Page 6 of Bonds Eternal (Fae Hearted #4)

6

REVENGE

OAKES

A s we scout for ghouls, our group hears screams nearby, and we hurry to investigate.

Five large ghouls are fighting a handful of humans. The humans aren’t soldiers, but are effectively keeping the ghouls at bay with farming tools.

I immediately notice the ghouls don’t have the strange, wild eyes because of the spell.

Bodies are strewn about. Several ghouls had been killed. The humans are still attacking, not realizing the ghouls are no longer compelled to fight.

I sense the ghouls now may want revenge for their dead members.

“Stop!” I call out.

Then Princess Twyla cuts in, her creature-speak power radiating off her. “ Return to the portal. There will be no more death on your hands today! ”

The ghouls narrow their bulging eyes at her. The largest one argues, “They kills my clan.”

“Maybe, but ghouls also killed many humans today,” Twyla says and, with a sweep of her arm, reminds them of the carnage. “Leave now, and you may survive. Wait for the elves just before the portal, and they will help you return to your lands.”

A human shouts, “Why are you helping them?”

“I’m helping you!” Twyla raises her voice in irritation. “Prince Eldrin is trying to stop this madness, and I don’t wish for any more of my people to get hurt. If you keep fighting, then you might. Let us return them to their lands now that the spell is broken.”

“Spell?” the man says, clearly confused. His eyes land on me and my Elven pointed ears, and then on my guards, Baelen and Corwin. “The elves caused this with a spell?”

“It wasn’t our doing,” I assert. “We are trying our best to stop it.”

“Go!” Using her creature-speak, Twyla points toward the portal. “Before we must strike you down.”

The ghouls grumble, but turn to walk the way she indicates.

The remaining villagers silently watch the ghouls shuffle away.

But as they pass by the villagers, one human throws an ax at a ghoul. The blade sinks into its back and the ghoul falls twitching on the ground.

In retaliation, another ghoul attacks, claws extended, charging at the villagers without regard for its own life. In the blink of an eye, the ghoul, in its murderous frenzy, slays the offending human and swiftly moves on to the next.

Corwin reacts quickly and launches himself off his horse at the creature and slices through its neck with his sword.

“Fools!” Princess Twyla cries out at her human subjects.

Baelen and I rush forward to form a blockade between the humans and ghouls to prevent any more bloodshed.

Rhys pulls at the reins of Twyla’s horse when she tries to help. “No. Stay back,” he cautions and then surveys the area for additional danger.

However, now the ghouls see Baelen and me as the new threat and attack.

The closest one claws the air as it lunges at me.

I run my sword through the ghoul’s chest and it practically impales itself on my weapon.

Then the other three ghouls focus their assault on me, launching as a group and raking their poisonous claws over my torso and down my legs.

I cry out in agony, which morphs into a battle cry.

Corwin and Baelen stab two of the ghouls. Both are distracted by digging their claws into my flesh, and the creatures collapse to the ground.

With a swing of my heavy blade, I slice across the third ghoul’s neck, decapitating it.

I almost fall to the ground with my dead opponent because of the force I put behind the swing. Fortunately, I’m able to right myself on my horse.

I inspect the damage the ghouls have done. My pants and jacket are shredded, and so is my skin underneath.

“Sir!” Corwin calls out. “We need to get your wounds cleaned before you succumb to their poison.”

I nod, my body already burning from the poison coursing through my blood.

I sway in my saddle, and everything goes black.