Nanowrimo 2023 Best Bit and Word Count - Day 10 (Patreon)

I managed to catch back up by adding 2,141 words to my project, bringing my total to 16,703!

“Your Highness,” Addie called, her voice barely more than a whisper. “Get in the carriage.”

Ayden turned, frustration causing her brows to furrow. What could possibly be so dangerous about a girl across a magically created gorge that required her to return to the carriage? Her question died on her lips, however, as her gaze landed on what Addie was actually worried about.

A creature from the trees stalked towards her, its midnight pelt covered in grey stripes. Claw-tipped paws gripped the broken dirt with each step, fangs the length of her arm nearly dragging on the ground. A forked tail whipped back and forth as pointed ears twitched this way and that, searching for competition for the prey in front of it.

“Ayden, get in the carriage!” Laurent shouted. He was louder than necessary. Too loud. Or maybe, Ayden thought as her panicked mind began to race, that was the point. To draw the beast’s attention away from her so she could stand a chance of making it to the safety of the carriage.

But even if Ayden could feasibly make it to the carriage, she could not seem to force herself to move. Her body shook as she stared the beast down, its eyes too bright, too wide. It began to approach her faster, bounding over the dry, cracked soil.

“Ayden, run!” Laurent repeated, sprinting along the gorge to try and intercept the beast first.

He was too slow. He’d never make it in time.

Ayden felt that heaviness in her veins once more, her whole body seeming to vibrate under her skin. She lifted her can off the ground, one hand wrapped around the nested opal just under its handle and the other wrapped around the mother of pearl shaft. The shouts of her companions echoed in her ears, though she could not hear their words. A fourth voice joined the fray, the young woman across the chasm.

Just as the creature made to pounce, Ayden moved. Faster than she’d ever been before, faster than anyone could ever be, she moved in parallel with the beast, drawing her sword from her cane and running the blade along the creature’s flank. Before she’d even had time to blink, she was halfway back towards the tree line. A spray of blue-grey blood painted the ground behind her. The beast’s pained roar filled the air. But Ayden could only stare at her hands, shaking as they gripped the handle of her sword.

“Your Highness, watch out!”

Ayden turned, brandishing her sword in preparation for another attack. The beast turned on her, letting out a garbled hiss. The wound she inflicted upon it clearly looked worse than it was. She braced for another exchange of blows.

But someone beat her to it. A thunderous cracking sound filled the air, and something struck the beast in the side of the head, sending it toppling over with the force of it. Ayden’s eyes snapped towards the carriage just in time to see Percival lowering a strange looking weapon. He turned to her, his gaze sharp and refusing to argue.

“Get in the carriage. Now.”

Ayden nodded, hobbling towards the carriage with a slightly too short cane in one hand and her sword in another. Before she could reach it, however, Percival’s eyes went wide in fear. Ayden whirled on her heels to see the beast rushing towards her. Again, she felt the heaviness in her veins. She rushed the beast headlong. She thrust with her sword.

The creature let out a gargling howl as her blade pierced its skull right between the eyes. The momentum pushed her back several feet as its lifeless body skidded along the ground. When she finally stopped sliding, she held her breath. No one moved. No one dared even blink.

A long moment passed, and only then was Ayden confident that the beast was well and truly dead. She pulled her sword from its body. And then she felt herself falling. All strength left her as her body became heavy and rigid.

She hit the ground, completely and utterly exhausted as she had never been before.

“Lord di Vermillion,” she called, eyes staring up at the grey sky. “I believe you’ll need to help me to the carriage. I seem to be incapable of moving at this time.”