The root-monsters slowly go down, one by one. I look up, and my heart lurches. We’ve barely put a dent in the army. Blood trickles down my arm, and I feel my muscles failing as I bring the heavy blade up again, taking a swing at another root-monster.
This time, it counters, holding up an arm, which looks like a gnarled tree branch. The sword clashes against it and then clatters out of my hands.
I can’t reach down and get the sword without leaving myself in the open for an attack. I muster every ounce of energy I can and push it forward, shoving five root-monsters back at once. They crash together and fall to the ground. Instead of getting right back up, though, this time, two merge together, twisting and changing shape from human to a giant spider.
Holy fucking shit.
My breath hitches, and pain radiates through my arm. I’m bleeding a lot more than I thought I would, and I’m starting to feel it. Binx, able to sense what I’m feeling, shadows over and knocks the spider off its eight legs. The creature hisses and springs back up. Sharp thorns suddenly pop up along its legs, and it rounds on me, large mouth opening to reveal yellowed fangs.
I jump back and step on the sword. I go down hard, and the spider crouches, ready to pounce. Another root-monster runs at me with inhuman speed, mouth open and screeching. Binx shadows around me and goes for that one, knocking it down and pulling its legs off.
Looking up, I try to find Ruby, but she’s lost in the sea of monsters. I’m not giving up. We have a way to fight these things. But there are so fucking many.
Gritting my teeth, I push forward and go to grab the sword. Right as my fingers wrap around the hilt, the spider attacks, pinning me to the ground with two legs.
“Scarlet!” I try to yell, but the spider brings another leg to my face, and vines wrap around my neck, squeezing tight and making it so I can’t breathe. I bring my hand up, trying to zap the thing with magic in a desperate attempt to get it off me.
But nothing works.
Gasping, I claw at the vines around my neck. I can’t breathe, and it’ll only be a few more seconds before I’ll pass out…and then die. My fingers hook under one of the vines and I pull, but I’m losing strength fast.
I need air.
My mouth opens again, and I try to call out for someone—anyone—to help me. And then I see Binx, fighting off three root-demons at once. He tears one apart just to have it regrow and go after him again.
My vision starts to black out, and the vines tighten even more around my throat, giving me one last squeeze before everything goes black.Chapter 21“Callie!”
My name echoes in my ears, and I force my eyes open, body twitching in desperation for air. The vines are too tight around my throat. My hands fall to the ground, having no fight left in me.
And then little embers fall down on me, burning the skin on my cheeks. The spider’s mouth opens, and thick, yellow drool drips down on me. The vines loosen, and the spider is jerked away just in the nick of time. It erupts into flames, and the vines around my throat disintegrate to nothing.
Lucas stands above me, holding the sword. His blue eyes are wide as he looks at me with fear on his handsome face. He turns, swinging the sword through the air with ease, and chops another root-monster clean in half. It’s ash before it even hits the ground.
“Callie,” he repeats and drops to his knees.
Coughing, I let him pull me up. I suck in air only to cough again.
“I…I…” I’m coughing too hard to get a word out. But I’m okay.
I’m alive.
“Ru…Rub…” I force out, trying to get him to go help Ruby. I still can’t see her. Lucas lets me go and turns, brandishing the sword through the air. He cuts down two root-monsters at once and then turns back to me.
Adrenaline rushes through me.
Ruby and I lacked the speed and strength to mow down these demonic motherfuckers. But Lucas doesn’t. Still unable to speak, I look Lucas in the eye and push him away.
He gives me a small nod and whirls around, speeding away and cutting up another root-monster. I stagger back, leaning against the porch railing for a moment. I bring my hands to my throat, wincing from pain when I swallow. Binx shadows over, protecting me as I catch my breath before getting back into the fight.
My chest aches, and every breath I take burns going in. I let my eyes fall shut as I take a slow, deep breath. Wincing when I swallow, I push off the porch and ball my fingers into fists.