26. Davon

Chapter 26

Davon

W e slammed into another guard, and Krekk and Torinar pinned him down while Valdar silenced his cries for help. The palace halls were a blur of stone and dim lights, and our footsteps echoed around us as we ran. We rounded a corner, and stairs leading up to the first level came into view.

Valdar held up a hand, signaling for us to slow down. We approached the stairs cautiously, listening for any sign of guards. But it looked clear for now.

We ascended quickly, our backs to the wall, our eyes scanning every direction. On the first level, Valdar turned to me, his breath coming in quick pants. “Leave the city, Davon. Things will get bad here fast.”

“We have supplies,” I told him, thinking of the packs I'd hidden in my room. “Enough to take us some distance into the desert.”

Valdar's eyes gleamed. “Again, thank you, friend. For everything. I wish you and your mate well. ”

“And I hope things go well for you.” I clapped him on the shoulder.

A sly grin spread across his snout. “Oh, they will. I'm about to get the revenge I've been seeking since my uncle murdered my father.”

The other two Veerenads grunted, their eyes flashing with anticipation.

“May the winds of the desert guide your path,” I said. “And may we meet again when this is over.”

The three Veerenads took off down the hall, their forms melting into the shadows. I turned and sprinted towards my room, my heart a beast in my chest. I burst inside, scanning the dim interior. The packs remained where I'd left them, hidden behind a chest, and I slung them over my shoulder and rushed back out, adrenaline charging through my veins.

As I approached Maggie's room, I found her peering around the corner of the intersection in the hall, her eyes wide with fear. She spotted me and started to speak, but her words were drowned out by a roar echoing down the hall from behind her.

Oolah snarled, rushing this way.

I thrust the packs into Maggie's arms. “Remember the plan.”

She set the packs down by the wall. “I'm not leaving you, Davon.”

My heart swelled with pride and love, but terror gripped me as well. I had to protect her at all costs.

Oolah charged, her eyes locked on us. With a bellow, I rushed toward her, my body tensing for impact. We crashed together, her claws raking against my side. I grunted, pain shooting through me, but I didn't slow down.

The world narrowed to just the two of us, our grunts and snarls echoing through the hall. Her foul breath filled my senses, and the heat of her body burned against mine. Her tail whipped around, trying to trip me, but I leapt over it, my fist connecting with her snout.

She howled in pain, stumbling backward. I pressed forward, driving her back down the hall.

Oolah feinted, her claws swiping at my face. I jerked back, and her claws missed me by a hair's breadth. Lunging at me again, her jaws snapped too close by my face. I twisted away, using her imbalance to land a punch in her side. She grunted, her scales absorbing most of the impact, but I knew I'd hurt her. The acrid scent of her pain tainted the air.

Her tail whipped around, catching me off guard. It wrapped around my ankle, and she yanked me off my feet. I hit the ground hard on my side, the impact jarring through my bones. Oolah towered over me, her eyes gleaming with triumph.

“You're weak, Zuldruxian,” she sneered. “You can't beat me.”

I glared up at her. “You talk too much.” Growling, I latched onto her tail. I dug my nails in, feeling her scales shift to the side, exposing the tender tissue beneath. She howled, trying to pull away, but I held tight, using her tail as leverage to pull myself to my feet.

Still digging into her tail, I landed a jab to her snout. She staggered back, blood dripping from her nostrils. I drove her farther down the hall with a series of punches. She tried to block, to counter, but I was relentless. I could taste victory, smell her fear.

Oolah changed tactics, dropping to all fours and charging at me like a wild beast. I braced myself, ready to take the hit. At the last instant, I sidestepped, letting her momentum carry her past me. She crashed into the wall, her head hitting the stone with a sickening thud. She slumped to the ground, dazed, and I grabbed her beneath the arms and dragged her into Maggie's room. I released her while she moaned and locked the door, rushing back out into the hall.

The packs were where Maggie had left them, near the wall. But Maggie was gone. My heart punched through my chest as I scanned the area.

I grabbed the packs, slinging them over my shoulder and bellowed, “Maggie!”