Page 23 of Born of Starlight
Has she come back to kill me?Two Lynx sightings in twenty-four hours was unsettling.
Under the cover of night, it was hard to see the trespassers clearly, but my sense of curiosity won out over my sense of logic. After unsaddling and tying the horses, and dragging the packs inside to rummage through later, I ran to follow Van’s trail. I knew exactly where they were—just a couple miles north of that clearing where I’d heard a strange voice call to me two centuries ago.Coincidence,I told myself.
By the time I ducked down beside Van, I was breathing heavily. I wasn’t sure what had my heart racing more—the threat of visitors or the running.
At first, I thought the intruders were paired with the Lynx—allies. However, it became evident quickly they weren’t.
We looked on as a Lynx launched from the shadows of the trees toward the female figure.Move.I didn’t know what compelled me to root for the mystery woman. Her dark hair hung in a braid, and it was clear now I recognized neither her nor the behemoth of a man next to her. The woman ducked right, withdrawing her sword just in time to slash the neck of the animal before it could take her down. It fell into a silent heap beside her.
Five remaining Lynx stalked them—that was a lot for two mortals to attempt to take down, no matter how strong.Ifthey were mortal. To get out of this alive would take a strike of luck—I wasn’t willing to reveal myself to give them that strike.
One of the Lynx pounced, this time catching the woman by the shoulders and taking her down swiftly. The large male’s blade met the bone of another behind her, downing the creature as he scrambled to get to her aid.
The woman’s back was thrown against tree roots, and her sword was knocked from her hands. I saw a flash of blue light beginning to form in her palms—interesting. Not mortal then.
I looked on as she kneed upward in an attempt to wiggle her arms free and use her Source magic. I had every impulse to jump out to help her. Fighting that urge was near painful.
Her elbows scraped against the ground below her as the creature’s rat-like mouth snapped and snarled, opening wide to expose a double row of teeth.Fuck.I’d hesitated too long.
The Lynx lunged at the woman’s head.
No—I stepped forward, still in the shadows of the treeline. My arm reached out toward her, and fire formed at my fingertips. My heart seized and my eyes slammed shut. I expected to hear crunching bones and screams.
I heard a loud yowl. Allowing myself to look, I witnessed the man pull his blade from the Lynx’s skull as the creature slumped to the woman’s side. He was swift for a mortal of his size—he might not be mortal after all. The man grabbed the woman’s elbow and pulled her to her feet.
“Thank you.” The woman’s rasp was just barely in earshot.
As the strange woman rose, three Lynx still circled them, deterred only by the armored man’s pointed sword. The two strangers were back to back now and had retrieved the woman’s sword.
The Lynx seemed to be calculating their approach more carefully now that they knew they weren’t dealing with vulnerable prey. They had power in numbers and hunted as a pride.
I could help them.
Don’t be an idiot—no matter how much my heart had just tugged at the thought of that Lynx killing the strange woman. No,it wasn’t worth the risk.Yet I had started to step forward. The next time a Lynx charged her, I wouldn’t hesitate to intervene.
Something pulled me toward her—it felt inevitable, it felt alluring.
“You should not be in these woods,” the dark-haired woman shouted. “Return to Helos. Return to your master.”
Your master.My blood ran cold.
Chapter9
Asterie
We were surrounded.
“Return to your master!” I commanded again. I could imagine Firose’s rage when she learned her Lynx had gone rogue and harmed a member of the Sisterhood.
They would stand down—they were loyal to her.
The largest Lynx eyed me with curious intent and tilted its head. Drool pooled down its snarled lips. For a moment, the Lynx looked like it might turn away and lead the others.
Instead, it rocked back on its feline haunches, ready to leap at me. Emmerick grabbed my arm and spun me toward him. He tucked us together, shielding my head as we hit the ground and rolled.
While I appreciated the chivalry, it delayed my ability to bring the blue flames to my palms, ruining our only chance of fighting them from a distance.
The Lynx landed where we had just stood with an angry hiss. We only had moments before it launched again. I was sure we were about to be eaten alive when we heard a crash through the trees. The biggest Lynx yowled as it was picked up by something much larger. The cracking of teeth against bone filled the air, a horrid chomping sound.
