We immediately all take positions.

Fear pounds in my heart but somehow I'm not as fearful as before, even though there are three creatures now. One looks like a bear, but with sharp elongated teeth pointed in all directions. The other is serpentine and slender, resembling our winged friend from before.

And then the last of them, the largest of them all, has a horn in the middle of his head and glittering blue eyes.

Blue eyes that look so familiar I can almost see them recreated in one of the books that the Raven Lord showed me.

The True Heart Gem.

Before I can react, it roars. The sheer force that it generates pushes a few of us to the ground. I'm flung back several steps, but at least I land on my feet.

I swallow, stilling my panic.

Relax, Adria.

After all, we’ve faced these monsters and survived, twice now. And we learned things about the monsters too. We learned the winged one has despicable eyesight and moves based on sound and I'm assuming smell. Their leader is large enough that his every movement causes the ground to shake, and I imagine his attack would wreak havoc on the forest, which The Forest will obviously have a problem with. Perhaps, if we target that one and lure him into creating as much mass destruction as possible, she will be forced to put it down.

The third beast is a mystery to me but I'm sure I can figure it out in just a few moments.

If only they would give us time to think.

“That one,” the prince announces then gestures to the biggest one that’s sniffing the air and advancing on us slowly. “It can’t sense us very well unless we move."

“He seems to be sensing us well enough," Tia says, and the winged one turns its head towards her. She steps back and says. "What on earth are they waiting for?”

The Prince glances at me and I glance to Wolf. His eyes are on the large beast.

“I’m not sure,” I answer the question. “Should we attack?”

“Wait.” This is from Wolf, bitten out of the side of his mouth. He still has his eyes locked eyes on the animal that is rearing its head in several different directions. It's lips part and show off sharp grisly teeth but it doesn't seem to be bearing it as a threat, more so....flashing it?

And Wolf’s expression is odd too.

If I didn’t know any better, I would think that he was conversing mentally with the thing.

“Let’s attack now,” Jace says. “I don’t care what they’re doing but our best defense is an immediate offense. We should split up in teams. Paisley and I have experience with the one on the left, the saber-toothed bear, so we should take that. Right, Paisley? "

Paisley's face is pale. He’s holding onto a long, shiny sword, that I didn't see on him earlier – probably retractable – but his hands shake as he grips the hilt.

My heart beats out of my chest and we wait for even more untenable moments as Wolf continues to stare at the largest beast. Tense seconds trickle by and I think I hear the forest grumble in my mind.

Odd. The forest hasn't said much to me lately.

Is it because of all the chaos? Is her concentration focused on these animals and ensuring they don't tear down her whole forest?

And then the most miraculous thing happens. The bear creature takes a step forward but then the bigger creatures snarls towards the other two, and they take a step back. Then they take another step back even though the creature turns back to Wolf. It assumes that same flashing teeth motion, that I'm coming to realize is a pattern.

I guess that's confirmed. Wolf is talking to them.

"Unbelievable.” The prince mutters letting me know that I’m not going insane and he’s witnessing this too.

The monsters are not attacking us. They’re not ripping us limb from limb because Wolf is telling them not to.

I've never witnessed anything like this before.

Wolf nods his head toward Tia, pointing and saying, "You go first. Follow that path. There should be a way out."

"Why me?" Tia asks.

"You're the smallest and least threatening."

"Gee thanks," Tia mutters but she doesn't hesitate. She moves slowly, edging around the creatures her eyes wide with fear and disbelief. When she makes it to the other side, she takes off running.

"You next," Wolf tells me.

But before I can move, a groan splits the air.

We both glance towards Brute, propped against the tree. His eyes flutter open and he rubs his head, wincing when he touches the growing knot.

And then when his eyes open fully, he glances around and meets the gaze of the monsters.

“Argh!” He jumps to his feet with surprising agility. In one quick move, he unsheathes his sword and charges toward the monster.

Wolf growls. "Stop you idiot."

"No!" The Prince and I shout in unison but it’s too late.

Brute lunges his sword at the larger monster's chest and it sinks in a few inches.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

The monster roars and slashes his clawed hand through the air.

The gust of wind from the roar once again sends us back. Brute holds his ground, and ducks to avoid the blow and the worst of the wind. Then he rips the sword out and swings it again.

The bear creature charges forward and snaps his jaws over Brute's arm with a sickening crunch. Brute shouts as the arm is ripped clean off at the elbow.

The stench of blood saturates the air as all hell breaks loose.

The Bear lunges again, but the Prince runs to drive his sword between the monster's teeth, saving Brute from another grisly attack.

The biggest creature roars and runs for us, but he's blocked by Wolf who grabs it by its tusk. He digs his feet in, effortfully holding it back.

Meanwhile, the serpentine monster flies over its head, descending at me, Savannah, Paisley, and Jace.

We scatter in different directions as the monster lands, spraying gravel all over the air.

It runs after Savannah first but Jace blocks, and leaps onto its back, stabbing his short sword into it, over and over.

"Die you creature!" he yells as he does and the creature screeches and then takes off, with Jace on its back.

“No!" I shout. If it takes flight and drops Jace from the air, he'll die.

We're distracted by a shout and spin around to see that the Prince is now facing the monster without a weapon, his sword broken on the ground. Brute may be wounded but he's not out either. One bloody half-arm hangs limply on his side, while he slams his other fist into the side of the monster's face. As it turns to him, the Prince attacks the creature from behind attempting a flying kick combo.

But it's not enough.

"You go help them Sav," I say and she nods already in motion.

“Paisley, we have to go help Jace,” I order. Wolf seems to be handling the other creature well, so it's just us we have to worry about.

But then Paisley turns tail and takes off running in the wrong direction.

