42. Thirty-Nine

Thirty-Nine

Battle

A sher ran alongside a horse, easily keeping pace, before he jumped up and grabbed the soldier on top by the arm with his teeth and yanked him down. The soldier tried swinging his sword, but didn't make contact with anything.

Flank to the right!

There's a group of soldiers breaking off.

Has anyone verified the children are safe?

Asher tried to block out as many of the conversations as possible. He had sent Trayden with his father to help with Lily so he could head off the human army entering the valley. He needed to know if Trayden had made it in time to stop everything, but they were too far away to communicate.

He darted around a tree and his eyes locked on the man he recognized as the king. The man who had started all of this. If Asher could reach him, he could force the army to retreat. His people were defending themselves with weapons or their animal forms in an attempt to drive the humans back toward the mountain pass.

Asher ran leapt over two soldiers, who had no idea how to react to a tiger flying over them.

He landed near King Barith and growled, showing off his pointed teeth.

The human king raised his sword, clearly not afraid at all, and let out a bellow as he ran toward Asher. His metal armor clattered loudly.

Asher dodged the first strike, rolled, and came up in his human form. "I came to ask you kindly to leave," he said quickly.

King Barith looked him up and down in mild disbelief. "I should have expected you to be the one to face me."

"Your Highness, please take your men and leave. We do not wish to harm any of your people, but we must protect our homes," Asher insisted.

"You mean you'll kill us?" The human sneered at him. "This should have ended fifteen years ago."

"Sire, with all due respect, you have a choice. I don't want to kill anyone." Asher kept his eye on the soldiers he'd jumped, as they now slowly approached him as if they were going to catch him by surprise.

"We will leave when we have Merete."

"Did you not hear the crack? The tree has been broken," Asher said. "Take your men and leave."

"Or you'll bite me, little kitty cat?"

The soldiers laughed.

Asher sighed. This was pointless. Talking meant nothing to the king. "You should all leave."

The humans moved in unison, all poising their weapons.

Asher barely had time to transform back into his tiger form before ducking the sharpened edge of the king's sword. He had warned them, but it didn't make it any easier for him to claw at the most vulnerable areas the human armor left open. The gaps in the metal plating exposed the most important arteries and although his claws swiped across the metal, he aimed for the chinks in the armor. His aimed his attacks at the backs of their knees and sadly at their throats.

He got one soldier on the side of his neck and blood poured from the claw marks. Asher tried not to look at him, tried not to watch because he knew what he'd just done and bile rose up the back of his throat. He may have vomited if King Barith hadn't sliced him across the shoulder while he was distracted.

A mighty roar split the air and the humans stopped to cover their ears.

Asher looked up at the sky where the dragon Prince Liam had ridden into the valley soared. Asher still didn't understand why a dragon would help the humans in the first place. As far as he knew, Vasha had no history of dragons in their land.

The dragon was clearly upset about something as he roared again and that roar was quickly followed by a blast of fire, which scorched the forest below.

He needed to get these humans out before that dragon destroyed everything!

Asher skidded on the soft ground before he clamped his jaws down on the second soldier's arm. He shook his head and dragged the soldier to the ground. He jumped when he spotted a viper slithering up to him.

I'll take him. You stop the king.

Asher turned his head and realized King Barith was heading further into the valley. Do I know you? he asked.

It's Emery. Go before he gets too far away!

The snake slithered up to the human and struck, getting him in the armpit.

Thank you, Emery.

As Asher ran, he realized it wasn't just Emery who had joined them in trying to stop the humans. Vipers slithered everywhere, and human soldiers began shouting warnings. Asher could have smiled. For the first time in what seemed to be ages, the vipers and Karasha were one again. And what better way to be unified?

Asher spotted King Barith headed up the path that led to Khaili's Perch, and the secret entrance in which the children were hidden. He had summoned a handful of soldiers to join him. If anyone is nearby, King Barith is going to the secret entrance with soldiers. I could use some help!