A Ride of Peril(35)

"We'll find some good horses there," Anjani said, clutching her crossbow.

Bijarki led the group, while Anjani walked behind me. The jungle was green and lush in these parts, slightly more open, and had fewer marshes in between. We'd shot at some hungry shape-shifters along the way, but the road ahead seemed clear.

"The further south you go, the fewer shape-shifters you'll find," Bijarki explained. "The south is less feral, with more settlements. The wildlings fear the southern nations."


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"Why's that?" I asked.

"It's not just the incubi and succubi who carry these shifter-killing poisons. The Lamias are just as ruthless, and so are the imps, the Bajangs, and the Maras. They have very little patience for such perils in their woods, so they have decimated the shape-shifter population over the centuries, forcing them further north."

"You've named some creatures there that I know nothing about," I replied, suddenly chastising myself for not reading much during the couple days' downtime I'd had back at the mansion. There must have been books there about these Eritopian species too.

"Don't worry, Jovi. You'll get to see them live once we reach the Sarang Marketplace," Anjani said from behind.

I looked over my shoulder to find her grinning, as if she knew the ending to a good joke that she hadn't shared with me. It made me feel uneasy wondering what creatures I'd run into at that marketplace.

"Eritopia is home to many different creatures," Bijarki said. "The incubi and succubi are the predominant species, but there are also imps, Bajangs, Maras, and other subspecies in the far east. Then there are …  Well, were the Druids, and the Lamias deriving from that species. The Dearghs are standalone, as are the Sluaghs. There were once storm hounds and gorgons, too, but Azazel killed them off."

"Some of these names sound familiar," I said. "But mostly the stuff of legends. Gods, monsters, heaven, hell, angels, demons."

"From what I understand, our universes are connected, so I wouldn't be surprised if a handful of our creatures found ways to infiltrate your world. You should tell us more about your home, Jovi, when this is all over," Bijarki replied.

"Provided we all live to hear the tales," Anjani muttered under her breath and shot an arrow through the trees.

I had a crush on her crossbow, custom built for long range shots. Mine and Bijarki's had an effective range of 200 feet, while Anjani's was able to kill from 500 feet. She'd spotted another shape-shifter deep in the woods to our right.

We stilled and listened. I let my inner-wolf sniff the air, and I caught the scent of blood, but the creature was still moving.

"I really need to practice these long shots more," Anjani grumbled and loaded another arrow.

I saw the creature running toward us with a limp, jumping over gnarly tree roots as it reached the road. It shifted right before my eyes into a creepy version of me, sending instant shivers down my back.

We all aimed our crossbows at it and shot at the same time. The arrows pierced through the beast's head, throat, and chest. It fell backward, writhing in agony for a minute before it died. 

"I must say, Anjani, you seemed to enjoy killing that shifter a little too much," Bijarki quipped.

I knew what he meant. The beast looked like me. I looked at her, and she wore a sheepish smile that both irritated and enchanted me. The dynamic between us was constantly filled with such contradictions. I was learning to take it all in stride.

"It wasn't as handsome as me," I shot back. "She obviously disliked the copy's cheap quality."

Bijarki chuckled as we continued walking down the road. The sun set in shades of violet and orange.

Soon enough, the Sarang Marketplace emerged ahead, as the woods thinned out. It was large, covering at least half a square mile, with small paths between dozens of stalls and wooden constructions resembling boutique stores.

It was loud and colorful. An abundance of red paper lanterns hung above on a network of strings tied to outer pillars. It was a sight to behold, given that I'd grown accustomed to the lonely mansion beneath a protective shield. There must have been a thousand creatures, all selling and buying everything and anything, from trinkets and fabrics to weapons, tools, animals, and foods.

"Stay close, Jovi," Bijarki said. "You're an outsider to these folks, and they don't always take kindly to strangers."

I nodded and walked ahead, reaching his side and tucking the crossbow in the leather holster mounted on my back. We entered the marketplace, and Anjani headed toward the stables on the far eastern end.