“Damn.” His cowardice truly knows no bounds. Although I can't blame him for his self-preservation, if we don't stick together here, we'll all get killed.

But almost as soon as he leaves, I see the creature weaving through the branches.

The monster’s eyes lock on Paisley's retreating back and then it takes off after him.

Jace tears through the bushes at almost the same time.

There's black and red blood on the front of his tunic and a scar on his cheek but he doesn't seem any worse for the wear.

"I wounded it," he shouts. "But not enough."

“Let’s go,” I say and we run after the flying monster.

When we happen upon them, we find Paisley fending off the monster by brandishing his sword at it while he backs up to the edge of something.

The monster seems to steer shy of the sword, but he's not leaving Paisley alone.

"That's the cliff you were talking about?" he asks and Jace nods.

“Jace,” I say. “Let's surround it. If we manage to wound even one of its wings we can make it fall off the cliff."

“Got it," Jace says.

Without question, we slowly inch closer to the creature, surrounding it from both sides.

I try to recall every bit of training Wolf has given me, my heart pounding in my chest. I also pray, to whatever deity has brought me to this point.

Voice, this would be time to lend me any more strength you have.

And awaken any other powers.

It chuckles of course, and the monster's eyes turn, snagging on mine.

It doesn't move for a second, and a glimmer of hope sparks.

Maybe I can talk to I talk to it like Wolf.

"I don’t want to hurt you,” I tell it. "Just let us be."

But it doesn’t work the same. It simply snarls and charges at me once again.

In that split second, I have no choice but to follow through.

"Paisley, when I say go, you give Jace your sword,” I shout as I jump out of the way and stab my dagger into the creature's side.

It screams and whips wildly attempting to dislodge it, but I hold on, gritting my teeth as I lose my footing and my body drags on the ground before lifting into the air. At the last minute, I twist and propel myself onto the creature's back.

It's a rough landing and I slip off when the wings flap send a gust of air my way. But then I pull myself in to sit on its scaly skin, the ridges on its back scratching against my palm and chaffing my thighs.

The creature roars and tries to shoot straight up, and I grab it by the ears, holding on.

It doesn't take flight. Instead, it nearly falls back, screaming. That seemed to have hurt it a lot.

The ears are a sensitive spot.

I twist its ears and it screams again whipping wildly.

It snaps its heavy jaws in the air and tries to turn its head to bite me but I dodge, shielding myself behind its large head. I twist the ear again and it turns with me. Finally, it faces the lake and shoots forward ready to escape into the air.

"Now Jace!" I scream and I see him running and grabbing the sword Paisley tosses in mid-air. He runs for the cliff edge and stands ready to slice the creature's wings right as it's about to go over.

And I'm going to leap off its back at just the right moment too.

Please let this work.

"Argh!" As the creature approaches the edge, I get a last-minute view of the cliff, a long rocky dip down into vast water, and then I jump off its back.

At the same time, I get an upside-down view, of Jace slicing through one of the creature's wings.

It releases a blood-curdling screech and dips to the side. The other wing flaps desperately try to maintain its flight but it's no use. It screams as it drops.

Unfortunately, the tail wraps around Paisley's leg and takes him down with him.

Everything that comes next happens so fast.

“No!"

Before the echo sounds, Jace without a thought, throws himself off the edge too.

"Jace!" I scream, reaching for him but I fall on my knees and clutch at air.

Horrified, I approach the edge, looking down in horror.

To my relief, I still see Jace, an arm's length away, one hand holding onto a jagged rock embedded in the side of the cliff. His grip looks anything but steady and there's blood on his fingers. His other hand grabs onto Paisley's tunic as the other boy swings in the air.

Far below them is the creature unmoving in the water.

“Shit,” Jace says and glances at me. “Can you hold me?”

“I don’t know. I think I'll need to get Wolf."

"No. That'll take too much time. Listen, just help me get Paisley first then we'll worry about me. Don't worry, he's light as a feather."

"Let me go," Paisley says.

"Not happening," Jace says. "Climb me."

"You'll die if you hold on!"

"Then don't waste my time," Jace snaps. "Climb you, dainty bastard."

Paisley grits his teeth and then swings his arms to grab around Paisley's waist.

Jace supports him with the other hand, as Paisley inches higher and higher, gripping Jace tight at each turn. Then when he's high enough that both men are hugging each other, I reach down offering my hand.

Paisley grabs it.

He's a lot heavier than he looks but I lean back and dig my knees into the ground. I still shift forward a few inches as Paisley swings in the air but then his feet must have landed against a rock and he uses that to take some of the weight off me and propel himself upward.

The minute he grabs the edge, he lets go of my hand and pulls himself up.

"Okay, Jace," I say reaching down. "Grab onto the both of us."

Jace's face is pale, his expression strained. His eyes pained.

"I don't know if I can," he says. "I think I've held on all I can and I don't want to drag the two of you down with me."

"We can do it, Jace." I'm tired after the fight with the monster and saving Paisley, but I'll put everything I can into saving Jace. There's simply no other choice. "Just take my hand."

"Grab on," Paisley says, reaching down too.

But Jace can only swing his arm weakly, before it drops to his side, missing both of us.

"Try again." My voice is desperate, shaky from the terrible thoughts tearing through me. I won't consider them. "Please Jace."

But he simply smiles at me as his eyes close, terrifying me the more.

"Talk to your father Paisley," Jace says, his voice sounding far too calm. "And take care of my mother Adria."

My heart beats with genuine fear. He's not going to do it. He can't do this to me. He simply can't.

"Jace," I say carefully, my voice tight and weak. "Don't you dare–"

But then he does it. I don't know if he lets go or his grip gives up but either way, he slips.

And falls.

"Jace!!!"