He gazed about in confusion as the moon emerged from the clouds, illuminating the square. Seeing nothing threatening, he shrugged his shoulders and lifted his foot to step forward. When his boot touched down, he was standing on a slanted platform, staring at a slim girl with long brown locks and blue-green eyes rounded with terror.
“Alora? What—”
She surged against him, wrapping her hands around his waist. He might’ve lost his balance, had Kaevin not stepped down to steady him. She trembled in his arms, and he patted her back, assessing his new position on the rooftop.
“Be calm, child. Be calm. Why did you transport me without warning? I could’ve cut you with my sword. Oh… of course, my sword didn’t transport.”
“There was a wendt. He was flying right at you. Didn’t you see him?”
“You must’ve imagined it, Alora. I didn’t see anything, and I still don’t.” Kaevin scanned the area.
“Perhaps you saw the shadows from the clouds in the moonlight,” Morvaen suggested.
“No! I saw it, and it’s still here. I feel it, just like the last time. I feel like I’m about to throw up.”
Morvaen continued to soothe her, hoping she was mistaken about spotting the wendt. He also hoped she wouldn’t vomit in his arms.
Surveying his new position he spotted Jireo, perched near the roof’s edge. Another boy appeared, climbing into view with a quiver of arrows over his shoulder.
“I got them, Jireo.” The new arrival turned his head, and the moonlight illuminated his face. “Morvaen? When did you get here?”
“Wesley, I’m surprised to see you, but delighted as well. I’m glad to have you join us, especially as Jireo is evidently no longer able to wield a bow.”
“I really did see a wendt, and I can still feel him.” Alora tugged on Morvaen’s arm.
“I’ve been looking, Alora, and I didn’t see anything resembling a wendt. I’ll scout the other side.” Jireo climbed up to peer over the roof’s peak.
“I believe Alora—she’s been right every time before.” Wesley fingered the arrow already nocked in his bow. “If you can find it, and I can see it, I can bring it down, but it may take several arrows. It took two or three to kill one when Arista and I did it using stronger bows.”
“I can’t see a wendt anywhere, Alora. Are you quite certain of what you saw?” Kaevin took Morvaen’s place as Alora’s comforter, and just in time.
Pulling herself free from Kaevin’s arms she fell to her knees, emptying the contents of her stomach. She looked up with watering eyes. “I think there must be at least two of them—maybe more. The vile feeling is suffocating me. I’m positive I saw one. At first it looked like a shimmery shadow, but then it morphed into a wendt.”
A shrill screech interrupted their conversation. And then another, followed by shouts of panic and screams of pain. Wesley scrambled up the roof to join Jireo, standing precariously on the peak.
“There!” Wesley aimed his bow. “I see it, but I can’t get a clear shot.” His bow moved, obviously following a moving target.
“I don’t see it,” said Jireo. “Where is it?”
Morvaen moved to join them, and Kaevin trailed behind, supporting Alora.
A shriek pierced the air. Though he strained his eyes toward the noise, Morvaen couldn’t locate the wendt. He could make out a number of motionless bodies on the ground. Yet there was nothing to indicate if those warriors had been killed in battle or by this illusive wendt.
“Kaevin, do you see it?” Refusing to give up, Morvaen continued to scan the area below.
“No, but I hear it.”
“Jireo?”
“Nothing to my eyes. It seems only Alora and Wesley can see the beast.”
“Vindrake has created a new evil—a cloaked wendt. I understand how Alora might see it with her gift of discernment, but why would Wesley have the vision?”
“Wesley! Hurry!” Alora screamed, pointing with one hand. “Shoot that one before he gets to that guy.”
Wesley didn’t reply, but his bow moved steadily in the direction Alora indicated. He released an arrow, which flew straight until it stopped in mid-air. An angry squeal rang out from the wooden shaft. Morvaen could make out the arrow shaft in the moonlight, as it floated magically in a path toward an unsuspecting warrior engaged in a sword fight.
“I can’t shoot again, Alora. He’s too low. If I shoot and miss, I could kill someone.”