Chasing the Lantern(104)

The street beyond was empty of other Draykin, thankfully. But the irregular gunfire sounded louder now. Up ahead lay another ruin, toppled and tangled, yet still bearing something of its original form. The foliage grew over it thickly, but not thick enough to hide its doors and windows. Tall, spiraling towers framed it at either side. Beyond, she saw no more structures; she had likely almost reached the plaza at the center of the city.

Lina dashed across the street and into the foliage. The cries of the Draykin guard grew closer, and she was only halfway across the street when she heard claws scrabbling on stone and the muffled thump of two feet landing on the street. Her back itched, and she wondered if she'd feel the jab of a thrown spear at any moment. The ferns and vines of the overgrowth pushed at her, impeding her progress. Cold, desperate fear welled in Lina's belly.

"Astarche!"

Claws grabbed at her shoulder and at her shirt. Lina yelped and struggled. The creature was smaller than her, but stronger. She half-turned as she was yanked back. Lina grabbed desperately for her dagger. Grinning jaws in a long, fierce muzzle filled her vision. The breath of the creature stank like overripe fruit.

Something screamed overhead. Lurid red light illuminated the face of the Draykin who held her. It blinked in startlement just before a long, serpentine form landed on it, a wide hood covering its head and muffling its cries. The guard let go of Lina.

She didn't pause to wonder or give thanks at the reprieve. Lina shot off for the nearest opening in the ruin, a half-collapsed entryway at the ground level. She pushed through the fern that mostly covered it and into the dark space beyond. After a short tunnel it widened into a low room with a stairwell leading downward.

Lina scrabbled around the interior entryway, taking cover behind it and peering back outside. Inhuman screams and guttural, hissing cries echoed. The scryn that saved her flashed into view, flying into the entryway tunnel and past her head. Lina froze.

The guard appeared in the light of the tunnel. It peered inward, then up, then past the entrance toward the plaza. Blood oozed from numerous small scratches and bites. It quested, sniffing, peering, hunting for Lina still, or the creature that had attacked it. After staring into the dark for a moment, it grunted and moved past. Lina closed her eyes and relaxed, taking a deep, shuddering breath.

Something slithered over the rubble and cold stone floor behind her. Lina twitched back, hands going for the dagger she'd never had time to draw. The scryn reared up, spreading its hood. Mad light danced from its pale belly.

"Chirr!" it cried.

Lina paused. "Runt?"

"Chirr," said the serpentine monster. It leapt onto her arm and writhed up over her shoulders to its accustomed place.

Lina was beside herself. She almost wanted to cry. In all the excitement, the strangeness and all the near-misses, she'd almost forgotten about her new pet. "What are you doing here?" she whispered.

The creature nuzzled at her cheek, then went questing for the flask she usually held at her hip. It froze suddenly, rearing up. The shift in weight threw Lina off-balance.

"What?" grunted Lina. "Runt, don't—" It hissed, threatening at something in the room behind her, illuminating its belly in warning. Lina glanced over her shoulder.

A long muzzle filled with needle-teeth filled her vision, the eyes above it black and beady in the hellish glow of the scryn.

She cried out and picked up the nearest rock at hand. Lina lashed out at the Draykin behind her. The angle was awkward, but the blow still connected, cracking the creature across the mouth.

It fell back with a hiss. Lina followed through. She turned and leapt onto the creature, raising the rock up high for a two-handed blow.

The Draykin held up its hands. "No!" it said in Perinese. "Wait, human!"

Lina paused. Runt still hissed and spit and writhed. His weight pulled her back and off balance. "Rastalak?" she asked. "Is that you?" In the dark she couldn't tell. She could barely remember what the semi-civilized Draykin looked like, just the green eye-scales. It was the only one to speak Perinese, at least so far.

The creature nodded. "Yes. It is I. Stay your hand, and quiet your voice. The matron is still outside, hunting."

Lina moved off of it. She lowered the rock, but kept a grip on it. Runt still hissed. She reached up absentmindedly and scratched him where he liked, on the plates behind his head, until he calmed. Without the bioluminescence of her pet, the interior of the ruin was dark again, ambient light from cracks above and the entryway casting everything into hard-edged shadows.

"But what are you doing here?" she asked. "Where have you been? Did you see what's happened?" Lina narrowed her eyes. "Did you lure everyone into a trap?"