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“You liar!” I pounded the glass. “Take me back. Take me back n—!”
The carriage put on a burst of speed, throwing me back and burying me under a mountain of tulle and silk. Wildly, we raced through the forest—hitting every stone and tree root. I screamed under the wild jostling—trying and failing to hang on to something. Anything.
Another bump and my face smashed against the window... that’s when I saw them.
Rapidly shifting, racing figures moved through the trees, heading straight for us.
For as long as I lived, I’d never find the right words to describe the sight before me.Fangs.That was what I saw first. Horribly overgrown, lethal yellowed fangs forced from a jaw that couldn’t hold them—dripping with drool. Tufts of fur grew in tangled patches on their skin. Claws the lengths of their forearms erupted from their fingers, and their eyes...
In their eyes lived pure madness.
“What are they!”
“The Taken.”
I was shocked to hear him answer, then even more surprised when he pounded the top of the carriage.
We began to slow.
“What’s going on? Why are we slowing down? We can’t stop here, those things are coming.” My cries fell on uncaring ears above and below. “We have to get out of here!” I turned and made eye contact, locking on to the beast’s rage-filled orbs. Doubling over, I threw up.
The carriage rolled to a dead stop—a lone beacon amidst the oncoming storm. Shadowsoul grasped the handle.
“Don’t,” I rasped. I couldn’t say how I knew. Call it instinct. Name it a being’s deep-seated will to survive, but those creatures weren’t meant to be faced. In their presence all had to run. Run and run and run, and never stop.
Alisdair stepped out, uncaring of my pleas. I crawled through vomit. Snatching the handle, I slammed the door closed after him—scream leaking through my teeth. I was afraid. Whatever those things were. Whatever unholy demon had created them, I’d never been more afraid in my life.
I yanked the door shut just in time. The world set on fire.
Bright white heat exploded in my eyes, burning through my retinas and imprinting its power in my brain forever.
I swayed—blinded—and tipped over, falling against the door which did not bother to hold me. I dumped out on the frozen ground, eyes huge as the sight looming over me.
The creatures—the Taken—thrashed on the ground, slowly consumed by the flames. Their screams pierced the dead forest and my gut, nearly causing me to be sick again, and above it all stood Alisdair Shadowsoul—laughing loud and free as fire rained from his palms, consuming all, and everyone, in its path.
Something flickered out of the corner of my eye, drawing my head up.
A flower?
I questioned but that was all it could be. Beautiful, delicate, and out of place, a small purple flower pushed through the frozen earth—unfurling satin-kissed petals before my eyes.
Alisdair’s laughter cut off with the heat. He ceased his magic, dropping his hands, and the cold raced in—shredding through my dress.
Huddling on the ground, I held myself—fighting not to look at the dying creatures, but unable to look anywhere else. Shadowsoul killed them so quickly and easily, and with such enjoyment. That was a good thing. There was no question they were racing to kill us all but...
“Such power,” I rasped, lips trembling as I met his eyes. “What are you?”
He smiled. “The flowers,” Alisdair said. It took me a second to realize he wasn’t speaking to me. “Take care of them. Now.”
“Yes, my lord.” The carriage driver jumped down.
I didn’t have a chance to ask what was happening before he raised his hand, and the beautiful purple flower wilted into dust.
“Let us away.” Alisdair reached for me. “It doesn’t do to dwell in the Taken’s territory.”
I smacked his outstretched hand. “Get it through your fucking head! I’m not going anywhere with you!”
Pushing up on my feet, I ran. Past the carriage driver, the lead carriage, and a host of guards.
