Dragonbound: Birthrights (Book 2)
Venom

They had gone about Priuti, but found it difficult to replace any answers they needed. There was no way they could get information straight from the princess without using their real names. Otherwise, she wouldn’t give them the time of day.

It wasn't safe to remain there. Now that the princess of Trindal was aligned with Trindal-VinCar again, it would prove foolish to stay. Thus, Kiaran had decided to leave. Perhaps the other Destine could provide what they needed.

Kiaran sat outside her tent, enjoying the coolness of the midnight air. There was no fire, the only light provided by the moon and stars above them. Ryker slept on his blanket not too far, Davin inside his tent. Her mind was busy, thinking of what the strange girl had told her.

One of the most powerful women to live happened to be her cousin. Sterjia, who was likely her strongest enemy, was a blood relative.

How would they get to Sterjia to kill her? Perhaps Sterjia could visit Avestitia to form an alliance, but before she could retaliate, Kiaran could slay her right there.

Her hand moved over her chin, touching a thin scar that lined her jaw. It was too simple to work. She would likely send a proxy rather than go herself, anyway. This would be something to talk with Cyrin about.

She lied back in the grass, listening to the bugs chirp. Inhaling deeply, she closed her eyes, becoming lost in thought. Nurra climbed across her belly, lying his head on her chest.

It should not be too difficult to kill just one woman. Then, things should return to the way they were...And yet...this only seemed to weigh heavier on her heart. This was not going to end peacefully. This would take a lot of blood and it will likely cause a war.

On the other hand, her thoughts had drifted to Davin's situation with Walter. As painful as it was to admit, his betrayal didn't affect her as it should have. She seemed used to the idea of corruption and back-stabbing. It was unfortunate, and she did like the man. However, it came as no real surprise.

In just another night’s travel, they’d be at the other Destine’s home to learn more. Within weeks, things would be back to normal for Avestitia.

The soft sound of thunder from miles away filled Kiaran’s ears. The weather changed often in Trindal, and it put Kiaran on edge. Although the sky was still clear around them, she moved inside her tent, hoping to keep the storm off her mind. After her rest, perhaps her thoughts would clear and she could focus again.

The next thing she new, Davin barged into the tent, his voice alarming, “Kiaran, get up.”

“What?” she tossed herself onto her back, rubbing a hand across her face. She didn't even realize she had fallen asleep.

“We need to go.” He yanked the blankets from her and grasped her by the elbow, pulling her out of the tent.

“What is going on?” she growled as she was dragged out on her knees. She lifted her eyes, looking just past Davin. A few feet ahead stood Ryker, his back to them. He held a hand in front of himself, a soft hue of blue glowing from him. Ahead of the boy stood a massive black figure against the stormy sky. It looked like it had skinny legs sticking out of its body. Eyes covered its face, glimmering green as lightening streaked the sky. White fangs jetted from its massive mouth, each fang nearly as tall as Kiaran.

Kiaran’s insides twisted as her eyes widened. It was a spider--the size of a large house. Its attention was on Ryker as he kept his hand in the air. It was as if he had it in a trance.

Davin pulled her to her feet, thunder rolling above them. Raindrops gently began falling, but picked up in strength. His fingers tightened around her elbow as he watched Ryker take a step back.

“I can’t hold it for much longer,” Ryker shouted over the wind.

“Then let’s go!” Kiaran shouted.

The spider’s eyes shot to Kiaran and she nearly fell backwards. “Go!” Ryker screamed.

Davin thrust Kiaran aside and darted toward the boy. The spider threw a leg toward them, crashing into the ground. Clumps of earth and grass flew through the air. Davin had plowed into Ryker just in time, slamming to the grass and rolling away. Instantly, he snatched him up and ran.

Kiaran’s eyes moved over the spider, the silver streams of rain running down its fangs. The two darted into the woods, disappearing into the darkness.

Kiaran, too, ran for the trees, leaving their things behind. She had darted into the woods opposite of where Davin and Ryker had gone.

Her heart raced. That thing was certainly not normal. She was horrified and had no idea how to fight it. It was best to hide and hope to replace her companions again soon.

