FOREVER KNIGHTS: #16 To Keep Her

She tossed a light elbow into his gut in recompense.

“Ow!” He objected. Glaring down at her.

Giggling she wrapped an arm around his waist and tucked her head against his chest. Her strange wavy purple hair falling over his arm clutching his bruised belly. “We’ve been waiting to get a look at her.” Ser’s shoulders went up excitedly.

“There she is.” Tev picked up Serdephe to physically face her the other direction. Toward Rosewynn. Where a window on the second level was beginning to glow as evening descended. The shutters were pushed open and she leaned out. Drawing the moon’s glow in blinding pulses. Absorbing the light.

There was the shrieking whinny of a distraught horse which had Rhyers whipping around back in the direction of his carriage.

“Is someone with you?” Tev asked. Pulling Ser behind him.

“Ebony.” Rhyers was off. Barefoot and jumping shrubs back in the direction of the road.

He slid through the double gates and landed as a snarling wolf. With the white cross slashing over his brown face. Marking both eyes and down his snout.

The ground was littered with nonis staring up at the carriage and inspecting the bottom of it.

There was no movement inside and the driver was holding perilously still. Sweat beading his brow as only his eyes flicked to see the swarm of creatures.

Waiting.

Wolf is not the best decision for this fight. Shifting quietly back into a man he undid the silver chain around his waist. Pulling the silver ball into his fist as he assessed the direction he’d throw to best avoid hooking the carriage.

A noni hopped into the carriage door and slid in the window. Tail flicking.

The carriage rattled slightly, and the noni came flying back at the window with only the merest terrified squeak to reflect Ebony’s sure panic.

She’s brave. No doubt about that.

But seeing the one skid on its side and rise. Opening the flap on its belly to shriek, Rhyers realized he was out of time.

Then he heard the vibrating snarl of a Targue. Then another.

There’s too many of them combined with the nonis. Shit.

Rhyers swung his flail over his head and drew the eyes of the nonis. A few began trotting at him, but his eye was on those crouching to leap toward the window of the carriage door. The flail weighed enough to knock a few off balance and crushing the skull of a crouched one.

There was a roar behind him as Teverius came with his hatchets drawn at a run.

We won’t be enough to fight off the Targue too. Rhyers feared. Retracting his flail and sending it out again.

But there was a series of quick whistles and the woman launched from a tree overhanging the carriage. Six Targue descending on the carriage so fast that they slid sideways, their shoulders banging against it and rattling it.

Making Ebony shriek from inside. Terrified.

Stay inside. He willed her.

Fortunately, she did.

The woman landed amongst the Targue and Rhyers was throwing his flail with lethal precision. Killing one after another with the effectiveness of launching arrows. Teverius was walking on his knees to be at a level he could cut through them without exposing his legs to their vicious teeth.

The Targue sank teeth into the nonis. Crunching and tossing them. One after another.

They’re not Targue. They’re Teverius’ Demon Dogs. He realized with a huge sense of relief washing over him.

The purple haired woman was vicious. Wielding a long dagger she stood amidst them and punctured their backs with the speed of a venomous snakes strike. Piercing each one down the center.

None stopped until the nonis were down swelling and jerking until their bodies expanded into the bare pink flesh of human bodies. Littering the road.

“Get them out of here.” Tev ordered.

The Dogs began catching the feet of one after another and dragging them down into the ditch.

There were only a few left when Ebony peered out the window. Screaming at the sight of a few naked bodies strung on the road. The blood-stained Huntress and the white-haired man.

Rhyers standing with a silver chain winding through his fingers. Blood splashing his clothes.

A rumbling Targue rounded the back of the carriage and bit the foot of one of the bodies. Dragging it off as it rolled limply over the rocks. Hands flopping and head lulling.

Ebony paled visibly and wretched out the window.

Can’t blame her for that.

“Eww.” Serdephe shook a foot to dislodge a bit of consumed food from her shoe.

“What are those?” Ebony blearily blinked at another Targue rounding the carriage. “And what hopped in here?” She gave Rhyers a confused look. “What is all of this?” Her voice rose to a nearly hysterical note.

“She doesn’t know?” Ser asked.

“No.”

“You should tell her.” Tev suggested.

“You should!” Ser agreed.

“Yes, indeed.” Ebony burped as she fought another bout of nausea. “What don’t I know?”

Rhyers sighed. They’re right. It’s time to tell her.