We all started to follow when a thunderous crash echoed through the clearing. A massive Daka erupted from the surrounding woods, charging straight toward Jaxon. The sheer force of its presence sent tremors rippling through the ground, causing Jaxon’s horse to stumble. The sudden jolt sent them both crashing to the earth.
Green liquid poured down upon Jaxon from the cavernous maw, its teeth glistening with menace. The beast’s massive claw bore down on him, pinning him to the ground, while his horse, sensing the imminent danger, reared up and bolted into the trees, galloping away desperately to escape the beast.
My horse responded to the sudden surge of fear, bucking and rearing as its powerful legs kicked frantically at the air. I gripped the reins tightly, my knuckles white, as I fought to remain in the saddle. My heart raced as I watched Jaxon struggle to escape from beneath the beast's claws, his movements desperate and frantic.
Xavier appeared on top of the Daka, a long sword slicing through the air into its massive skull. It let out a roaring whimpering as it thrashed its head, trying to throw Xavier.
Dedra knelt beside Jaxon on the ground, using Xavier's distraction to pull him from beneath the beast's claw. She pulled him free as its paw came crashing downward again toward them. They dove out of the way, but before the Daka could lunge forward, Xavier shadowed, appearing mid-air near its throat. Another reflective slash of his hands had blood spraying out across the ground, and the Daka stumbled backward, thrashing wildly. Xavier crashed to the ground, his tall, dark figure covered in blood. He watched as the beast fell to the ground, its sickly green-scaled body no longer moving.
I dismounted my horse, my eyes wide, and ran toward Jaxon and Dedra, who were both wiping green sludge from their clothing.
“Are you okay!?” My panicked voice filled the air as Jaxon’s golden eyes fell onto mine. His face was tight, and I hadn’t realized how tall he was without his human disguise. He looked the same, yet so different. His face was more chiseled, his eyes larger, and his hair cut short. His muscles were much larger, though he had definitely lost weight.
“I'm fine,” he breathed, turning his back to me as he walked into the trees. A shadow fell over me as I stared after him. Turning, I saw Xavier staring over my head in the direction Jaxon had disappeared into the woods.
“He is probably just going to find his horse,” Xavier said tightly, his jaw ticking as his emerald gaze dipped down toward me. He was drenched in blood, his black riding leathers covered in a green-red sheen. The smell was putrid, and I couldn’t help but clasp my hand over my nose.
Xavier let out a humorless laugh. “There is a river not far from here. We will set up camp there.” He turned, striding to Dedra, who scrunched her nose at the sight of him, but otherwise leaned in to listen to whatever he was now whispering into her ear.
Dedra’s almond-brown eyes snapped to mine, and she started walking toward me.
“Come on, Princess.” She swung her leg over her horse, her braided bun now unraveled and hanging over her shoulder. She looked at me, then pointedly at my horse, and I rolled my eyes as I remounted and followed her down the path.
“What about—”
“They will be right behind us,” Dedra said, cutting my questions off.
“Why didn’t Jaxon just shadow away from the Daka?” I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.
Dedra looked at me, hesitation in her eyes. “That green liquid from the Daka is poison,” Dedra explained. “Too much contact with our skin can weaken our magic and slow us down. If ingested or if it seeps into a wound, it can be deadly.” She paused, her gaze drifting toward the trees. “Thankfully, we have an antidote. But to answer your question, it dumped a mouthful of sludge onto him when it first pounced. His magic probably stalled from that.”
I nodded, letting that information sink in, and shivered. I wondered how often attacks like that had happened that she wasn’t as shaken as I was. “Are you okay?” I asked, and Dedra snorted in response.
“I’m fine. They are fine as well. These kinds of attacks are normal here. Have been for a long time.”
I frowned. “Because of Morgana.”
Dedra only nodded.
“I'm sorry.”
Dedra snorted again. “It's not like you unleashed them on our realm. What do you have to be sorry for?” She turned her head toward me, arching a brow.
“Just sorry,” I whispered, and we continued to ride in silence.
We came to a clearing, and Dedra swung down from her horse, her boots thudding softly against the earth. Her horse trotted off and began to graze nearby, its nostrils flaring in what seemed to be irritation. I dismounted and began to unpack our supplies, but Dedra’s hand landed on mine.
“We should bathe first,” she said, glancing at the grime on my hands. Leaving our packs behind, we made our way through the swaying trees toward the nearby river.
As we stepped out onto the bank, a shared sigh escaped our lips upon seeing the water's glassy surface.
Dedra unfurled her long, strawberry-blonde hair, allowing it to cascade down her back. I hadn’t realized how long her hairwas, and I watched in surprise as Dedra began to unfasten an extensive array of weapons strapped to her body. Each piece fell to the floor in a clamor and soft clinks, revealing more than I had imagined hidden beneath her travel-worn clothing. She glanced over at me with a knowing smirk, clearly amused. She pulled the last of her daggers from her boots before kicking them off and started to undress.
I followed suit, kicking off my boots and peeling off my clothes before stepping into the water's cool embrace. As I glanced down into the shimmering surface, I was struck by my reflection. My gaze went to Dedra again, and a pang of self-conscious irritation tore through me as I watched the distorted image of myself ripple in the water. Compared to her, I looked like a troll.
Dedra’s smooth, perfect hair gleamed in the sunlight while mine hung in knotted, unkempt strands from the long journey. Her skin had a warm, sun-kissed glow, and every muscle was defined with strength. Meanwhile, my pale skin seemed almost ghostly by comparison, weak and frail.
I slapped at my reflection and dunked my head under water, scrubbing my scalp in irritation.
