I tried to move away from him, putting distance between us while still engaged with three of the creatures. They seemed to be multiplying, one becoming two, then more, their forms shifting in ways that defied logic. I dodged and struck, trying to keep Adrian out of my peripheral, but that tingling followed like a shadow. Why couldn't I shake him? The bond mocked me, even in battle. Then suddenly, the air filled with a bunch of human screams—our people, not the screeches from the creatures. The sound pierced me, raw and desperate, and I turned just in time to see the ground open. I mean, split into two right there, a gaping crack swallowing warriors whole as they fought.
Their faces twisted in shock, arms flailing, before the earth sealed right back, burying them alive. My blood ran cold,
