Something rumbled and cracked from the direction of the stream, followed by a heavy breathing like the bellows of a hellish forge. The ground shook again, and Uthalion stood, breaking his stunned silence. “Run.”
Ghaelya sprinted wide-eyed behind Uthalion. Brindani kept close behind her, and behind him came the snapping of trees and the dry scraping of rough skin over leaves and dirt. Unseen claws pulled at the earth, ripping trees from their roots.
She didn’t dare turn to look, imagining its hot breath washing over her, her thrashing legs caught in an unbreakable grip as the thing keened in victory.
Childhood stories flashed through her mind, and she cursed at the memory, knowing the Mother of Nightmares had found her and knew her name. The pale serpent of her old fears, with its long fangs and madly rolling eyes, would devour her and forget the taste in an instant as it clacked its cold teeth and whined for more.
YOUR WORST FEARS THRIVE
ON THE FRONTIER OF AKANÛL.