Page 57 of The Prince and His Stolen Throne

“Fitz,” I said, snapping my fingers to get his attention. “We. Disturbed. A. Nest.”

“I remember it well,” he replied dryly. “I’m the one with injuries and a ruined shirt to show for the experience. While I appreciate your quick thinking, Maximus, could you try to spare my clothing next time? I only brought four shirts.”

Maximus didn’t answer, his gaze locked on the ground. “Do you feel that?”

A tremor rumbled through the ground, growing steadily stronger. I stumbled back a step, catching myself on a nearby tree. Something cracked overhead and Maximus tackled Angelica out of the way before a branch fell where she’d been standing.

An enormous creature burst through the earth. It stretched toward the canopy and shrieked in rage. My eyes widened, trying to take in the monstrosity. Dozens of legs as thick and sharp as one of my swords covered its body. The pincers opened and closed, audibly slicing through the air as it searched for the fools who had disturbed its children.

An arrow cut off its roar, bouncing off its armored body before falling uselessly to the ground.

“Damned lying salesman,” Fitz swore, his hands trembling on his bow as he backed up several steps.

Delilah jumped onto the creature’s back, digging her claws into its exoskeleton. The sounds coming from her mouth were half roar, half-hiss, rivaling the centipede’s shriek.

While she had it distracted, I drew my swords and drove one into its side. Several black, armor-like segments made up its body. The weakest points were the joints between the segments, and one of my blades slipped directly between two to bury into its side.

A second blade pierced it from the other side, the sharp, golden point almost stabbing me in the eye. “Watch it!” I yelled at Angelica.

“Sorry! I’m not used to fighting with other people!”

No level of sincerity would make me forgive her if she stabbed my eye out.

The centipede dropped to the ground, dragging the three of us with it. I released the sword stuck in its side, but for some reason, Angelica and Delilah both held on.

Angelica flipped herself over to straddle its back, and both girls ended up riding the thing like a damn pony.

“Over here!” Maximus called. He’d picked up the branch that had fallen, hefting it over his head.

Angelica twisted the sword in the centipede, and it writhed to the side to escape her, changing its course to head straight for Maximus.

He swung the branch toward the creature’s head, hitting both girls in the process. Delilah’s angry shout cut off as leaves filled her mouth. She tumbled off the back of the centipede and landed at the ground near my feet.

Angelica also fell off, taking her sword with her. The golden blade was covered with thick, slimy ichor, dripping onto her once pristine clothes.

After the centipede shed both riders, it dove back toward the ground, burrowing itself deeply in the earth before anyone could pursue it.

I helped Delilah to her feet. She’d spit out most of the leaves, but bits of greenery stuck in her sharp teeth.

Fitz ran back to the group, his bow still clutched in his hand. “Everyone, get moving before it attacks again.”

We grabbed our packs and hurried away from the small clearing.

Once we’d put some distance between us and the centipede’s territory, Delilah cheered. “We won!”

“Won?” I gaped at her incredulously. “How do you consider thatwinning?”

“We didn’t die, did we? So, we won.”

I snorted, but honestly? She wasn’t wrong. We survived. And I didn’t needWilde’shelp to do it.

The forest tested my optimism a few hours later as a giant tentacle dangled me upside down over a toothyabyss.

“Why is it tentacles?” Fitz shouted as he sunk arrows into one of the writhing appendages. “We’re nowhere near the ocean!”

“It’s a Deep Forest Devilfish!” Delilah shouted from the sidelines. She couldn’t get close enough to use her claws or fangs without risking two of us being captured by the damn things, so she stayed well out of its way. “They hide in the ground like trapdoor spiders, waiting for prey to step on them!”

“Dammit! This is theGrimnight Forestnot theAll the Monsters Hide Underground Forest!”