“I’m good with whatever you pick.” Ozias cradled the back of his head. “You did so well with Kost and Calem, I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
Exasperated, Leena placed her hands on her hips. “That doesn’t help me at all.”
Kost looked past her to the retreating ferry. “Well, you must have had something in mind if you dragged us here.” By his feet, Felicks’s orb cleared. His hackles raised, and a low growl rattled the back of his throat. Kost’s face pinched. He crouched down to rest his hand on Felicks’s back. “What’s wrong?”
Leena stilled, her eyes darting from Felicks to the suddenly quiet surroundings. “He senses something.”
“Is it that?” Calem leaned forward onto the balls of his feet and pointed at a reddish boulder some fifty yards down the beach.
My lips quirked into a smile. “That’s a rock.”
“I swear I saw it move.” Calem squinted, and Leena followed his gaze. As if struck by lightning, she froze in place, fingers trembling.
“Stay very still.”
I frowned. “What?”
Slowly she touched her chin to her shoulder. “No sudden movements, or it’ll charge.”
The low groan of something ancient and powerful grated like grinding gears, and adrenaline prickled across my skin. Spurred to life by our arrival, the rock unfurled its mammoth shape. Taller than an elephant and built like a wingless dragon, the creature leaned forward on powerful legs. Thick claws speared the soft sands. A bone headdress with pointed spikes sat like a crown around the beast’s head, and gleaming, threatening eyes targeted us. A mirage shimmered around its body.
“What the fuck is that?” Calem asked. Leena stood alone in front of us, one hand splayed outward and the other nervously gripping the bestiary around her neck.
“Laharock.” She lowered her voice to a whisper, as if that somehow would keep the beast from charging. “It’ll kill us all.”
Something violent and angry wrung my insides. She couldn’t die. Not now. Not after I’d decided to do everything within my power to keep her safe. Sidling toward her, I allowed my hand to brush the back of hers. She looked up at me, and her gaze softened. I’d chase away her fears for the rest of my life if I could.
“We’ll handle this. Together.” And with my brethren all offering tight nods of agreement, the trembling of Leena’s fingers disappeared. Her answering grin was fierce. Determined. It lit up my world.
“Together.”
Eighteen
Leena
The Laharock extended its elongated neck, raising its head to the sun, and let out a screech that rattled the treetops. Pupil-less white eyes burned with heat. We were staring down the face of death in the form of an A-Class beast. One I had not expected to encounter. My gaze shot past it to the volcano. It should have been lounging at the base, soaking up the minerals and heat from the lava beneath the surface. Far, far away from where I’d find the Myad.
Noc sliced a fine line across his palm, and blood swelled to the surface, pooling in the grooves of his palm and trickling toward his fingertips. “What do we do?” Shadows leaped from the forest, encompassing the band of assassins and delivering ink-black weapons into their open hands.
Think. I flexed my hands. Which beast?
The Laharock stepped forward, and the sun glinted off the protective blood-red scales lining its spine, neck, and arms. Edges rimmed in gold, Laharock plates sold for a good amount on the black market, but piercing its hide was damn near impossible.
Iky wouldn’t be able to do any damage.
“Look at that.” Oz nodded toward the creature’s hind legs. Nestled deep into the sand, a baby Laharock blinked up at its mother.
Mother. “Shit.” She’d left the steep hills of the volcano to birth her young on easier terrain. Blood blades rose by my cheek, and Noc’s hand once again grazed mine. Together. Kost crept closer, an endless supply of weapons brimming against his hip. With one hand, he snuck his fingers into his breast pocket and extracted a bronze key.
“Wait.” I glanced at Felicks. At the wondrous future unfolding in his globe. “You two have bonded enough for him to share his visions, right?”
Kost’s hand froze. “Yes. At least I think so. I don’t get full stories just yet. More like photographs.”
“That’ll work.” I tapped into my power, and rosewood light bloomed around my hand. “Are you comfortable with using him? His ability would help keep us out of harm’s way.”
Kost pulled in a breath. Released it. Finally, he put his key away. “If