage that I missed my aspects. I couldn't hold it back any longer. I couldn't repress the feeling that I wasn't whole. My aspects were still there within me, just locked away in small boxes. I felt dull, empty, and in that brief, agonising moment, lost.

Ryan looked to me, his teeth bared, but he couldn't hide the sweet scent of fear.
 

I stood tall and put my shoulders back. "Remember everything we taught you back at home. I will do my best to protect you, and we will get out of here. Do you trust me?"

I didn't know how I was going to fulfil that, but I was going to give it everything I had. My best hope was to kill whatever came out of those doors and run out the exit between the draconic guards. I hoped it would give us time to get out into the complex and fight our way out. It was weak, but I had nothing else.

One of the draconics threw two dull short swords at us. "Make it interesting."

With that, he sat down near the bulbous-nosed man and a small chime rang out. I put myself slightly in front of Ryan and to the side. I wanted to protect him. An unearthly howl cut through the air. It was quickly followed by the metal doors rattling as something threw itself against them. The distinct acrid, musty scent of fenrath filled the air. Of all the things, it had to be them.
 

I quickly said to Ryan, "Their claws are poisonous. Kill them quickly. Aim for the throat and the eyes."

His eyes went wide, but I didn't have a chance to address his concerns. The doors opened, and two fenrath charged us. Their burnt-orange eyes bored into mine as they ran on all fours straight at us. Their shoulders were level with mine, corded muscles rippled under their coarse, dense fur. Their long, yellowed teeth were exposed as their black lips were pulled back in a sickening grin. They were the closest thing to what humans called a lycanthrope. The long slightly pointed muzzle was reminiscent of a wolf’s, and thick pitch-black claws adorned each of their toes on large canid paws. The temperament was closer to a honey badger.

 
It took them no more than three steps to be on us. I twisted to one side, the fenrath slipping in the sand, trying to twist after me, its long legs becoming tangled as it landed on its side near me. I dove forwards and sank the dull blade down through the coarse slate-grey fur into its neck. It snarled and twisted, trying to snap and claw at me. I danced away and plunged my blade into its ribs before it had a chance to get its legs under it again.

I glanced over at Ryan to see him facing down his fenrath. It towered over him at some seven and a half feet as it stood up on its back legs. He tried to slice at its pale grey stomach, but the fenrath swiped at him. I focused back on my own fenrath. I had to have faith in Ryan.
 

The fenrath I was fighting had its hind legs under itself and was pushing up into a standing position with its front legs. I took the risk of its jaws and slammed into its shoulder, using my weight to drive the blade into its neck. It yowled as it fell and remained down. The man clapped quietly, giving him a false sense of dignity. The rest of the crowd, however, exploded. The eruption of noise reverberated around the room. It was almost deafening and overwhelming. I refocused and looked through the heavy black bars at him and snarled. He was smiling as though watching the ballet, a restrained little smile with lines around his small dark eyes.

I focused back on the scene I was in the middle of. Ryan had managed to slash the fenrath's hocks, taking it down to the ground. I didn't have a chance to help him finish it, as another fenrath tore into the ring. That was not what I had hoped for. I cursed the Sisters. How dare they allow this to happen? Ryan finished his fenrath quickly, and we worked as a team for a few minutes before yet another fenrath appeared. The bodies were mounting and making things even more difficult. Adding to that was the fact that we were starting to grow tired. Days locked away without proper food had left their mark. Our movements were becoming slower as we danced around the fenrath, trying to get behind them and slash at their legs to reduce their movement without tripping over the corpses of their brethren.

Ryan howled in pain as the fenrath raked its claws through his shoulder. I didn't think. I had to protect him. I dove forwards and drove my blade into its stomach just above its hip. It dropped down to the floor alongside me but twisted and snapped at me. Its teeth grazed my upper arm as I wasn't quite quick enough, but I'd forgotten its friend. I felt searing heat down my back, and the agonising pain clouded my vision for a second. Ryan shouted, and I heard a growl from the fenrath at my back. The poison was fast acting. Our movements were drastically slower, and my vision began to go white around the edges. I forced myself to focus. I had to get Ryan out. I stood as quickly as I was able, finding myself a little wobbly on my feet.

The fenrath lunged at Ryan. I leapt on it and sank my thumbs into its eyes. It wasn’t the time for grace or elegance. The warm gooey substance was somehow satisfying as it coated my thumb. It was black and viscous, a clear reminder of my success in wounding the beast. That left the beast on its knees where it had collapsed under my weight and force, while also being blind and incredibly pissed off. My lapse in focus from the black viscous contents of its eyes was all it needed. Its long teeth sank into my shoulder while its claws cut into my thigh. I took a deep breath and put all I had left into driving my blade down into its neck while Ryan hacked at its throat. It slumped to the ground in front of us. I took a deep breath and forced myself to continue standing. I would not fail Ryan. I was vaguely aware of the sound of shouting, clattering metal and thundering footsteps, but I focused entirely on the door where the fenrath would emerge. I rooted my feet to the ground, held a wide stance and prepared for the next fenrath. I would not fail Ryan.

I kicked aside the most recent corpse at my feet and stood in front of Ryan. His breathing was laboured, and he was struggling to remain upright. The next fenrath was more cautious than its predecessors had been. It walked out of the left door and paused for a moment as it looked at me, then behind me. I ignored the commotion behind me. I couldn't afford to lose focus again. My knees were growing weaker, but there was one left. I would get him out. It bared its teeth and pounced. It didn't reach us, though; two tall men sank swords into its chest. Straight into its heart. I recognised them. I knew the smell of pine on a snow-covered day. I just couldn't remember. Ryan's eyes closed, and he dropped to his knees. No. He couldn't. I wouldn't fail him. I sank down next to him and pulled his arm up over my shoulders. I'd carry him out. I had to.

My muscles wouldn't hold me any longer. My vision went black and I felt the soft caress of the sand beneath me. I thought I felt a pair of strong arms carrying me away. I hoped it was somewhere nice. I was ready for a break from everything, from being Wyrd Bound. I deserved that, didn't I?

~*~

To see what happens next, grab a copy of
Feathered Touch here
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