Page 49 of The Divine Lies We Weave

Rajesh crashed to the ground with Hema in his arms. When he steadied himself and ensured he hadn’t hurt his crewmate in the process, he swung his head around as the angstent settled on either side of the ship. It was as if Rajesh were looking in the mirror as the two-headed angstent glared at them from either end of itself.

Rajesh’s chest tightened.

The angstent flashed its forked tongue, a hiss echoing.

“Well, shit,” Rajesh muttered.

He didn’t know what to do. It continued to rise, and if it rose any higher, it would wrap itself around the ship and crush it between its emerald scales. This ship was strong, made out of the Flames’ bones, but it was nothing more than wood to splinter to the angstent.

“Aim for the eyes!” he called. “Archers! Hawks!”

He helped Hema to her feet before grabbing his weapon. Archers moved to his side, aiming for any of the four leering eyes.

Where are you?

Moving!

Move faster!

He had no idea where the Scorpion had gone. The Flame needed to act soon, or Rajesh’s crew would die. He would die, never having found the wish-fulfilling tree, and possibly never getting back to Leela.

A sharp ache crept through his chest. Rajesh bit his lip. He didn’t have time to think about her right now, or what could have been.

He still had a crew to save.

Rajesh aimed at the angstent’s eye. He shot arrow after arrow, anywhere the angstent couldn’t move out of the way. But his fingers were trembling, and the arrows weren’t landing.

The first head of the angstent snatched a Bat from the sky, and a body thumped to the ground beside him. The second head grabbed a Hawk, and another body, one running toward Rajesh, suddenly fell—dead—at his feet.

Fucking hurry!

The angstent tossed the Flames to the sands and then reared back. This was it. The angstent was going to wrap itself around the ship and split it into two.

Time seemed to slow as Rajesh notched another arrow. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He looked at the tip of the arrow and envisioned it hitting the angstent in the eye, blinding it for life. Cold air nipped at his ankles and neck, dispersing the heat flaming through him.

Then, he let it go just as the angstent’s eyes widened. The creature froze, a scream piercing the skies.

Done.

Realization shook him. “Get the wheel! Tanmay! Navya, get us out of the way!”

The angstent began to fall, its scales glimmering over the entire ship.

“RUN!” Rajesh yelled.

Navya stretched her fingers out, and the Peacock at her side fluffed its feathers as they surged forward tumultuously. Tanmay took the wheel and guided them away from the falling angstent.

Rajesh clambered onto the quarterdeck and steadied himself at the railing. He watched as the ship sped through the sands and narrowly missed the falling angstent.

Relief flooded Rajesh, and his entire body collapsed against the wood. His crew whooped and hollered, and someone slapped him on the back. When he peered over his shoulder, he caught Tanmay beaming at him.

“We did it, Captain,” Tanmay said. “We killed the angstent.”

Rajesh glanced one last time at the angstent as it smashed into the ground, sending clouds of red dust into the skies. His breath steadied, blood still rushing through his body. But they had done it. They had killed an angstent, something he really wished they wouldn’t have to do again. He sagged against the banister and beamed.

“Yes. Yes, we did,” Rajesh said. He slapped Tanmay on the shoulder and squeezed. “Good job, second mate.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t be anything without your guidance, Captain,” Tanmay said, waving him off.