Cenric pecked her cheek.“Get ready.I’ll get the serpent.”He pulled away from her, running up the beach.
Brynn’s hands grasped after him instinctively, but she forced herself not to protest.Cenric trusted her, she needed to trust him.Even though her heart seemed to be clawing its way up her throat, Brynn turned.She ripped off her boots, letting them flop away onto the sand.She tore off her wool stockings and shed her leg wraps.Fortunately, they came off much faster than they went on.
Pebbles jabbed at her soles and cold water stung her shins as she rushed into the surf.
“Please, please, please,” Brynn prayed, glancing toward the moon.“Eponine, please.Llyr, please.”It was not her most eloquent or thought-out petition, but hopefully the gods wouldn’t mind under the circumstances.
As the water touched her skin, Brynn pulled at thekashe had always sensed in the waves.Power rushed into her in a great torrent, mending the cuts and bruises from the past hour and surging strength through every sinew.
As she watched her husband rushing back up the beach, Brynn kept whispering “Please, please, please.”
Her plan seemed to be working so far, but she could only hope it would be enough and that she wouldn’t miss.That was assuming Cenric was successful.
20
Cenric
Gettinginfrontofan ally shieldwall was something Cenric had been told never to ever do.Especially when projectile weapons were involved, it was one of the stupider ways to get oneself killed.Berdun had pounded that lesson into him, but if there was ever a special circumstance, this was it.
Cenric could see several of the javelins that had missed the serpent lying half-buried in the sand.He snatched up one to find it had bent.He tossed that one aside to grab another.
Jormanthar loomed over the shieldwall, swaying back and forth as if to find the easiest place to attack.The beast dove down, teeth crunching into the tight press of bodies.
Men yelled as spears jabbed at the snake’s jaws as soon as it came in reach.The serpent tossed a single man into the air and let him crash down on top of his fellows.The line swayed and buckled for a moment, but it didn’t appear anyone had been killed yet.
Cenric finally found two intact javelins.They were small and barbed at the ends, intended for hunting, not warring.Good enough.
Jormanthar reared over the shieldwall, making a thrumming, purring sound.It swayed, cocking its head.Despite being almost indestructible, the creature seemed to prefer the path of least resistance.
“Serpent!”Cenric shouted, trying to capture the beast’s attention.“Jormanthar!”He had no idea if the beast would answer to that name, but his shouting at least drew its notice.
Its massive head with those red eyes turned and fixed on him.It blinked once, as if not sure what to make of this.
Ovrek’s line took advantage of the beast’s distraction.They surged forward, stabbing and hacking at the beast’s sides.
Jormanthar reared back and struck down, biting at whatever it could reach and forcing the men back.
Cenric cursed at that.He’d almost had it.Then again, perhaps he could use this.The serpent seemed to prefer the easiest targets it could find.
Cenric rolled his right shoulder and then his whole arm, warming up the muscles.His tunic was still wet and restricted his movement somewhat, but he thought he’d still be able to make the throw.
Over his shoulder, Cenric spotted Brynn amid the waves.She stood in the water up to her knees.Her hands were at her sides, rigid and outstretched.He couldn’t see her expression from this distance, but he knew her eyes were on him.
Was she ready?He hoped so.
First of Fathers, let us kill this beast and finish what you started.
Cenric cocked back his arm and hurled the first javelin.
The blade embedded itself in the serpent’s right eye.
Jormanthar shrank back, shaking its head as a keening, shrieking sound broke from its maw.The eyes were the most sensitive part of the body, even for monstruous beasts of legend.
The creature tried to paw the spear free, but the moment its claws touched the javelin, it cried out in pain.It could probably heal from that wound, but in order to heal, it would need to pluck out the shaft.
Screaming in rage, the serpent spun on Cenric.Fury burned in its one uninjured eye as it let off a wail that was equal parts pain and wrath.
Ovrek’s line advanced on the beast once again, but this time Jormanthar did not care.
