Slayer of Monsters by Anne Mollova

Author:Anne Mollova [Mollova, Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rose Leaf Press, LLC

16

The Storm

“Run,” Faer Dinnán’s voice breathed in Alyen’s ear, then louder. “Run, and find shelter! I’ll try to deflect the storm.”

They needed no second warning. Alyen and Aaron fled the shore, scrambling up the bank, then raced across the grassy plain to where Nah’dar and Brother Hugh were setting up camp. Brother Hugh was already stuffing blankets and pans back into saddle bags as Nah’dar did his best to keep the horses under control.

“We need to find shelter! Now!” Aaron called over the howl of the wind.

“We passed a farm not far back,” Nah’dar shouted. “Follow me!”

They mounted in haste, the wind whipping their clothes and hair as the first stinging raindrops slashed at their cheeks. Hooves pounded the plain beneath them, yet Alyen could hear nothing but the scream of a wind devoid of sylphs, filled with something much darker.

Minutes passed that felt like hours as they raced ahead of the storm. The wind grew colder and the rain fell fast and hard. Alyen chanced a glance behind them and her heart leapt to her throat as she realized the darklings were gaining on them. Any moment they would reach the shore they’d just left and they’d have only a few minutes before it was upon them.

“We have to hurry!” she screamed to Nah’dar at the front.

Nah’dar lifted his arm in response. Squinting through the pelting rain, she saw ahead a structure she assumed was the farmhouse he had spotted earlier. It was small, but looked to be made of stone, which was reassuring. A barn stood next to it, also stone, and Alyen prayed it would be large enough for all four of their horses along with whatever animals the farm’s owners might keep.

A crash of thunder sounded, nearly directly overhead as they lurched to a halt in the farmyard. Alyen nearly tumbled out of Lusa’s saddle, then Nah’dar was there taking the reins from her frozen fingers. “Go!” he commanded, gesturing toward the farmhouse. “Seek shelter inside with Aaron, and Brother Hugh and I will see to the horses.”

Alyen needed no further urging. She and Aaron sprinted the short distance to the door and pounded on it with their fists.

It didn’t open. Nor did they hear any voices call from within, though Alyen doubted whether they would be able to hear anything above the roar of the storm.

Alyen and Aaron exchanged a wide-eyed glance, then Aaron looked back up at the storm. It had arrived, and as they watched, the cover of the well in the farmyard ripped away in the wind, hurtling into the barn and smashing into a thousand splinters.

Aaron’s mouth set, and he opened the door, pulling Alyen inside behind him.

Together, they pushed the door closed again, straining against the wind until it latched and Aaron secured it with the bolt. They turned around to take in their surroundings and Alyen’s eyebrows immediately rose.

It was a small, one-room house. Against one wall was a bed, currently occupied by a man, his breath fast and shallow, a bloody gash trickling scarlet streaks down his face.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.