Chapter 9

They came on fast, running on all fours, their broad shoulders and powerful arms pulling them forward across the tilled earth. Eyes, black pits in their shadowed forms, obsidian claws on the ends of their long fingers, and a lupine profile.

"Fire!" Sergeant Hayes cried, and the shots rang out, grey smoke from the muskets blown back towards the settlement. "Reload!" he cried, and the ten men knelt, pouring powder into the barrels of their muskets and tamping down the shot.

In barely twenty heartbeats, they had the butts of their muskets pressed against their shoulders as the sergeant raised his short sword into the air.

"Fire!"

He chopped down with the blade and the first of the creatures stumbled, wounds too many to continue.

But the others came on.

The barracks doors were thrown open and the rest of the battalion came out, half-dressed and affixing bayonets to their muskets for when the creatures reached melee range.

Sarah and her brother, Elias, raced past. Each carrying a rapier in one hand, and a cocked pistol in the other. The mud dragged at their boots, the cries of alarm from the common folk urging them on as the settlers ran for safety.

A bronze bell began to ring, warning to all who could hear it.

The Shadowbeasts were here.

Sarah reached the line of men standing behind a barricade of heavy branches and stone. A temporary fix to bridge the gap in the palisade. Lamps had been lit at intervals in the fields beyond the walls, and as the Shadowbeasts breached the rings of light, she counted.

"Twenty-two!" she cried, to her brother. "No! twenty-three!"

The most they had faced before had been twelve, and that had cost them a handful of men.

She brushed rain from her eyes and turned her body sideways, arm extended with pistol held steady. She aimed along the barrel as she put her finger to the trigger and exhaled a soft breath. Then, she pulled.

Her pistol fired, smoke and fire bursting from the barrel and out in the darkness, she was sure she scored a hit. Elias fired beside her, and they both reached for their ammo pouches, the small leather satchel hanging from their belts, to reload.

"Coming close!" Elias said, voice steady and even, though the rapid rise and fall of his chest betrayed his nerves.

"Form ranks!" Sergeant Hayes shouted at the soldiers rushing to the barricade. "Fire at will!"

Shots rang out, a staccato beat as the men fired, reloaded and fired again.

Another Shadowbeast fell. A third!

Then they were at the palisade.

The men raised their muskets like spears, the long bayonets pointed high as the monsters leapt, each as tall as a man, bulging with muscle and silent as the death they brought with them. Their clawed hands outstretched, reaching for the exposed flesh of the soldiers.

Sarah slashed and hacked. There was no time for fancy swordplay, the creatures had no finesse, no delicate give and take. They were brutes. Slashing and biting, tearing at flesh as men cried out in fear and pain.

Another Shadowbeast fell, and then another. Too slow, too few, as soldiers died. Elias fought methodically, wrist movements minimal as he revealed his skill with the blade in the simple, elegant movements, nothing wasted.

Slashing her blade across the black eyes of a Shadowbeast, Sarah raised her pistol and fired. She had no time to reload, nor time to see if she had hit her target. She whirled to the next, her sword rising and falling, black blood spattered across her face as the beast collapsed.

A soldier beside her died, sharp teeth tearing through his throat, his breath gurgling as his lungs filled with blood. She stabbed her blade deep into its side, and cursed as the blade stuck, lodged against bone.

"Sarah!" Elias called and she looked up as one of the beasts leapt at her. She had a moment to recoil, knowing that death had found her as she screamed.

Then the beast was thrown a dozen feet, blood spurting from vicious wounds in its side, and Sarah gaped at the gryphon that pulled up out of the tight dive, a rider clinging to its back without saddle or safety harness.

The gryphon banked sharply, rolling in the air and folding back its wings into a steep dive, taloned forelegs extended.

A Shadowbeast was gripped tight and lifted ten feet into the air, black blood trailing out behind it, before the gryphon released it to fall, lifeless, to the ground.

Sarah blinked, brow furrowing as she took in the unexpected sight. Then, with a shake of her head, she pulled free her blade and rejoined the fight.

Up above, Brightcrest wheeled in a tight spiral, gaining height, ready to dive once more. Erin, almost giddy with exhilaration, clung on. Her heels were pressed to his sides, and her fingers numb from the cold where she gripped his collar.

Wind tried to tear her from his back, as rain pelted them both, but she barely noticed. Below her, men were dying, and the creatures, whatever they were, were winning.

"Ready!" she called, and Brightcrest answered with a high-pitched cry of righteous fury.

Erin laughed. The gryphon was made for the fight, she thought, as eager to reach the enemy as she was. She shifted her weight left, and he stretched out his wings, catching the wind and gliding as he circled.

She eyed the chaotic scene below, the creatures were milling, each scrambling over the next trying to reach the men who were using the reach of their muskets and long bayonets to keep them at bay, stabbing and thrusting as they held their line.

"There," she breathed, eyeing a creature scrambling up the backs of the others as they bucked and twisted beneath it. "Bright. Dive!"

As though he knew exactly who she was aiming for, the gryphon twisted in the air, angling down and tucking his wings as he dived.

Erin wanted to yell, to scream her joy. She wanted a weapon to help him fight!

Down they went, picking up speed. Tears streamed from her eyes from the wind hitting her face, and her nose and cheeks were numb. Then Bright's wings swept out, talons lashing the creature, raking deep furrows in its hide, as he pulled up, and around they went again.

A great crash sounded behind her and she twisted to look back over her shoulder.

The ship was down, taking out a portion of the palisade and two houses. People were screaming, scrambling from their homes and running in all directions as it listed to starboard. Sailors grabbed anything they could, clinging on for dear life.

Wood cracked, the ship groaned as it settled, the palisade bowing beneath the ships weight pressed against it. But it held.