Her breath came fast and loud, her heart thrumming in her ears. The branches above her held the rain, only a few drops falling. It was pitch black, not a sliver of light anywhere. She came to a stop, holding a hand in front of her blindly. She inched forward, her fingers touching a tree nearby. Her ears perked as the rain trickled down the branches. Leaves rustled around her, yet there was no wind. Her skin grew hot...Something was not right.

Meanwhile, Davin dashed through the darkness, dodging trees and sliding beneath a fallen one. Ryker squirmed, growling, “Davin, you should have stayed with her!”

“What?” he hissed. “I saved you from that thing back there.”

He wormed his way from Davin’s grip and shouted, “That spider was just a protector. We need to worry about her babies. And I think Kiaran just ran into them!”

Davin pulled himself out from under the tree, wiping his damp hair from his face. “We need to replace her,” he said.

“Yes--That’s what I’ve been trying to say,” Ryker grunted.

The giant spider moved through the trees, knocking branches to the ground. Rain fell harder from the thunderous sky. Ryker darted through the forest with ease, dodging the falling branches. Davin moved behind him at a much slower pace, his agility not so strong.

A thick branch fell between them, Davin falling to the forest floor. Mud and splinters flew through the air, splattering across his arms. He narrowed his eyes to replace the boy weaving through the spider’s legs and disappearing into the woods where Kiaran was.

One of the spider’s legs slid across the moist ground, slamming against Davin’s side as he stood. He wrapped his arms around its leg as it thrust him into the air. He was flung away, crashing into a tree and sliding down the trunk. Its leg came down, crushing Davin’s already crippled arm.

His hand and forearm were crushed; blood poured out from the abrasions. His hand shot to the wounds and he shouted out in pain. Curling up, he grimaced and his eyes were forced shut.

The spider moved on, kicking through the trees. Ryker’s small hand grasped Davin by the shoulder and he shot up. “I need to heal your arm,” he said.

“No,” he retorted, “You must help Kiaran.”

“She can manage until we get to her. If I don’t fix your arm now, it’s likely that you will lose it all together,” he pressed.

“I will give up my arm to keep her alive,” he shouted. His arm throbbed with his pulse, the hot blood mixing with the rain. “Get to her and make sure she is safe.”

Ryker narrowed his eyes at the man and pushed him to sit up rest of the way. Quickly, he yanked Davin’s hand from his crushed arm and placed both hands on it. His fingers tightened around his swelling and grotesque arm, his eyes focused heavily.

It looked as if light were pouring out from between their skins, glowing silver and white. Blood poured out worse than before and Davin howled in pain. The boy’s hands tightened even further as he clenched his jaws. The little boy used every muscle in his body to heal Davin. And soon enough, his arm was healed.

Ryker fell backward, catching himself with his hands. He breathed heavily as his sight wavered. Davin stared at his arm in awe, twisting his hand side to side. It was perfect. Simply covered in blood, but not a scar left. His eyes shot to Ryker who fell back, nearly unconscious.

He yanked the boy up, his body limp and his eyes hardly open. He shook him, saying, “You cannot pass out, boy. I need you awake for this.”

“Just hide me and replace Kiaran.” His voice was slurred and strung out as he dropped his head again. “I will be unnoticed,” he added. “Promise.”

He nodded as he hoisted him up, holding him under his arm. He rushed across the forest floor until he reached a cluster of fallen trees. Carefully, he placed Ryker underneath and said, “I will return for you the second I can.” Before leaving, he pulled off his coat and covered Ryker's upper body and head with it, hoping it might keep some of the rain off of him.

Davin rushed through the woods and came to a halt. He crouched down, sneaking around the giant, black spider. Its attention was elsewhere, simply walking about slowly. Finally getting past their old campsite, he made it to Kiaran’s side of the woods.

He stepped slowly, the trees becoming closer together, as if forming tunnels. He narrowed his eyes to see through the darkness, though it did little to help. The trees above him formed a tight roof, only a few drops of rain getting through. There were no leaves on the ground, but it seemed to crunch slightly.

