Chapter 22

As day crept into night, Cedric took slow, steady steps around the circle of his campsite, the icy sword strapped tightly to his waist. A path wore into the dry earth where Jar'ra and Sephr had walked the same route earlier in the day. He watched as the shadows grew long and the fog rolled in where the sun could no longer reach. Bands of light stretched out across the dense forest, painting a twisted maze of light and fog.

Cedric stopped in his tracks as soon as he saw them. In the thorny thicket, not too far from where his protective circle ended, two red eyes blinked. They weren't as large as the Screamer, but the feeling of dread at seeing the violent shade staring at him had him wanting to run back to his tent.

His hand grabbed the hilt of the sword out of trained instinct, and the creature stepped out into the light.