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“Still no,” she muttered as her fingers tugged at the threads that held the webbing together.
Do it, or the warlord dies,the voice known as Koschei threatened.
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that. Your pet doesn’t seem to be faring too well.”
This maakath is only the beginning. How many do you think he can prevail against? Two, ten, twenty? I’ve been spreading my influence, growing my minions these past few months. Every death they cause makes me stronger. You won’t escape,Koschei slyly insisted.
“More like you won’t because soon as I help Kormac, I’m making sure no one ever finds you, even if I have to bring down this mountain,” she promised as the web disintegrated with some twists of her fingers. She rose, stretching her stiff limbs.
Obey me,he shrilly screamed and the ring on her finger heated something fierce as the spell within it reacted.
It led to her asking, “Who created the talisman against you?”
I told you the witch betrayed me. Take over her husband once to have a taste of the body I’d soon be wearing, and she got mad. Created those devices to protect those she didn’t want me to possess.
“At least she had some limits,” Fionna muttered. She might have been more impressed if Laurella hadn’t conspired with Koschei in the first place.
The ring won’t save you. It’s meant to stop me from remotely possessing minds, but once you touch my essence, you won’t be able to keep me out.
“Thanks for the warning.” Not that she planned to touch that box.
“There’s more coming,” Kormac announced, bracing in front of the doorway.
An understatement. A wave surged into the room, too many for one man to contain, although he tried his best. Slashing and dodging. Blood sprayed and the beasts howled with pain as he chewed them up with his blade. Fionna began to weave, even as she realized she’d have to aim carefully to avoid Kormac.
The first of the monsters came at her, teeth bared and eyes wild. It snapped and she recoiled, closer to the broken wall of glass.
She moved sideways away from it and shot a little bolt of lightning into the creature’s face. It yelped but didn’t cease its attack. Another beast joined it, the pair splitting apart, herding her towards the box, she realized, as she flung more missiles. Her shots hit weakly, lacking enough threads in this barren cave to give them a solid punch.
She had to do something. A glint of glass caught her eye. Before she could think twice, she slashed her palm and as blood welled from the wound, drew from herself to reinforce her magic. The next bolt of lightning emerged thicker and more potent. One hit and the monster went down as did the next.
Soon, limp, furry bodies littered the room, and the doorway was cleared.
Kormac glanced at her. “Time to go.”
She moved for him only to yelp as something latched onto her ankle. One of the beasts was not entirely dead. She yanked her foot free but stumbled. Stumbled backwards right into the one place she’d been trying to avoid.
The body of Laurella and the box.
She flung herself away and huffed in panic. Had the thing infected her?
Kormac eyed her with concern. “Fionna?”
“I think I’m okay,” she said through a wince of pain. Her bitten ankle throbbed.
“Can you walk?”
She nodded. As he reached for her to give support, his eyes widened. He glanced down and she followed his gaze to see a segmented spider leg coming through his midsection.
“Kormac, no,” she gasped.
He ignored his injury and whirled on his attacker, swinging his sword even as it spat something green at his chest. The slime hit his wound and Kormac almost immediately sank to his knees. Poisoned.
Her poor lover shivered but still managed to gasp, “Get out. While you can.”
As if she could leave him.
If you go, he dies.
