The Shattered Crowns

Daenys forced herself to calm. Nalla had already lost a father—she didn't need to mourn a sister too. Her shaky breaths steadied, and her mind began piecing together a plan. They were in the carpentry district, surrounded by machines: water pumps, lifts, and other contraptions scattered around. If someone knew how to use them, maybe…

"Mirak," Daenys said, turning to him. "Can you work the machines? We can kill this Karnen." Her voice was resolute now. They couldn't hide from it forever, and she wouldn't let this creature escape.

A new emotion bloomed in her chest—anger.

Mirak glanced at her, hesitant. "I know a bit about them… but it'd be smarter to hide."

Daenys shook her head. "The creature will find us. We need to kill it."

Mirak groaned in frustration, running a hand through his hair. "Daenys, have you seen the size of that thing? It killed three hunters. Three! Just a minute ago, you were debating letting it kill you!"

"I'll kill it—with or without you," Daenys replied, her voice steely. Her mind was made up.

Mirak scowled, glancing toward the machines. "Fine," he muttered. "I can operate them on a theoretical level."

"That'll have to do," Daenys said. "You climb to the roof. Drop the machines on my signal. I'll distract it."

Mirak stiffened. "Your father made me promise to protect you. You being bait could get you killed."

Daenys leaned closer, her voice lowering. "I'll survive, Mirak. Just be ready for the signal."

There was a moment of tense silence before Mirak asked, "What's the signal?"

"We'll improvise," Daenys said with a faint shrug. "Just watch for my shot and be ready to drop the machine."

Mirak sighed. "It'll take me a few minutes to climb up there."

"That's why I'm distracting it," Daenys replied, wiping away stray tears.

The two rose from their hiding spot. Mirak climbed out a nearby window, hoisting himself up one of the ladders leading to the roof. Daenys pressed her back against the door, cracking it open slightly to peer outside.

The one-eyed Karnen prowled near the back of the pavilion, circling around the ladder Mirak had just climbed. Its claws dragged across the wood, leaving deep gouges and producing an unsettling scraping sound.

Daenys steadied her bow and notched an arrow. Her heart pounded in her chest, but her focus was razor-sharp. She needed to take out the Karnen's remaining eye. It was a near-impossible shot, but it was her best chance.

She released the arrow, but it dropped lower than intended, bouncing harmlessly off the creature's thick neck.

The Karnen let out a feral roar, its head snapping toward her. That sickly yellow eye locked onto Daenys through the door.

Cursing under her breath, she notched another arrow and fired again. It struck the creature's armored hide and skittered away uselessly. The Karnen, now fully enraged, crouched low and prowled forward on all fours.

Daenys slammed the door shut and locked it, her breathing quickening. She wasn't sure how much time she could buy Mirak, but she'd give him everything she had.

She began toppling chairs and tables, creating a barricade as her muscles strained under the effort. The door rattled violently under the Karnen's weight. She raced to the opposite end of the pavilion, her heart hammering against her ribs.

The door groaned under another heavy blow. Then, with a deafening crash, it was ripped from its hinges.

Daenys hurled herself through a doorway into the kitchen. Plates and cups shattered around her as she stumbled, glass cutting into her arms. A jagged shard embedded itself in her left forearm, and she bit down a hiss of pain.

A low, guttural hissing filled the room. The Karnen's claws clicked against the floor as it crawled inside, its movements deliberate, predatory.

Daenys ducked behind the kitchen counter, her breaths shallow. She risked a glance through a crack in the cabinets. The Karnen hopped from one table to another, scanning the room with its single, furious eye. Blood dripped from its gaping jaw, staining the floor as it prowled.

Her hands shook as the sound of splintering wood filled the space. Slowly, piece by piece, the creature tore through the tables and chairs she'd scattered.

Daenys forced herself to breathe. She tightened her grip on her bow, trying to ignore the sharp sting of the glass in her arm. By now, Mirak should be working on the machines.

The Karnen's eye swept the room again, its movements growing more erratic. It was now or never.

"Over here!" Daenys shouted.

The Karnen's head whipped toward the sound of her voice. It lunged, claws smashing through the open window of the kitchen.

Daenys waited, motionless, as the creature scanned the space feverishly. Its singular, yellowed eye locked onto hers, and it pounced.

She threw her weight against the door, slamming it shut just as its claws slashed toward her. The creature managed to rake its talons deep into her leg, and she cried out in pain. Fighting through the agony, she slammed the door into its face with every ounce of strength she had.

The wood splintered under the impact, and the Karnen lost its grip, falling back briefly.

Daenys limped away as quickly as she could, her breathing ragged. Blood soaked her pant leg, the pain making her vision blur. Behind her, the Karnen shook off its daze and resumed its pursuit, smashing aside every obstacle in its way.

She could feel it closing in, its foul breath almost on her neck. Her body screamed with exhaustion, but she pressed forward, slamming her shoulder into the pavilion door.

A loud thud resounded just above her head as the Karnen raked its claws across the doorframe.

Daenys stumbled out of the pavilion, back into the open air. The Karnen staggered, momentarily off-balance, before righting itself.

Desperate, Daenys turned and punched it square in the head—the same spot her father had struck. Pain exploded in her hand, her knuckles popping audibly. It was like striking a boulder. Her hand was likely broken.

But it bought her a precious second. She scrambled forward, gritting her teeth, and drew her bow again. With a shaky aim, she loosed an arrow toward Mirak's position.

That would have to be enough of a signal.

Mirak's hands were scraped raw, blood smearing the ropes as he adjusted the lift mechanism. His breath came in short bursts, panic threatening to take over. He glanced down to see Daenys limping toward him, the Karnen towering over her like a specter of death.

"Come on…" he muttered, fumbling with the last knot.

The Karnen roared, its muscles bulging as it prepared to lunge again.

"Hope this is enough force!" Mirak shouted.

With a final yank, he cut the last rope.

The lift plummeted. The Karnen snapped its head upward at the sound, but it was too late. The heavy machinery struck with a sickening crunch, slamming the creature into the ground.

Its head caved in from the impact. Blood and ichor pooled beneath its motionless body.

Daenys stared at the crushed Karnen, her breaths ragged.

"We killed it," she murmured, leaning heavily on Mirak as he climbed down to her.

"Looks as dead as it's going to get," Mirak agreed, though his voice trembled.

Daenys tried to rise, but her legs buckled beneath her.

"You're not well," Mirak said, steadying her. "We need to wait. We're both in no condition to go anywhere right now."

Daenys shook her head. "I need to find my mother and sister." Her voice was desperate, pleading.

Mirak hesitated, then replied softly, "We need to recover our strength, Daenys. All we can do now is hope Akash and Winter protect the others."

Daenys tried to argue, but her vision blurred as blood loss and exhaustion took hold.