Looking down, he found webs to completely cover the earth and roots. His gaze climbed up the trees nearby, replaceing them to be smothered with silver strings, a few dead animals caught within them. It was so thick and solid, it was almost like stone. Like caverns.

His insides tightened as he forced himself to move forward. “Of all things,” he mumbled, sick to his stomach. Of anything to be in this damned forest, it was a giant spider.

“Kiaran,” he called without any response. He pushed on, calling her name again.

The sound of a heavy thud met his ears and he turned toward it. There was another thud with some grunting and then Kiaran fell into view. She tried to stand, but her legs were motionless. Her arms shook as her entire body grew weak. Her eyes moved up to Davin’s as she nearly began to cry.

He shot to her side and pulled her up. She was limp, her legs still motionless. “Are you paralyzed?” he asked in shock.

“My legs are,” she croaked. He swung her body into his arms, holding her like a child, and turned the way he had come. She was covered in dirt and bite marks which were swollen and dark in color. He tightened his grip on her.

The mother spider stood at the entrance, pacing. He had nowhere to go. Spinning back around, he saw several smaller spiders watching them. The faint light caught in hundreds of eyes as they watched. “We have to go that way, don’t we?” he breathed.

Kiaran’s skin was covered with sweat, yet she shivered. Her muscles quivered slightly against him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, gripping him shakily. Resting her forehead on his shoulder, she inhaled deeply. “I think the paralysis is spreading,” she breathed lethargically.

She could feel the fire moving from the bites on her legs up her body. Soon enough it would reach her lungs, and she would suffocate. She bit her lower lip as she closed her eyes. She might die.

Never did she think she'd die from a spider's bite.

Davin rushed them through the darkness, careful not to trip. The cool air wafted over them, carrying a heavy, dead scent. Every step he took jarred her body and she whimpered in pain. His hands tightened on her as his brows lowered.

“Don't worry, Kiaran,” he soothed her. “I’ll get you to Ryker and he can heal you.”

She didn’t want to die. Before, she never truly cared if she survived or not...but she now had family and friends. She had a purpose. She did not want to die. Not yet. What else was there for her to experience?

Davin’s foot slipped and he fell to one knee. Kiaran’s body dropped slightly and she whimpered through gritted teeth. Her arms tightened around him and he pulled her back into his arms. Looking up, she saw spiders lowering on their threads from the trees above them. “Go, go,” she hissed.

He pushed himself back up, his right arm pulsing with pain. Despite that, he continued on at a quick rate. His breath burned in his chest, his heart racing faster than it had in a while.

Coming to a stop, he cursed. Ahead of him was a massive pit in the ground. A lake of murky, nasty water sat ahead of them, webs clinging to the large boulders surrounding it. Just past the lake was a wall of rocks and several feet up was an exit. It was small and they’d have to crawl through it, but it was an exit nonetheless.

“Spiders...don’t like...water, right?” he asked slowly.

“What?” she breathed with difficulty.

Sighing sharply, he climbed the rocks down to the lake. Not a single web was touching the water; they sat back a few feet from the shores. Stepping toward it, his insides twisted. The water was nearly black and covered in moss.

He hesitated at the water, but finally moved into it. Just as he put his boots into the water, he froze. The smell of rotting flesh filled the air as the water was disturbed.

“Oh...That...” Kiaran exhaled heavily in disgust.

He cursed again as he backed out. The lake was more blood than water, bits of flesh and clothing floating around. The lumps that stood in the water were not rocks or logs, but rotting animals and men. “What kind of place is this?” he hissed.

A lake of blood and death--Why would such a thing exist?

Near thirty spiders, some as large as deer, made their way toward them. “We have to go through it,” Kiaran said fearfully.

“What? No,” he shook his head, “It won’t stop them.”

“Their other food was all dried up, only bones left behind...But this lake...they still have their flesh, so the spiders are not going into it,” she urged. “You must go or we will die.”

Her legs pulsed and her body began growing numb. He hesitated before stepping back into the water. “We are not going to die,” he replied lowly.

