The Ippos King (Wraith Kings #3) - Grace Draven Page 0,54
of reach. “So did I.”
Anhuset seized his arm. “Enough. You keep doing that, and we'll be standing in a dry fountain with no protection.” She let go of the margrave and kept an eye on the galla who'd retreated but didn't flee. So began a waiting game, and all the odds lay in the demon's favor.
She'd saved herself and Serovek from being devoured for now, but he was far from appreciative. The thunderhead of a scowl descended on his features. His dark eyebrows lowered, and for the first time since she'd met him, he bent the full weight of his disapproval on her in a withering stare.
“Never do such a thing again,” he said, practically baring his teeth at her. “If not for that foolish stunt, you'd be through the gate and safe among the canals right now.”
“And you'd be a bloody stain on those fine clothes you're wearing,” she snapped back. “I don't need a hero to save me,” she continued in a milder voice. “Though what you did was heroic and brave. And stupid.”
“Sha-Anhuset.” He said her name in such a way that Anhuset forgot about the galla for a moment, startled into silence by what she saw. “You misunderstand me. One of us has to survive this little trip to warn Brishen there's at least one galla frolicking about Haradis. Between the two of us, I'm probably stronger, and I know you're faster. Strength isn't what would save us from that thing.” He waved his knife toward the galla, and it lunged at him, snapping four sets of newly formed teeth.
“Your eyes,” she said softly.” He blinked at her, confused by her comment. “They glow like your vuhana's once did. Like they did when you dreamed in the inn's stables and said you saw Megiddo.”
His demeanor changed, posture stilling, and his face took on a far-away look as if he contemplated some inner question with countless answers. “But I'm awake, and Megiddo isn't close by.” A hard shudder shook him. “There are still galla in Haradis. Maybe there is still eidolon in the five of us. Perhaps enough to bind us all together.”
An awful possibility to contemplate, but it made sense. “You don't know that for sure, and even if it were so, you aren't eidolon enough to resist a galla attack. We have to figure out a way to get to the gate before any of your men coming looking for us.” An ugly thought reared its head, and she buried her claws into the back of Serovek's thick tunic, holding tight. “Don't do it,” she warned.
A growl erupted from her throat at the false innocence in his expression. “Do what?”
“Leave the fountain and run toward the city's heart to draw the galla away. If you think I'll leave you so that thing can feed on you, think again. Run, and I'll simply chase after you, and my death will be on your hands.”
Pure extortion with a slathering of guilt, and she wielded it with unapologetic glee.
It was his turn to growl. “If you were my second, I'd remove you from command.”
“If I were your second, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.”
He gusted out a frustrated sigh and raked his free hand through his hair. “Then we're at a stalemate. Any suggestions?”
She was out of ideas at the moment. The fountain's sanctuary was a stroke of luck. She'd caught the glimmer of moonlight reflecting on a liquid surface as they'd raced for the gate and prayed to every god paying attention that the reflection floated on life-saving water. For now, they were relatively safe, but the galla had all eternity to wait them out.
Serovek jerked in her grasp. Afraid he'd ignored her warning and planned to bolt, she tightened her grip on his tunic and prepared to knock his feet out from under him if necessary. Instead, he pointed in the direction of the derelict palace. “Look.”
A crackling streak of light arrowed toward them, pulsing in colors of cerulean, scarlet and viridian. Anhuset automatically bent her knees and raised her knife in a defensive stance, even knowing that steel likely wouldn't work on this newest threat.
The galla, a gibbering, cackling chimera of gruesome and constant transformation halted its contortions, emitted a mad scream, and shot away from the fountain. The luminescent quarrel hurtled after the demon, piercing the center of poisonous darkness. The galla screamed again, a raging cry for help as it convulsed in the grip of an expanding brightness that blinded Anhuset completely.