Guin howled in terror, bumping against Brynn’s legs in the confusion.
Brynn was blinded, but she could still feel the sources ofkato tell her where Hróarr and the monsters were.
Rushing forward, Brynn grabbed Guin’s scruff and tucked her under the arm holding the sword, groping blindly through the smog of dirt.Choking and coughing, she found Hróarr.
The Wulfwir let off a howl.The strange serpent, whatever it was, made no sound as it dropped its tail back down.
Grabbing Hróarr’s arm, Brynn gripped as tight as she could and dragged him along.Hróarr crawled off the ground with her support.
The way they had come from was blocked by the two monsters, but Brynn followed her awareness of the river.All rivers had a littlekain them and the telltale movement gave it away.The river would lead them out, she knew that from her brief glimpse of it from beside the Grandfather Yew.
Brynn handed Hróarr’s sword to him in the dusty haze.They reached the edge of the river, scrambling along the narrow ledge beside it.Guin wiggled free to race ahead, yipping to make sure Brynn followed.Brynn pressed one hand to the wall as they plunged deeper into the dark.
Hróarr regained his footing.“Lead me,” he ordered, passing his left hand back so she could guide him along the passage.
Brynn took his hand.“It’s chasing us.”She sensed the tainted power of the Wulfwir loping after them.
Hróarr responded with something in Valdari.
The monster squalled at their backs.Hróarr slashed and hacked as the creature came within range, his battle cries loud enough to be heard even over its shrieking.
Brynn cast spells over her shoulder, lashing for the beast.Some of her attacks landed, but most did not.Everything was chaos and those searing red eyes burned at her back.She couldn’t get another clean strike for the creature’s neck and none of her other attacks seemed to permanently injure it.She had to kill or nothing.
A plan began to form as they fled, and Brynn dragged power back to herself.She spooledkalike thread, weaving her intent into it with feverish determination.
Feeling her way along the wall, Brynn spotted light ahead.Hope surged in her chest.They burst out into day, but with the monster close at their backs.
“Run!”Hróarr ordered, shoving her ahead of him.
Brynn stopped and spun around.“Move!”She raised her hands, releasing the spell she had been preparing.
Hróarr was wise enough to obey, ducking to the side as Brynn let go.
Her power sliced into the roots of the tree over the entrance, shearing through the supportive web that held the stones and earth in place.Red eyes flashed just as the ceiling of the tunnel buckled and folded, crushing the Wulfwir beneath a cascade of stones and earth.The creature lay half buried, still snarling and yowling its fury, too-long arms grasping for them.
“I don’t think they can cross the stones,” Brynn panted.“Spell…containing them.”
Guin whined and barked, pacing around Brynn, not knowing what to do.
Hróarr muttered another string of Valdari curses as he grabbed Brynn’s arm above the elbow, shoving her back toward the boundary stones.“Then run, stupid woman.”
This time, Brynn retreated uphill toward the stone markers, heart racing.
Hróarr bounded close at her heels, limping just a little.She might have to heal him later.
Brynn could hear the Wulfwir howling as it clawed itself out of the earth like a giant, demented beetle.She hadn’t run like this since the war.
The boundary stones loomed before them, their gaps wide and welcoming.A part of Brynn wondered if the Wulfwir would be stopped by the markers.The creature was enraged into a frenzy.Could these old spells really hold them?Brynn supposed they would find out.
Hróarr cursed again.“It’s loose.Move!”
Arms pumping at her sides, Brynn forced her body to find another burst of speed.The cold air stabbed into her lungs with each breath and her side ached, but she had to run.She had no choice.
Guin bounded along beside her, struggling to move as fast as she could.The dyrehund bolted, heading straight for the trees as fast as her little legs could carry her.
The scrambling thud of the monster came thundering after them.A scream tried to wrench itself out of her throat, but Brynn didn’t have the breath for it.
Hróarr barreled ahead of her, no longer trying to protect her back.He tore headlong across the field, leaving her behind.
