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“Hold tight,” he orders, sweeping me off the ground.

We’re airborne before I can agree.

Lyxander lands hard once we reach the city. The impact of his boots hitting stone ricochets through his body and into mine, even as he sets me down carefully.

The sound of chaos greets us as people flee.

Screams and roars and wet, snapping teeth. Smoke coils through the streets, acrid and biting, mixing with a sharp, metallic tang. Shattered market stalls sprawl in broken heaps, silks and sweet fruits trampled into ruin.

And blood. So much blood.

It stains the rock, the storefronts—

And the wings of prone bodies.

My head snaps toward a roar, and bile climbs up my throat.

Monstrous creatures stalk the streets on hulking limbs, their teeth wet and dripping with gore. Horns curl from feline heads, and writhing snakes coil in place of tails, snapping at any fleeing Harpaurai who get too close.

Chimera.

“Draw them to the river,” Lyxander shouts.

But I’m already tightening my grip on the daggers and dodging the running figures. I charge toward the nearest beast as it stalks toward a woman stumbling through the chaos.

Her feet slip on the blood-slick stones. The chimera lunges, its mouth a gaping maw, claws slashing.

I’m not going to make it—

She turns. Her eyes, wide with terror, meet mine. And the chimera’s claws strike.

Blood arcs through the air, splattering the stones as the woman crumples to the ground, her body folding like a broken bird.

“No!” The scream tears from my throat, but it’s too late.

With a guttural cry, I throw myself at the beast, my daggers flashing. The first blade sinks deep into its side, the impact jarring my arm to the shoulder.

The chimera roars, its body twisting as it tries to shake me off, but I hold on, driving the second dagger into its flesh with all the strength I can muster.

The beast howls, a sound that reverberates through my bones, and its tail lashes out. I duck instinctively, but the writhing snakes snap at me, their fangs grazing my arm.

Pain flares, sharp and hot, but I grit my teeth and wrench one dagger free.

The chimera bucks.

My grip falters on the other dagger, my boots slipping on the ground, and I’m thrown backward.

The chimera turns on me. Thick black blood oozes and drips from its wounds, but it doesn’t slow. It lunges, its claws slashing toward me.

Gasping for breath, I barely manage to roll to the side.

The beast’s claws rake the ground where I’d been, sending shards of stone flying.

I push to my feet and start backing away.

It begins to circle me, its hulking form moving with a predatory intent that sends a chill down my spine. Its blazing eyes lock onto mine, unblinking, and its mouth gapes open. A strange clicking noise emerges, sharp and rhythmic, like the sound of stones striking together.

I tighten my grip on the dagger still in my hand.