He moved forward, trying not to vomit. Kiaran buried her face into his shoulder once more, attempting to ignore their nauseating surroundings. The fleshy, soup-like lake lapped at Davin’s belt, Kiaran’s feet submerged.

He kept at waist deep, walking around the lake rather than through it. However, the closer he got to the wall, the deeper it got. Soon enough, he’d have to swim through it. He was unsure if he’d be able to do that.

Taking another step, he found a dip in the ground and he fell forward. Kiaran fell from his hands and she splashed about in a panic.

Davin’s arms swung through the water until he found her. She wrapped her fingers around his arms and he pulled her back to the surface. They inhaled together, blood and bits of flesh dripping down their faces. Kiaran coughed heavily, spitting the water from her mouth. She nearly began crying, disgusted.

“This is unnatural and disgusting,” she shuttered. “I-This is...”

He pulled her toward himself, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Kiaran,” he tried to get her attention. She continued to gasp for breath, her eyes darting around in horror. Her fingers tightened around her wrists as they locked behind his neck.

Her voice shook as she said, “I-I...We need...”

“Kiaran,” he barked. Her silver eyes shot to him, glowing against the red water draining from her black hair. She was purely horrified. “We need to focus,” he said sternly.

With his crippled arm, he held her against himself, using the other to swim toward the exit. It was slow moving, the spiders following from the shore. The stench of the decay around them filled their lungs, Kiaran gagging slightly. Davin kept swimming.

Just ahead of them was a half rotted body, still wrapped in torn clothing. He grimaced as he shoved it aside. It floated a few feet away, allowing them to pass. Kiaran’s muscles shuttered and he whispered, “Close your eyes.”

Without hesitation, she did. Her body was pressed tightly against his side, his arm wrapped around her. She kept her arms folded around his neck. The things that floated in the lake bumped against Davin’s legs as he kicked them aside. He forced himself forward, the spiders off shore heading toward the same wall as the blood-covered duo.

“We’re almost there,” he said softly. The water splashed against Davin’s chin. Kiaran’s arms tensed as she floated against his side.

Once at the wall, his free hand reached forward, touching the stone. There were a few rocks along the bottom of the water that he could stand on. The hole in the wall was only a few feet above them. With all his strength, he pulled Kiaran out of the water. Using his left arm, he shoved her toward the wall. She grasped the rocks and pulled herself with all her might.

Miraculously, she pulled herself out of the water. The spiders raced toward them across the wall. In great desperation, Davin scaled the wall and made it into the hole. They were on their bellies, having to crawl through. Kiaran pulled herself forward inch by inch with her hands. Davin pushed her legs so she could hurry.

She narrowed her eyes, seeing a bit of lightening flashing ahead of her. A cool breeze touched her face and she grew anxious, moving faster. Finally, she came to the exit and fell through, landing a foot below in the grass. Davin crawled out behind, sitting in the grass beside her. Without a moment to pause, Davin used all of his remaining strength to roll a boulder in front of the small hole.

It grew difficult to draw breath for Kiaran. She rested a hand across her belly, her eyes closed as the rain poured onto her face. It felt like a numbing waterfall, crashing on her with great power. Her brows lowered as she fought so hard to keep her lungs working.

Davin stood, lifting her in his arms again, his muscles quivered in retaliation. Her body was much more limp than moments ago. He looked to her and his heart dropped. Her chest rose with her shallow breaths, her mouth parted to breath through. Her eyes lazily drifted to him and he spoke with angst, “You will be fine, Kiaran.”

Her lips smiled for only a split second before she gasped for more air. Davin darted forward, looking for anything that might help. Should he hide her to replace Ryker? He was the only one to save her, but he refused to leave her alone. However, his shoulder was burning and his body refused to cooperate with the extra weight.

He fell to his knees, the hole that led to the spiders far behind him. His fingers began to tremble as he held Kiaran, her breath nearly at a standstill. He cursed past a lump forming in his throat. How could he allow her to die? He growled as he squeezed her, his eyes tightening shut. The rain fell over them, washing away some of the gore. Lightening flashed across the sky, lighting up their surroundings.