Everywhere he looked he saw blood-splattered, screaming, terrified people, but he couldn’t stop. If he stopped to heal anyone, more people would die. They had to eliminate the threat first.
He didn’t know where Eno was in all the chaos. His lover had mentioned something about strolling around the village while he was chatting with some of the village elders about the establishment of Hidden Falls. There were several of them who were old enough to remember leaving New Rosanthe for the better and safer life they’d find in Ilon.
Caelan had said he was going to the falls to meditate. Drayce, naturally, had accompanied him as protection, whether their god-king needed it or not. He didn’t know whether to be grateful that Caelan was out of danger or wish the new godling were there to lend a hand.
The air was becoming clogged with the thick scent of blood and smoke. A fire had started somewhere in the village.
While the children ran for cover with the elderly, any able-bodied fighter was hurrying toward the southern edge of the village. The attack had come from the same direction as the mandrill attack on the children playing in the open field.
Turning a corner around a building, he barely managed to bring his blade up in time as a jaguar launched itself at him. Claws sliced across his forearm as the knife sank deep into the creature’s throat, splashing blood across his face and glasses. He gasped, trying to get his heart and lungs working again, while shoving the dead cat off his knife.
Sharp pain radiated from his arm, but Rayne shoved it aside and ripped his glasses off his face. Leaning on the building, he squinted at the chaos. The world blurred, losing its distinctness. He couldn’t fight like this. As quickly as he could manage, he wiped the blood off the lenses with the edge of his shirt. He shoved them back on his face and squinted. The glass was smudged, but it was better than trying to fight without them.
Sweat ran down his arm, getting into the scratches and adding a new sting to the throbbing pain. Blood made his hand slick, threatening to loosen his grip on the knife in his left hand, but he couldn’t stop. He needed to keep moving.
Stepping over the dead cat, he continued along the street, following the sounds of screams and fighting. After another block, he reached an open central square. It wasn’t incredibly large, but it held a well for the entire village to use and vendors set up booths to trade their wares throughout the day for food and other goods. Now the square was coated in blood and the bodies of the dead.
In the center stood Eno with his broadsword, cutting a swath through the attacking animals. Rayne’s steps faltered for only a second as he watched his lover move with exquisite grace and dexterity. No one fought like Eno. It was like watching a dance. Rayne wanted to stand there and admire his craft, but his lover also needed someone guarding his back. The number of village fighters beside him were too few and the attacking cats were too many.
Rayne ran into the square as a cat leaped from the rooftop of a nearby building. There was no way he was going to reach Eno before the cat landed on him from behind. With practiced ease, Rayne launched both the knives in his hands into the cat. The animal screeched in pain as the blades struck deep in the creature’s chest and stomach. Eno whipped around at the sound, and just barely managed to step out of the way of the falling body.
Warm, chestnut-brown eyes lifted to him in a look of both relief and gratitude that lasted only a second and then dissolved into fear. On instinct alone, Rayne dropped to his stomach in the blood and waste that covered the packed dirt of the square and rolled to his left. The cat attempting to pounce on him missed, its massive paws sending up a splash of blood across Rayne’s shoulder. He reached for a knife but came up empty. He’d thrown his last blades at the cat that was attempting to kill Eno.
Mentally, he scrambled, reaching for the power within his chest to pull up the protective shield, but the cat was so close. Would he get it in place prior to those teeth biting through his face? From this position, he’d never be able to reach his staff and bring it up in time.
As the cat turned completely toward him, a massive blade slashed through the air, removing the predator’s head in a single swipe. Rayne lifted his arm to protect his face and glasses from the spray of blood.
“Are you okay?” Eno demanded.
“I’m alive,” Rayne managed with a small tremor in his voice. That…that had been close.