Page 24 of The Faceless Queen

Rowan was at Finlay's side in seconds, brandishing a dagger. He threw it sharply, his aim true. The steel cut through the lion’s eye, the hilt bobbing grotesquely as blood poured down its face and splattered onto the floor.

It reared back, letting out an ear-splitting roar, before its front legs slammed into the ground, its hoof sliding back before it charged again.

Rowan threw himself over Finlay, wrapping his arms and legs around him. He rolled the two of them aside just in time. The chimera snarled, its eyes set upon them.

And I knew they had seconds before they’d be crushed. Or worse. Burned.

I took a deep breath.

Cecelia had already seen how unnatural I’d become. She’d seen that I was different. Demonos. Azete.

And in a minute, Finlay, the man who’d become a best friend to me, or as close to one as I’d ever known—was going to look at me the same way. Going to see how I’d changed, how I fought. How unnatural I was.

But at least he’d live.

“Get him out,” I yelled at Rowan. “Take Finlay! Now!”

He jumped to his feet without hesitation, hauling my friend’s body up with him.

“Samara!” Finlay yelled, his voice full of panic. “Sam! What are you⁠—”

“Go!” I roared.

Rowan swept his arm beneath my friend’s knees and pulled him up.

“No! Sam!” Finlay reached out for me.

I shook my head, breathing a sigh of relief as Rowan nodded. I didn’t know what he saw. If I looked strangely capable of fighting in his eyes, or just brave and stupid. But he’d listened to me. He had taken my friend, and he ran.

Alone, without anyone to see, claws extended from my fingers. My calves began to thin, the muscles lengthening so I could jump. My magic buzzed through every limb of my body as I shifted.

The goat and lion both cocked their heads to the sides, gnashing their teeth. Then four milky white eyes scanned me up and down, stopping when they saw the claws I’d created.

Azete, it thought, sending the word into my mind.

Dread washed over me. The invisible scar along my inner arm began to burn.

The chimera knew me.

CHAPTER SIX

The chimera knew what I was. Knew that I was the only one who could fight back.

I leapt into the air, pushing off the ground with all my might, soaring toward the beast. The tiniest wave of dizziness overtook me as I landed on its back.

I started to roll forward, winded from the sudden power loss. But with a grunt, I straightened and crushed my knees against either side of the chimera’s spine. It bucked, both heads turning around, teeth gnashing, and roars and growls pushing its hot, disgusting breath my way.

Claws? It scoffed the word into my head. Not your true form.

My heart thudded. My true form. Not the one I’d been born with. But the monster I could become. The vicious thing I shifted into when my mother died.

The lion seemed to laugh. Its milky white eyes shining with mockery. But also hunger.

You can’t defeat us—not in this form.

My stomach twisted. I wasn’t ready to become that monster again. Not yet. My true form … an Azete at full power, required nearly all the lifeforce someone could give.

Enough to kill them.