A loud cry shattered the air and a small gold form dove at the beast’s human face. The beast paused in its pursuit of Shal to fend off this new annoyance. It raised its stinger-tail and tried to stab the gargoyle with it. Shal wasted no time; she took advantage of that moment to close the gap between herself and the dagger. Throwing her entire body toward the blade, she landed on the cold, wet snow and felt the handle push into her palm. Her fingers closed automatically around it.

At the same time, Giska flew beyond the reach of the beast’s sharp end and the beast turned around to face Shal again. Shal poised in a crouched position, the dagger held before her. She didn’t know what she should do, but at least she was no longer defenseless. The beast’s face stared at her with a b...

Please subscribe to keep reading.