FOREVER KNIGHTS: #6 Malevolent Attentions

The night sky went black as pitch. The moon gone in an instant.

Rhyers glanced up and recognized what was happening. What Ebony did in the gardens when she faced off with a Noni.

She’s doing it. His gaze flicked back to the terrified girl.

Then Bast, as the panther, leapt on the woman trying to get away. Raking claws down the front of her and rearing to bite her neck. But something knocked him sideways off her.

Rhyers’ blinked. Eyes luminescing green in the dark, allowing him to see. A Targue. Another charged from the trees, rattling leaves.

Bast struggled with the heavier creature. Which tried to sink massive jaws into him.

Meanwhile the woman rolled to her belly, bleeding badly she still managed to climb to her feet and flee through the trees.

Rhyers verified the sky was still dark. He jumped, clothes shredding before he hit the ground, on all fours. A dark brown wolf with white slashing over its eyes, luminescing.

He charged the second Targue and ended up rolling along the ground with it.

Ebony shrieked and the tops of the trees shivered, raining leaves down on the lawn as she fled toward her brother and the crowd that had quieted when the sky went starless.

“What’s going on?” One man asked.

“Where did the stars go?” A woman murmured in awe.

“Does this always happen when the comet comes?”

“Definitely not!” Another grunted as they tried to puzzle it out.

Sam hopped off the bench and scrambled through the dark calling for Ebony. Surprised when she slammed headlong into him. Wrapping him in a desperate hug.

“Something is wrong, Samuel. It’s wrong. So, so wrong! I-I…Never! Never!”

Sam encircled her protectively and his feet found a path toward the front of the house and up to the doors. “What’s happened?”

“The woman grabbed me. Then there was a huge cat…Then a dog. And monsters from the trees!” She wailed. “I’m not lying, Sam! I’m not!”

He pulled her in-front of him and shoved her up the steps into the house. Slamming the door behind. Once they were in the safety of the house the sky changed. The moon was revealed, and the stars appeared. Just as the orange comet cut a line across the sky.

Distracting from the animals wrestling behind them. They oohed and aahed. Oblivious. Eventually Bast drug a dead Targue into the trees. Removing it from their view, if they were to turn.

Rhyers’ yelped. Then the beast he fought sighed a last breath.

That one was also drug into the cover of trees. Bast and Rhyers shot through the Needle trees after the Firoque woman. Branching in opposite directions to find her.

But she was gone.

Rhyers awaited Bast’s return on the lawn. No one’s more familiar with Mane Country, than him. He’ll find her.

Rhyers was a tall slim silhouette on the lawn. An agitated pacing man who spotted Bast as soon as he strode from the woods. “Did you find her?”

“I found where her tracks ended. I think a flying Sarabi got her.”

“Killed her or took her back to Radix?”

“I’d imagine either ends about the same for her.” Bast shrugged.

Probably true. However, the Sarabi might be kinder.

“How did you know I needed you?” He asked as Bast joined him on the lawn.

“Your panic screamed in my ears for the last hour.”

“When the party started.” Rhyers supplied. He’d been so alarmed he’d subconsciously been yelling for help. He tossed a thankful look at Bast’s sleek profile.

Had it not been for him, Ebony would’ve died tonight.

Rhyers’ panic had screamed. And that was all the Great Protector needed to hear as summoning.

Thank God for you Bast. He thought.

Sebastian gave him a quick look. “You’re welcome.”