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Thalon immediately knew what was required of him. Clasping his hands together, in one practiced movement, he pushed his arms in front of him.

A burst of thunderclouds and striking lightning swirled in a hurricane portal, opening wide enough for a horse and rider to slip through.

Beyond the swirling, their firesite appeared as if they were on the opposite side of a door and simply needed to step through.

Garrik vanished inside, and Jade and Thalon followed.

The portal imploded, closing after their horses vanished through and leaving nothing but a crackle of electricity in the air.

Aflash of metal sliced through the air and sank deep into the beast’s crystallized shoulder.

Before the weapon had pierced to its full depth, a high-pitched screech reverberated, tearing bark from the nearby trees by its vibrations. Shards of oozing, black crystal splintered to the ground, and it reared on its back legs.

The creature’s eyeless head thrashed. Its claws desperate to pry the embedded sword from its skeleton arm. Each movement sprayed more steaming ink in the clearing, sizzling everything it touched. Its wings flexed, and another wail of agony followed, leveling trees a hundred feet apart.

Alora spun on her heel, not entirely sure whose shadow had burst through a thicket of bushes in the dimming light, but grateful all the same.

Aiden’s coat caught the wind as he ripped it from his body. The black material was a battle cry on the breeze. His white shirt rippled in the wind as he unsheathed a sword from the saddle, holding it high as his horse thundered toward them.

“Don’t let it touch you, it’s poison! Get to the trees!” he shouted and closed the distance between Alora to challenge the beast.

Unable to do anything more, Alora leapt onto her horse’s bare back, the mount amateurish as she fought to collect her balance, and fired off toward the tree line.

Ear-piercing shrieks and earth-shaking sizzling thumps prowled behind her as she vaulted over a boulder and landed in the stream. From her vantage point, she could see Aiden in the falling sunlight. Slashing at the giant’s rock-solid legs, stabbing his sword everywhere within reach.

Crystal slivers sprayed. The blackened shrapnel pierced into the dirt with every blow. Toxic flesh and liquid inners permeated the floor in a monstrous soup of peril.

It was no use.

The beast wouldn’t be downed.

Get out of there, Aiden. Run!Alora’s hands gripped the reins, eyes desperately searching foranythingthat could seal that fatal blow.

Nothing. There was nothing.

The gamroara reared up and swung its front leg, colliding with Aiden’s horse.

No.

A crunching stab of its crystallized fingers skewered Aiden’s horse before it lifted its enormous wings and took flight. Aiden swung his leg over the saddle and vaulted to the ground. Landing on his leather boots beneath the creature.

It dove.

Daggered claws dripped with inked, steaming liquid.

Ready to send him to whatever hell he ran from.

Aiden rolled to the ground, nearly missing the swipe of claws, then jumped back to his feet, sword drawn alongside taunting eyes.

“Come on then, you scurvy dog!” he yelled and ran, sight set on the beast’s belly before he jumped, sticking his blade between pieces of bone and crystal.

A hit. Finally, a hit.

The gamroara roared in pain. Lifting itself into the air by those monstrous wings, carrying Aiden, who hung by the sword.

Alora tightened the reins even further, her horse stomping its feet in a predictable itch to flee.

“Damn Suzy, who hurt you? Was it mother?”