Kaida keeps moving.
She can perceive the faint rattle of weapons clashing and she assumes it is the rest of her squad.
She hopes they were putting up one hell of a fight.
In her desperate bid to get back to them, she finds herself caught in the narrow gap between two cottages.
The pounding of feet around her grow louder and more numerous.
She quickens her own pace, then right in front of her, a gang of corpses zoom past frantically, snarling and snapping.
They completely overlook her and Kaida freezes, hoping she is hidden enough in her little alley way.
She dares not move a muscle.
From around the corner, a skeletal hand scrapes the walls, it's claws so sharp they leave scratch marks across the soft stone.
Unlike the other mindless and frantic undead that rush past, this one stops.
It's jaw is hanging off its hinges and it is a mix of bone and flesh.
It seems to be sensing something, moving its head from left to right.
Kaida's heart is pounding so loud she wonders if it can hear it.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Please, please, please.
Go past.
As in response to Kaida's silent pleas, it whips its head to stare right down the alley into the dimness.
Even with rotten eyeballs, Kaida knows...it sees her.
"Shit."
"REEEEEEERRRR!!!!"
It lets out a primal shriek, sounding like a hybrid between a fire alarm and the growl of a beast.
There was no doubt it was calling more of them.
Kaida's limbs are zapped into action, she turns around but at the other end of the alley, the undead come running.
They are practically climbing on top of each other to get to her, hindering themselves.
Kaida is trapped, her path forward and back blocked.
She thinks quick, the only way is up.
She sheathes her sword and propels up the side of the cottage, gripping the reinforced metal under the thatched roof.
She grips it so hard her nails hurt.
There is nothing else to grab onto and Kaida has to use her own strength to pull herself up.
Her arm muscles almost give way, aching from swinging her sword but she's almost up.
Just a little more.
She wiggles, and then a firm grip on her right ankle makes her heart stop.
Kaida looks back, and none other than the corpse with the hanging jaw has its clawed and mangled hands around her.
"Get. Off!"
Kaida kicks at it, but this does nothing.
It pulls in retaliation and Kaida's upper half collapses.
She is clinging to the roof for dear life now, her lower half slipping down.
How was it that strong?
With one more yank, it pulls her down so ferociously her gold wrist gauntlet pops off.
A rough bit of metal catches her forearm, creating a deep stinging gash.
YOU ARE READING
𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐄
Romance[Completed - Book 3 of the Blood Court Series] ❝ You manipulated me. Did you think I would be happy? To see you sit on my throne. The throne you stole from me, while you let me die. Me...
