Page 40 of Bite The Terror That Feeds

He studied me for a moment before he walked back to Aurelias.

I followed, but kept my distance and held my tongue this time.

Kingsnake jumped right back into the conversation. “Why will it take longer than a few days?”

Aurelias looked over the deck as if the conversation hadn’t previously been interrupted. “Last time I was here, the humans ruled at the top of the cliffs, and everything down below was Teeth, Necrosis, and Exiles. Based on my correspondence, a lot has changed since then. Necrosis have been slain, and their lands have been conquered. The Teeth survive, but I haven’t received an update on their numbers in several decades. I don’t know what this terrain will look like, but I suspect it’ll be dangerous. We’re more powerful than most foes we face, but we’re not invulnerable.”

Up until that point, all I’d been focused on was the journey across the sea. Fear of capsizing and being captured by pirates was constantly on my mind. But now that we were about to drop anchor, I realized the hardest part of the journey had only begun.

* * *

The galleon dropped anchor farther out to sea, and we rowed the rest of the way, the horses packed in the rear. Kingsnake and Aurelias rowed the boat entirely on their own, despite the weight, getting us over the waves and safely to shore.

The galleon would venture farther out to sea so it wouldn’t be spotted, and we were told to make a campfire at night on the shore when we were done so they would know to return the following morning.

In his full armor, Kingsnake mounted his horse with Fang wrapped around his shoulders. His cloak was clasped behind him, covering the rear of the steed. He looked handsome regardless of his attire, but when he was armed to the teeth, he looked spectacular.

Aurelias wore all black, from his armor to his clothing, and even the hilt of his sword. If it were dark, you wouldn’t be able to see him. He mounted his horse and adjusted the reins in a single hand. “We ride north.”

I got onto my horse, wearing armor in the same color and pattern as Kingsnake, my heart sporadic because of the daunting road ahead. It was cold, there was snow everywhere, and the last time we’d ridden through the cold, I couldn’t feel my fingers for days.

Aurelias kicked his heels into the horse and took off at a run.

Kingsnake turned to me to make sure I was ready. “Stay in front of me. I’ll take the rear.”

I kicked my heels into the horse and took off behind Aurelias.

In a line, we rode through the snow, the barren landscape that had no sign of people or civilization. It would be beautiful if it weren’t so cold, if all my body heat didn’t escape as vapor with every breath.

We rode until dark, until we could barely see our surroundings. I’d wanted to stop sooner, but I didn’t dare complain when Aurelias already thought so little of me. Aurelias stopped the horses near the base of a mountain, somewhat blocked by the wind. The trees were dense and acted as good cover.

The horses were tied to the trees and kept warm with ponchos, and Kingsnake grabbed a small hand shovel and scooped away the snow until there was nothing but frozen earth beneath. He made enough room for the bedrolls but not a fire.

“We’re going to make a fire, right?” I blurted, frozen to the bone.

“No.” Aurelias actually acknowledged what I said, but he didn’t look at me as he rummaged in his pack and pulled out his supplies.

“Um…will we make it through the night?” Now I looked at Kingsnake.

Kingsnake had just transferred Fang to his wool pouch and closed the lid to keep him warm. “We’ll be fine.”

Wish I had one of those. “I can go get the firewood if that’s the issue—”

“The answer is no,human.” Aurelias stood upright and faced me head on, his expression visible in the moonlight.

I was about to crack this fucker’s skull.

“The last thing we need is to attract unwanted attention with a beacon of fire,” Aurelias snapped. “We’re done here.”

“Damn, someone needs to get laid.”

Aurelias gave me a stare colder than the snow piled around us.

“It’s ironic that you call me human when you don’t treat me like a human being at all—”

“Trust me, I do,” Aurelias said.

Kingsnake stepped between us. “Enough.”