Page 51

“What the hell was that?” Drazen gasped, puffing a ring of smoke.

I took a knee, eyeing one of the buds. Tiny rows of serrated teeth lined its gleaming petals. “The flowers are carnivorous.”

Runa’s scream whipped my head around. Face first, she struck the ground. Some unseen force dragged her backward, deeper into the woods.

“Runa!” Drazen hit his knees, grabbing her hands, doing his best to haul her back.

Around her ankles were several vines covered in serrated thorns. The harder Drazen pulled, the harder they pulled in return.

“Get them off! They’re tearing me in half!”

Runa’s scream twisted my insides, stirring something primal inside of me. Kronk and I dove for the vines at the same time, grabbing them below Runa’s feet and pulling.

“Tear them!” I shouted.

Kronk nodded, clutching the tendrils in his massive hands. Muscles straining, he ripped through the vegetation, breaking one at a time until Runa was free. She tumbled into Drazen’s arms, panting.

Before I could check her for wounds, she thrust out her arm, eyes wide. “Behind you!”

Dozens of vines slithered out of the woods, headed right for us. This must have been what sent the others fleeing into the field. A field we dared not enter. Both Drazen and Runa scrambled to their feet, glancing at the slithering plants, then the blood-red blossoms.

“We have to go forward if we’re to make it to the flag. Try your flames,” she said to Drazen, gesturing to the flowers.

He nodded, blasting the blooms in front of us with a stream of fire. High-pitched screeching pierced our ears, the blossoms burning to a crisp. Just as quickly as they died, the outer edges of the cleared space filled in, growing until the path was once again covered.

The infernus was useless here.

I eyed Kronk beside me. Without warning, I drove my shoulder into his side and shoved with all my considerable strength.

Off balance, Kronk stumbled into the bloodthirsty field.

“Kronk!” Runa yelled, her mouth a gaping expression of horror.

Kronk held out his arms, frozen in place, afraid to move. He glanced down, then back at us. “I’m okay. They cannot penetrate my flesh.”

Runa exhaled a sigh, then turned to me. “Did you know?”

I shrugged. “I suspected.”

Fury darkened her violet gaze. “You—”

“We must hurry.” Kronk returned, scooped Drazen onto one shoulder and Runa onto the other, then headed off into the field.

Leaving me behind?Nice try.

I tensed to jump. Pressure circled my ankle, jerked my leg, and I hit the ground. Dirt and rocks scraped beneath me. The vines dragged me into the forest.

“Bloody bastards.” I rolled and sat up, grabbing my ankle. Once I had a grip on the vine, I bared my fangs, sinking them into the bitter vegetation and tearing through its green flesh as if I were a youngling with his first meal.

Once free, I darted to my feet and sprinted for the field. Kronk and the others were several feet ahead now. I had no time to waste. At the edge, I leaped.

Landing on Kronk’s muscular back was like running headfirst into a stone wall. Still, I clung to his shoulders, bracing my legs against his sides. The athos stumbled beneath the impact, uttering a curse but thankfully keeping his feet.

Distant cheering resounded over our heads. The audience was excited by our continued progress. Four glowing orbs followed in our wake.

Beside me, Drazen lifted his head. “Nice of you to join us.”

“Missed me, did you?” I arched a brow, struggling to maintain my grip.