Lord of the Night

Chapter 37: The Forest

A weight thumped the top of the warper, and something scraped the metal. Claws? I squinted, trying to adjust to the darkness, but even my Guardian vision only revealed blurry gray outlines. The next thunk struck the windshield, and my heart struck my chest in response.

I jammed the key harder in the ignition, producing a faint rattle that quickly died. My second attempt made no sound at all.

Beside me, Isalio sighed. "Told you the warper was shit."

"Isalio, can you do something? Can you call the beasts off?"

He scoffed. "Rem, I can't even control my own beast."

I wanted to know more about that, but that was a discussion for another time. "If you take off your cuffs, can you power the engine?"

"I doubt it," he said, but he slotted the key into the cuffs even as he spoke. He drew a breath...and slumped back against the seat with a pained exhale. "Nope, definitely can't."

Panic swelled in my gut, but I forced myself to even my tone. Isalio's life still depended on me. "Alright, easy. Just put one cuff back on, and I'll get us out of here."

A cuff clicked in place as he whispered, "Alright."

His unquestioning obedience further tightened my gut. Fuck, he was way too vulnerable right now. He trusted me far more than I trusted myself.

Another smack, this time to the side of the warper. The metal machine tipped to the side.

I forced myself to refocus. To escape this place I needed to at least know where I was going. A memory from long ago crossed my mind—an object digging into my side as I hid in the back of the warper. Guardians stored tools back there. Could any of them help me?

I nudged Isalio aside and twisted to rummage through the storage space at the back of the warper. My fingers brushed a sharp tool, a rough coil of rope, and then the rubbery cylindrical shape I was seeking.

A flashlight.

I switched it on, and to my relief, light spilled through the interior of the warper, gleaming across the splintered glass like a string of bulbs and illuminating fingerprint smudges on the sleek door handles. The space outside was less well illuminated, shaded green and distorted by the cracked windshield, a thousand tiny paintings of jagged black lines.

I shifted toward Isalio. Dark shadows on sweaty pale skin, tousled hair, eyes squeezed shut. He didn't look well, but he was certainly breathing.

Thunk.

Through the windshield, I glimpsed a horrifying sight—a winged beast with three gaping mouths, eyes white all the way through, and several rows of razor-sharp teeth. Claws like butcher knives dragged over the windshield before its wings beat the air again.

The crack spread, lines spasming out like lightning. A shivering, and a tink.

Dread swamped my gut. I seized Isalio's arm. "It's about to break. Let's go!"

"Wha—"

I shoved open the door and tugged us out just as the windshield shattered in a tinkling waterfall. The creature dove straight into the fallen glass with an enraged shriek. Then a dark blob blotted my peripheral, and I swung the flashlight around to see another beast swooping toward us. I tackled Isalio, covering his body with my own as the beast bared down. Claws grazed my back.

Pushing Isalio's chest to keep him down, I scrambled to my feet and yanked the Demon-Slayer mace from my belt. I pointed the flashlight at the returning beast and prepared to swing the mace.