In the distance the bell stopped ringing.

With a sigh, Erin turned her attention back to the fight below, but it was almost over. A small group of the creatures fought still, but most were down along with almost half the soldiers.

A slim woman with a hard expression thrust with her sword and the last of the creatures fell. A weary cheer rising from the men who lived.

"C'mon," she called to Brightcrest, pressing her heels gently into his side. "Time to land."

She recognised a raised platform as a launchpad for gryphons and wheeled Bright towards it. The gryphon's wings beat steadily against the wind, and he seemed to sense where she was aiming. He descended to land with a gentle thump, taking a few steps as he beat his wings, killing his forward momentum.

Erin lay pressed against his back, feeling the warmth of his body as she shivered with the cold. Her clothes were sodden and her fingers had locked around his collar so tightly that it was a struggle for her to get them to release.

Then she was free and almost falling as much as dismounting, to land awkwardly on the wooden platform beside the gryphon. She stroked his side as he turned to eye her with concern. Erin smiled wearily.

"I'm okay, bright boy. You did good."

His forelegs were covered with a foul black blood, his feathers and fur soaked through with the rain. He shook himself, spraying her with water and she laughed, covering her face against the spray.

"You there!"

Erin turned at the imperious tone of voice demanding her attention. The women she had seen battling the strange creatures was marching towards her. She walked with back straight and chin high, her beauty undeniable, though cold, with eyes blazing as she regarded Erin.

Beside her, came a man wearing slim spectacles, and an aesthetic demeanour at odds with the blood that caked his hands, and the sword hanging at his waist.

"Who are you?"

"Erin," she said, ducking her head. "Erin Coffyn… ah… milady," she guessed.

"You're no Rider, why were you on this creature?" She gestured to the ship grounded behind Erin. "What happened to the blasted ship?"

"Sister, calm," the man said, laying a hand gently against his sister's arm. He offered a smile to Erin as he studied her. "We owe her thanks, not interrogation."

"What were those creatures?" Erin blurted, and then blushed, cheeks heating. "Sorry, my lord."

Elias waved away her apology. "No offence was taken; I can assure you. We are… informal here." He smiled as though at some joke only he knew. "We have neither the time nor the inclination for such matters."

"Foolishness," Sarah said. "You know as well as I do, brother. Such things do matter."

"Another time." Elias's eyes flicked towards her and then back, a touch of warning in his tone. He was in charge, though Erin guessed their sibling bond made such things awkward. "Thank you, for your help. It was timely and most welcome."

Sarah tilted her head, acknowledging that, at least. "Yes, our thanks." She lifted a hand to gesture at the ship. "Now, what in the nine hells happened to the ship!"

Erin was an apprentice. She knew that, as much as she knew that she'd had only minimal interaction with those above Geoffrey and never with a lord or lady. Such folk were far beyond her level and so, with halting words and cheeks crimson, she explained what had happened on the ship.

The two nobles listened intently. Both had other business to be about and there were men wounded and dying that they needed to check on. Sergeant Hayes was seeing to the defence, but that too was something they were duty bound to tend to, rather than leave it in the hands of a subordinate.

But they listened, and when she reached the part where she told of the ship being too high and needing to quickly correct before they were dashed against the rocky shore, they exchanged a silent look that spoke volumes.

"Very well," Elias said when she finished. "I should best see to their needs." He turned to Sarah. "Sister, I trust you can find a place for this brave young lady."

"For Bright," Erin said, and gulped as two frowns were turned on her for the interruption. She bobbed her head in quick apology. "Sorry, sorry. I need to check him over and tend his wounds, then brush him down."

Elias cocked a brow at that, a smile tugging at his lips. He looked at his sister who regarded the girl thoughtfully, arms folded and one hand stroking her chin. "I shall leave their care to you, sister."

With that he gave a slight bow to both Erin and Brightcrest, before striding away towards the crowd of people gathering around the fallen ship. Sailors had thrown down rope ladders and were clambering down them to the ground.

With a gulp, Erin turned her attention back to the noblewoman who regarded her sternly.

"This gryphon was not for you," she said, arching one brow.

"Sorry," Erin said, her voice shaky as she appeared close to tears. Bright, hearing the distress, turned and nuzzled her gently, which still knocked the slight girl sideways. She had to shift her weight to keep from falling. She reached up, though, stroking his cheek beside his beak as he chirped softly, enjoying the attention.

Sarah noted the interaction and sighed.

"You have bonded." It wasn't a question. "I should have realised from seeing you fly together."

"It wasn't intentional," Erin murmured. "I swear. Nor was it Geoffrey's fault. Please don't tell the guild it was!"

Sarah regarded her, face impassive though she was impressed that the young woman's concern was for her master, and not herself. Guild law was strict on such matters, only a Rider could take flight with a gryphon and for good reason.

There were years of training before an apprentice would have the chance, and even then, if they were unable to form a bond with a gryphon they would lose their place in the guild. There was no use for a gryphon rider who couldn't ride.

She, herself, had tried three gryphons' before establishing a bond with Greyquill, and there were girls who had trained for years desperate for the chance to try. Including one that Sarah had been training and for whom the gryphon before her had been intended.

"It is done," she muttered, shaking her head, weary beyond words. Whatever energy she'd had left, had been used in the fight, and it was only the battle thrill that had kept her going. But with that fading, exhaustion clawed at her, threatening to drag her down.

Erin lifted her head, looking up at the noblewoman, unsure of what she meant.

"Gather your gryphon, girl," Sarah said. "And follow me to the roost."

For a moment Erin didn't understand and then it hit her, what the noblewoman had said. To gather 'her' gryphon.

She looked up into Bright's eyes, a surge of fierce joy flaring in her breast.

He was hers!