Willow and I dress rapidly before bolting to the shoreline with the other women. Their shouting is boisterous as they watch the flaming boat rock toward us.
Hassha appears, pushing between a thick line of women. The flames reflect off her silver eye, and her lips part as if this is the last thing she expected. The flames ignite from the sails to the massive wooden body, rippling through each crevice and corner.
Hassha swims in the water, climbing up a flameless half of the boat and returning in a matter of seconds with a woman in her arms. She lays her on the sand then springs onto the boat again like a force of nature, going back and forth until she’s rescued three other women. All of them cough and splutter as the others gather around, lowering to their knees to assist them.
“What’s happened?” I ask when Hassha returns. Her white hair clings to her forehead and cheeks. Soot is on her arms and legs.
“It’s Decius,” she says. Her voice is so low I almost can’t hear her. Then, in a flash, she’s on the boat again, this time coming off with a charred barrel. She places the barrel in the sand, then faces the enflamed boat again. One mighty kick from her foot sends the boat flying toward the middle of the ocean to collapse in ruins.
“Open the barrel,” Hassha orders, pointing her gaze to Milandra. Milandra rips it open, revealing thick chunks of black wood with silver linings. The silver of the wood emits a menacing glimmer—one that doesn’t appear to be from this world at all.
Hassha turns to me, shoulders squared. “We’ll make your weapons, and then you must go. I’m afraid the longer you’re here, the more danger my tribe is in.”
“What did Decius do?” Willow asks.
Hassha stifles a sigh, holding it in and swallowing it down. “He must’ve known they were coming here with the wood and tried setting fire to it before they reached Kessel borders.”
“How would he have known?”
“It was always a possibility,” Hassha releases that pent up sigh, focusing on Willow. “He was ruler of The Trench, so he still has a connection to it, whether he’s there or not. Though I covered my warriors with my energy so that he could not harm or feel them, there are eyes all over The Trench. Someone must’ve informed him.” She gestures to the women. “My protection is why they are still alive and not roasting on that boat.”
Everyone stands a moment, allowing her words to digest. My eyes shift from her to the burning, sinking boat, and then down at the silvery chunks of wood. We’re fortunate the wood inside didn’t completely burn.
A rapid splashing noise sounds in the distance, like someone is chopping water. The warrior women turn quickly, raising their shields and pointing their spears toward the ocean.
Willow clings to my arm, and I squint my eyes, trying to find the source of the noise. At first, I don’t see a thing but the boat collapsing in the distance, flames reflecting on the waters. The warriors take a step toward the shore in unison, eyes alert, the moon causing the silver points to gleam.
Something is coming.
It’s out there.
I feel it.
The chopping stops. The water settles. Breath bated, we all watch the ocean, searching the expanse of the waters. Then, something shoots into the air, bringing a surge of spray with it.
“Kessala!” Milandra hollers, and the warriors raise their shields as the drenched figure plummets from the air full speed.
The creature collapses on top of Milandra’s shield, and with a grunt, she shoves the creature onto the ground, sending it flying several feet, but it only rises again, its bones cracking, neck bent at an alarming angle. It raises its arms like a spider about to attack its prey. Its flesh is saggy, it’s teeth sharp like brown razors as they gnash at the women.
“What the hell is that?” Willow’s voice is laced with fear as she stands behind me.
I glare at the creature as it takes a step forward, despite the warriors pointing their spears at it. If I’m not mistaken, that thing was a person before. It appears to have risen from the dead, its skin pallid and dense.
“Kassala, heel!” Hassha roars, and she rushes around her warriors, her hands ignited and a blue beam firing toward the creature. It dodges the beam, its body bending and cracking as it lands on all fours. It’s head jerks right, neck cracking to look directly at me and Willow. I push Willow into Milandra, who catches her and tows her away, just as the creature leaps in the air then tackles me to the ground.
