Song of the Shapeshifter by JD Schepers

Author:JD Schepers [Schepers, JD]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-09-23T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

Sam woke the next morning to a pounding at the door that matched the pounding in his temples. He turned over and stuffed his head back under the pillow. In his opinion, it was far too early to get up.

Alongside him, Sam heard Ictus stomp across the room and swing the door open.

“Oh! Good morning, bloodsucker!” Cay’li announced.

Slam!

Ictus’ feet started back toward the bed. Then the doorknob rattled, and it swung open, again.

“What was that for?” Cay’li complained.

“To keep you out,” Ictus retorted.

“Ha! Well, unlike your kind, I don’t need an invitation to enter a room.”

Sam groaned.

“Get out,” Ictus snapped.

Sam could feel Cay’li grinning stupidly to herself. He pictured her leaning in the door frame, inching her toes closer and closer to the threshold but never actually going over.

“We’re waiting for you downstairs,” she finally said with a smirk in her voice. “Better get down there before we leave without you.”

The door slammed shut. A low hissing sound followed it.

Sam finally poked his head out, expecting to squint in the early morning light. To his astonishment, the sun hadn’t even risen yet.

The hissing noise seemed to be coming from Ictus’ throat. It stopped abruptly when he noticed Sam staring.

“Hmph, come on. We gotta get going,” Ictus grumbled, tying his scabbard to his waist.

“Ugh. Do we have to? Ever since you got back, she’s just been—”

“Yes, we do. We may not like our allies, but they’re still useful.”

Sam sighed and flipped the covers off of his chest. He regretted it immediately when a draft blew across his skin, pricking up goosebumps and making him shiver.

“Damn all of this,” he grumbled to himself.

“Look, if it keeps you alive…”

“I shouldn’t even be here. It’s all Ictus’—”

“Are you saying something?” Ictus asked, hand at the door.

Sam yawned. Ictus didn’t wait for an answer.

“They could at least let me get a full night’s sleep…”

“Could be worse. After all, you didn’t see the yellow door last—. Watch it!”

Sam missed a step. Or rather, the step wasn’t there. The hallway had a number of floorboards missing and crumbled sections ripped from the walls. This inn, like every other building in Dragolth, still bore scars of the recent attack.

Luckily, Ictus noticed and caught him.

“Thanks,” Sam muttered.

A grunt of acknowledgment was the only response he got. The two made the rest of their way downstairs in silence.

“Well, if it isn’t Sam and Ictus,” came a voice. “You’re up earlier than I expected.”

Sam looked up through smeared vision to see Kara lounging on a bench. She dug around her belt, reaching for something.

“What are you talking about?” Ictus snapped. “Cay’li said you were waiting for us.”

“I was bored!” Cay’li complained from a nearby table with three meals’ worth of dishes piled on it. “You were taking forever to—”

“I could have kept sleeping?” Sam yelled.

“You—!”

“Hey, hey!” Kara interrupted. She looked from Cay’li to Sam for a moment before taking ahold of whatever it was she’d been looking for. “I think you could all use something to brighten your day.”

She produced a few pouches and tossed them to each person in turn.

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.