by Clayton Wood
“He went that way,” a female voice stated, gentle but firm. The hand lifted off his shoulder, pointing to the forest beyond the shore. He nodded, spotting footprints leading from the shore toward the tree line, and raised one hand.
“I’ll take a few men,” he signed. “I’ll find him.”
“No,” the voice behind him retorted. “You need to finish healing first. Then go.”
Xerxes grunted, raising one hand to his neck, feeling the sharp indent in the middle of his neck, his fingers dipping into the soft flesh there. Though his new head was fully formed, the armor covering it hadn’t finished regenerating; he needed to eat more to fuel his recovery.
“They’ll come after him,” he signed. “The humans.”
“I know,” came her reply. She sighed. “They’ll come after him…and us.”
Xerxes nodded, not for the first time wishing he could speak fluently like her. It hadn’t always been like this, of course. He’d been able to speak quite well in the past. But every minute he spent away from her – every minute he spent with his people, with the countless beetles living in those damn tunnels – he lost more of his humanity. What little remained of it, anyway. The worst part was that he was starting to prefer it, that alien part of him slowly taking over.
He was becoming like the others. The Lost.
“We’ll protect him,” he signed. “We’ve survived this long.”
“This time will be different,” she warned. “They’ll bring everything they have.”
“We should attack first then,” he signed, making quick, angry motions. “Kill them before they can kill us. We’re stronger than they are.”
Another sigh.
“Perhaps,” she conceded. “But there may be a better way.”
He frowned.
“What way?” he signed.
She didn’t answer, pointing to the woman lying on the ground.
“Take her,” she ordered. “Bring her inside.”
He stared down at the woman, feeling frustration mount.
“Why?” he signed.
He felt the hand on his shoulder again, felt it squeeze him gently. His frustration immediately ceased, overpowered by her legendary will. She rarely touched him, and only when he was in danger of becoming one of the Lost, for fear of robbing him of his soul.
“In due time, my son,” she soothed. “In due time.”
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About the Author
Clayton Taylor Wood is the self-published author of the Runic series, a three-book fantasy series, as well as the Fate of Legends series. He's been a computer programmer, graphics designer, and martial-arts instructor, and has settled into a career as an ER doctor. He has a wife and two wonderful sons...and is busy writing epic fantasy series for each of them.
Writing was always Clayton's passion, but it wasn't until the birth of his first son that he found the inspiration necessary to finish his first book. Five years later, he published Runic Awakening, the first entry in the Runic Series. With four books published so far and more on the way, he doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon!
Connect with me on my website:
https://www.claytontaylorwood.com
Find me on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/therunicseries
Follow my blog:
https://www.claytontaylorwood.com/blog
If you enjoyed Hunter of Legends, feel free to write a review!
