Villainous [Wattys 2021 Shortlist]

28: Sky Bridge

Delilah staggered and caught a treetop to steady herself. The world was spinning, and wraiths were dark shadows on the edges of her vision.

Dante was tugging her on. "Come on, we're not far away enough yet -"

"You will never find peace. You will die and be cast down, in torment, for eternity -"

"Stop!" Delilah's voice was a strangled cry - she would do anything to drown out the malicious whispers. Dante's arm went around her shoulders, a heavy pressure driving her on, and she reluctantly let go of the tree.

The sky bridge was a bad idea. Yes, treetops hemmed them in, and the branches were woven so thickly together that it was easy to walk, but she couldn't stop thinking about the huge drop below them.

Safir uttered a cry. "Look!"

They spun around. And Delilah's heart sank.

A cloud of darkness was gathering above the ruins. She heard wings and the screech of birds.

"Eagles!" Safir shouted. "The golem are sending them after us!"

"Surely not -" Dante began.

Just as an eagle burst from the trees beside them and dived.

Delilah and Dante went down, flinging their arms above their heads. Delilah hissed as sharp talons clawed at her exposed forearms - she tried to elbow it in the face as it beat its wings beside her ears, trying to stab out her eyes -

One sharp talon caught the hand she held clutched around the Earth Opal, keeping the bridge together.

Pain seared through her just as Dante managed to snag hold of a wing. He dragged the bird away from her and flung it down, below the treeline, before it could turn on him.

"Run! They're coming!" Safir cried.

Panic coursed through her. She imagined being ripped to shreds by birds of prey. They were trying to get the Opal back to its Watchers...

They bolted.

Delilah's boots thudded on wood and trees groaned around them. She let the bridge begin to spring back into normal trees after they had passed, hoping it would somehow deter the flock of birds flying for them. Wraiths twisted around her legs, hissing, trying to slow her down.

"Don't look at them!" Dante shouted.

Safir still led the way, his long white hair streaming out behind him, come loose from the few little braids he used to keep it off his face. She focused on him, on catching up, on escaping.

The eagles caught up, and started to dive-bomb them.

Dante uttered a roar and swiped his bow through the air - eagles lifted up or screeched in pain wherever he slashed with the sharp wooden ends. Delilah focused on keeping the Opal within her tight fist, focused on its pulsing power in her hand. She was holding it so tightly her bones groaned.

An eagle dived for her but she dropped into a neat forwards roll - Safir helped drag her back up, and they kept running.

"Delilah..." A wraith crooned in her ear.

That voice - it sounded like her uncle.

Her uncle.

Red misted her vision.

New strength surged through her now, strength born from terror and anger, and she ran like her uncle was brandishing a sword at her heels. She ran as if armies were after her. She clenched the Opal even more tightly as Dante barked in pain -