Her Reckoning(shadow series)

Chapter 8

Valencia's heart raced in time with the wind howling past her ears as she dangled in Monstuta's grasp, her mind a whirl of fear and desperation. She could feel the monstrous power vibrating through her, each mighty beat of his massive wings sending tremors down her spine. The distant treeline of the woods near her town began to blur as the landscape below them raced by. Valencia knew she had to act.

I need to get him to land, she thought, her throat tightening with panic. I need to get back down—alive.

Taking a shaky breath, she tried to steady herself, gathering her thoughts and trying to communicate with the beast. Monstuta, she called out in her mind, unsure if he could even hear her thoughts. His grip tightened in response, and her body swayed dangerously as he soared through the dark sky. Please... I need you to land. I need you to listen.

For a moment, nothing happened. The sky remained vast and empty, the stars above uncaring witnesses to her terror. But then, a deep rumble vibrated through Monstuta's chest, almost as if he had heard her, his wings faltering for just a second. His massive head tilted slightly, one glowing golden eye turning to glance at her through the storm of wind.

"I can't stay up here!" she screamed, her voice barely audible over the wind's roar. "I need you to land! —let me down!" Her words were desperate, a plea laced with fear, but there was something deeper too—an urgency that came from a place she couldn't yet understand.

The golden eye narrowed, and Valencia's heart lurched. She could feel his emotions rippling through the bond between them—always something dark, something primal that stalked the edge of her mind. He didn't want to land. He wanted to keep flying, to stay above the chaos, away from the people she claimed will harm her.

But Valencia couldn't give up. "Monstuta!" she shouted, her voice hoarse. "They are not the enemy! only if you stay hidden!"

The wind lashed at her face, but she kept her gaze locked on that one glowing eye. She didn't know if he could understand her, but she had no other choice. "We have to stay hidden" she whispered, though she knew he could still hear her. "If you keep flying, we'll be found. they can hear your wings from the ground. We'll be captured—or worse. But if we land now, if you trust me... We'll be ok."

Monstuta let out a deep, earth-shaking growl that vibrated through Valencia's bones. For some reason it came off as- sad than the threatening nature it usually is.

His wings beat slower now, his massive body hesitating. She sensed his resistance fading, his instincts clashing with the strange bond they shared.

Then, with a final, reluctant growl, Monstuta shifted his course. His wings angled downward, and Valencia felt a sharp drop in altitude. The dense canopy of the woods came into focus below, the town barely visible beyond the trees. They descended quickly, and Valencia's heart pounded as they hurtled toward the ground.

The treetops rushed up to meet them, and for a moment, she thought he might crash into the forest, but Monstuta's immense wings spread wide, catching the air in a powerful, controlled glide. The wind roared less as he circled above the trees, scanning the forest floor for a safe place to land.

"Over there!" Valencia shouted, pointing toward a small clearing nestled between thick clusters of oaks and pines. Monstuta followed her direction, and with a final beat of his mighty wings, he descended into the clearing. The ground shook as his massive claws touched down, his wings folding in with a graceful ease that belied his enormous size.