Page 37 of A Tempest of Intrigue (Tempest of Shadows #4)

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Ryker

Ten feet before us, he stopped at the edge of the trees to survey what lay beyond. As I crept closer, I strained to hear the familiar sounds of an encampment. I was almost to Farley when I settled behind a tree to look at what lay beyond.

“Don’t bother,” Farley muttered.

“Don’t bother doing what?” Ianto asked.

“Trying to spy on them. They’re dead.”

There was no denying that as I gazed out at the bloody carnage beyond. Rising, I pulled my sword from its sheath before emerging from the trees.

I didn’t know what to make of whatever happened here. I’d seen and experienced a lot of death between my many battles with Leo and Doomed Valley, but I’d never seen anything like what happened to these amsirah.

Something had torn them apart. Their limbs littered the clearing, and intestines spilled from their stomachs. Some were missing their faces. They’d been either chewed or clawed off.

Each of their chests had a gaping hole that revealed their missing hearts. There was no sign of those hearts amid the blood-splattered trees, bedding, and food gathered near a low-burning fire.

I’d never seen so much blood. It dripped from the trees, coated the ground, and ran in rivulets down the small hill to my right. The air reeked of its coppery stench, and some body parts dangled like broken ornaments from branches.

“What did this?” Tucker asked.

“A cordou,” Farley replied.

“What is that?” I asked.

“It’s a scorpion-like beast with the head of a tiger. They use the point of their poisonous tail to tear out hearts and eat them. Like cats, they often play with their victims first, except they’re not as gentle with them.”

“No shit,” Ianto muttered.

“Is it still around?” I asked.

“Considering they hunt in packs, I hope not.”

“Fuck.”

I wanted nothing to do with any creature that could do this. All the remaining faces wore expressions of excruciating agony.

Their soundless screams rang loudly in my head. I knew well the sounds of the dying.

“I think it’s time to go,” Ianto said.

“I agree,” I said.

Heading back to the shelter of the trees, I stepped over an arm and leg that had fallen haphazardly on each other. I put my foot down on the other side when a skittering sound from the woods froze me.

A bright red stinger poked through the trees ten feet in front of me.