tree. His Gliders werenât quite as stealthy as Asvrinâs Shades, but against the Weeds . . .
<> Tsan thumped. <> He paused three beats for them to shift their aims. <>
Tsanâs grip tightened painfully on his Skria as some of the airborne Weeds flew back toward the outpost to avoid the deadly crossbow bolts. One young Weed, flowing white head petals flouncing about her head in the night air, drew close enough, and one of the mottled-scaled SriâZaur pounced, leaping free of its lofty perch, webs of skin between its front and rear paws drawing tight and catching the air. At the last possible moment, the Weed seemed to sense the danger, spinning and gaining altitude . . . not in time to evade the Glider, but to let loose a curse as the airborne SriâZaur sunk its fangs into the Weedâs throat and thrust the tips of its Skreel knives under her breastplate in a reverse-gripped double-thrust.
As the Weed fell from the sky, the Glider leapt free aiming for another flying target. Seconds later, the rest of its squad was in the sky as well.
Oh, Maker , Tsan thought warmly, you designed us to be so mighty and we . . . we have made such improvements .
*
ââwho look like twisted Jun Beasts,â Faulina continued. âWho knows what else. Tranduvallu is lost, weââ
A sudden shifting of the room cut her off as the floor dropped several feet out from under them. All the Vael except Malli lost their footing and dropped flat, the impact inflicting bruises and, in Arriâs case, a broken arm.
âWhat the hellsââ Kholburran began only to curse as the room shifted again sending all of them sliding along the floor to smack into the far wall.
Malli leapt between Kholburran and the wall, shielding him, protecting his head as best she could with her chest, cradling him. Kholburranâs sap froze at the loud snap when Malli struck one of Tranduvalluâs knob-like shelves. Hoping it was only her heartbow, knowing it wasnât, Kholburran pulled free once the room came to a halt. Knickknacks and tokens from their travels to other Root Cities dotted the wall-now-floor in broken pieces.
âYou okay, Snapdragon?â Malli wheezed.
Her heartwood is cracked . The words skittered through his mind, an unwanted assessment, automatic just like Malli had trained him. Arri is going to insist we leave Malli behind. I only have moments toâ
âHer core is compromised. We have toââ Arri started.
âWe donât leave Malli. Help me get her back to Hashan and Warrune,â Kholburran cut her off, âor you will have to fight me all the way there. At every turn I will bite, scratch, kick, or try to escape. Help me get her back there and Iâll do everything I can to make the journey quick and easy.â
âBut her heartwoodââ Seizal started.
âIs something I can fix when we get her back to the Twins.â Kholburranâs voice was even, deadly.
âOnly if we . . .â Malliâs voice trailed off, eyes closing in pain.
âWell,â Kholburran smiled at her, âwho else was I going to marry. If youâre willing?â
âWait. I think I canââ Malli moved to try to stand, an increased flow of sap and moisture from her exposed cambium seeping from the edge of her breastplate where the dark core of heartwood was exposed with a further crack.
Kholburran had never seen a Vael faint before, but Malli went down with a sharp intake of breath and low grunt.
Grabbing his crumpled shirt from a corner of the room, Kholburran tied it around Malliâs waist using the remains of a broken chair to stabilize her and (hopefully) prevent any further breakage.
âWe ought to leave her,â Arri said standing over him, hand resting close to the wedge-shaped scars that marked the bark over his shoulder blades.
<
Tsanâs grip tightened painfully on his Skria as some of the airborne Weeds flew back toward the outpost to avoid the deadly crossbow bolts. One young Weed, flowing white head petals flouncing about her head in the night air, drew close enough, and one of the mottled-scaled SriâZaur pounced, leaping free of its lofty perch, webs of skin between its front and rear paws drawing tight and catching the air. At the last possible moment, the Weed seemed to sense the danger, spinning and gaining altitude . . . not in time to evade the Glider, but to let loose a curse as the airborne SriâZaur sunk its fangs into the Weedâs throat and thrust the tips of its Skreel knives under her breastplate in a reverse-gripped double-thrust.
As the Weed fell from the sky, the Glider leapt free aiming for another flying target. Seconds later, the rest of its squad was in the sky as well.
Oh, Maker , Tsan thought warmly, you designed us to be so mighty and we . . . we have made such improvements .
*
ââwho look like twisted Jun Beasts,â Faulina continued. âWho knows what else. Tranduvallu is lost, weââ
A sudden shifting of the room cut her off as the floor dropped several feet out from under them. All the Vael except Malli lost their footing and dropped flat, the impact inflicting bruises and, in Arriâs case, a broken arm.
âWhat the hellsââ Kholburran began only to curse as the room shifted again sending all of them sliding along the floor to smack into the far wall.
Malli leapt between Kholburran and the wall, shielding him, protecting his head as best she could with her chest, cradling him. Kholburranâs sap froze at the loud snap when Malli struck one of Tranduvalluâs knob-like shelves. Hoping it was only her heartbow, knowing it wasnât, Kholburran pulled free once the room came to a halt. Knickknacks and tokens from their travels to other Root Cities dotted the wall-now-floor in broken pieces.
âYou okay, Snapdragon?â Malli wheezed.
Her heartwood is cracked . The words skittered through his mind, an unwanted assessment, automatic just like Malli had trained him. Arri is going to insist we leave Malli behind. I only have moments toâ
âHer core is compromised. We have toââ Arri started.
âWe donât leave Malli. Help me get her back to Hashan and Warrune,â Kholburran cut her off, âor you will have to fight me all the way there. At every turn I will bite, scratch, kick, or try to escape. Help me get her back there and Iâll do everything I can to make the journey quick and easy.â
âBut her heartwoodââ Seizal started.
âIs something I can fix when we get her back to the Twins.â Kholburranâs voice was even, deadly.
âOnly if we . . .â Malliâs voice trailed off, eyes closing in pain.
âWell,â Kholburran smiled at her, âwho else was I going to marry. If youâre willing?â
âWait. I think I canââ Malli moved to try to stand, an increased flow of sap and moisture from her exposed cambium seeping from the edge of her breastplate where the dark core of heartwood was exposed with a further crack.
Kholburran had never seen a Vael faint before, but Malli went down with a sharp intake of breath and low grunt.
Grabbing his crumpled shirt from a corner of the room, Kholburran tied it around Malliâs waist using the remains of a broken chair to stabilize her and (hopefully) prevent any further breakage.
âWe ought to leave her,â Arri said standing over him, hand resting close to the wedge-shaped scars that marked the bark over his shoulder blades.
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