Curse of Eternity

Chapter Eighteen

Anna and Alys ran up the roads and headed toward the harbor. They fought through those who tried to escape and headed the other way.

"There's too many people!" Alys cried over the screaming people.

Anna elbowed an older man and pushed past two more. Or was it three? It was impossible to tell with everyone so tightly packed. "Give me your dagger," she ordered. Alys pushed her way to Anna's side and handed over the weapon. The fae pulled her hood down and held the weapon with an expert's grip. When people saw the pointed ears, undeniable beauty, and way she held the weapons they made way.

"You couldn't have done that earlier!?" Anna rolled her eyes and ignored the assassin's comment. Together they pushed forward, people moving out of their way once they saw a fae coming with determination and steel in her grasp.

They made it to the harbor and took in the scene.

The white beast tore into the body of a city guard then threw the man's corpse at his companions with ease. The swords and pikes did nothing but piss the creature off and cause more bloodshed.

"What the fuck is that thing!?"

"Hell if I know," Anna replied, "but we need to find Maliki." She bolted down the path and leapt over a burning pile of corpses onto the dock. Alys close behind.

The wood creaked under them as they ran, trying to find the ship Maliki was on but with all the flames and smoke it was impossible to tell one ship from the other. "We need to split up." Alys handed her other dagger to Anna and pulled another from its place in her boot. "You go left and i'll go right. Meet back here later." Anna nodded and headed to the left while Alys turned on a heel and headed right. Straight for the murderous creature tearing its way through Kindling's finest.

A guard screamed as the creature pierced its leg and started swinging the man. It used the guard to knock the others off their feet. They landed in the flames, in the water, or somewhere else on the harbor broken and beaten.

It flung the man off its leg just as Anna stepped in its line of sight. They looked at each other and didn't move a muscle, assuming the creature had any. But Alys could've sworn it smiled. Like a child smiles just before it breaks its newest toy.

If I survive this, Maliki better be ready for a rough night. And the morning after.

Anna ran down the harbor calling Maliki's name. Most of the ships were either sinking, sunk, or nothing but ghost ships. With each one she passed the realization that Maliki may have perished settled in deeper and deeper. She turned over the corpses of eight brunette boys and thanked whatever gods were listening each time she came upon an unfamiliar face.

She was reaching down to turn over a ninth when a wolf's snarl broke through the sound of burning wood.

He's alive.

She dropped the dead boy and sprinter as fast as she could towards the animal sound. From wherever he was, Maliki let loose another snarl but this one was followed by the roar of a beast who was no doubt much, much bigger than he.

He may be alive, but for how long?

Anna reached the edge of the harbor and looked over to see a wolf staring down a creature not from this world in the distance. There was a woman standing behind Maliki. She shook with terror but stood behind the shifter like a shield. She took a step back and hissed. The skin around her ankle was purple and her foot seemed to be twisted the wrong way.

The creature swiped at Maliki but had to lean forward because of its short legs. Maliki moved, pushing the woman onto her ass and lunged at the creature's now exposed neck. He latched on and dug both tooth and claw in. The beast cried out and did its best to throw Maliki off but the wolf would not give.