The world collapsed into chaos.
Screams tore through the trees as the creatures surged down the slope pale, emaciated things with limbs that bent the wrong way, their eyes glowing faintly under the stormlight. Clara's horse reared and bolted into the brush. She hit the ground hard, mud streaking her face, pain bursting through her shoulder.
Lucas didn't hesitate.
He leapt forward, blade flashing silver in the dimness, slicing one of the beasts across the throat. The creature stumbled but didn't fall. Instead, it hissed, backing into the mist like smoke.
Ryker still stood on the ridge, motionless.
Watching.
Clara scrambled to her feet, blood dripping from her temple. "Lucas!"
He was fighting two of them now, moving like a shadow within a shadow. The soldiers shouted orders. Arrows flew, some finding marks, others vanishing into trees.
One of the beasts lunged at Clara.
She reached instinctively for her boot.
The vial.
No time to think.
