The Night Thing's eyes shot open, and a piercing shriek burst from its throat like a blast of thunder. The scream was so loud and violent that Sharina was pushed back several steps, boots digging into the torn earth. The Orcs were flung off their footing as if they had been hit by a crashing wave.
The monster rose from the ground, its long body lifting like a nightmare that refused to die. Its head shook left and right, scattering chunks of dirt and stone. The dizzy spell that once clouded its senses shattered like glass. The red haze in its gaze sharpened into hateful clarity.
Bloodshot eyes widened when they locked onto something small and vulnerable — Evie.
She had been crouched behind a broken tree, hidden by thick leaves and bushes, watching the battle unfold. She had dared to peek when everything went silent after the Night Thing crashed into the earth.
That moment of curiosity nearly killed her.
