The Mask of Tamirella by Davis Dana

Author:Davis, Dana [Davis, Dana]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2014-03-10T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Danger at Dawn

Caitlanna slept fitfully, dreaming about the ancients. She stood in Rotted City and watched the sky as several large balls of fire hurled through the air toward her. They were beautiful as sprays of orange flames streaked behind in great arcs. A small child ran crying for his mother. These balls were weapons and, as Cait looked around the city, there was massive destruction everywhere. Then only smoke and ruins met her eyes and her heart pounded with fear. She was alone except for the crackling sound of fire, and sweat crept down her temples as heat from the weapons overtook the sky. In the distance, she heard dagbeasts but couldn’t take her gaze from the fiery balls. Suddenly, several dagbeasts stood just feet from her, baring vicious teeth. She sweat profusely. A fireball smashed into the ground nearby just as one of the beasts lunged at her throat. She gasped and felt someone’s hands on her.

“Cait, wake up.” A woman’s voice sounded urgent. “Now, girl. Wake up.”

Someone shook her and she jolted awake. “P-Marj?” she said in breathy voice. Despite her rapid heartbeat, she still felt as though she were in a daze.

“We’ve got dagbeasts. Get your sword.”

That was all Marjordan needed to say to pull her from the sleep fog. She grabbed her sword and stumbled to her feet, searching the dawn for peril.

“Get in a circle around the fire,” Ian ordered.

She took a place between her primary and Quinpatrik, facing outward. The warmth of the fire at her back offered little comfort when a dagbeast howled nearby. Then she saw the beasts, four of them. She wondered if they were the same ones that had trapped the group on the hill all those weeks ago, but one of those shadowy creatures had been small. These four were large, probably as tall on hind legs as she was. She held her heavy sword with both hands in front of her body, legs apart and knees bent. A stance Ianandy had taught her.

The dagbeasts paced and growled, baring teeth. The sound set Cait’s neck hairs on end and she fought down a shiver. Then before she realized what was happening, one of the dagbeasts barked and the four attacked.

She heard Ianandy yell something but the rushing sound in her ears was too loud. As she turned toward the advancing shadows, intense pain shot through her right calf and she screamed. Shouts and vicious growls filled the dawn. Someone else cried out? Was it Marjordan? The beasts seemed to be everywhere. Cait’s leg burned. Where was Marjordan? She couldn’t see anything but a flurry of fur and teeth. Would the beasts kill her? Anger at the thought of dying replaced fear and her arms seemed to move on their own. As a dagbeast lunged for her, she swung the sword in a blind rage. She made contact with something and heard an agonizing yelp. Fire burned through her leg and she fought down bitter nausea. She brought her weapon down toward the beast again.

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