Change of Darkness (The Change Series Book 3) by Jacinta Jade (best new books to read txt) 📕

Siraay could see it straightaway. Had thought the injured male who had flown to warn them might have been overstating the enemy’s numbers.

He hadn’t.

A quick tally put their number at twenty-two—easily a squad. Which meant there had to be a few more yet that Siraay hadn’t yet counted. Most of them were armed with bows, and only a few were without, obviously favouring a blade. Or whatever advantages their animal forms might provide them.

Scanning them all quickly, Siraay observed two key things.

The first was that Drosni’s assessment of the situation had been correct. Pyron, the sergeant, and one of the other soldiers that had accompanied the pair stood in the midst of the enemy, their hands held stiffly out to the sides while each of them was roughly searched by a Resistance soldier, guards around them alert and watchful.

They had to get Pyron out of there. Siraay didn’t care too much about the others—they could be sacrificed, although it would be a shame to lose such a sensible sergeant from the Xarcon ranks. But if the Resistance managed to escape with Pyron … Siraay felt her jaw stiffen as the repercussions ran through her head.

She was scanning the group again, hoping to come up with a plan that might even the odds and allow them a victory, without, maybe, killing Pyron, when she observed the second interesting thing.

She recognised one of the Resistance soldiers.

She Changed back into her normal form.

The cripwofs at her back twitched, and Siraay heard the sound of paws shifting slightly and the quiet chitter of the blirrus as both animals startled.

Siraay stole a quick look between the trees at the enemy a final time before she spun back to address the pair, pulling off her jacket before squatting down so she was face to nose with them. ‘Wait for my signal—you’ll know it when you see it. Then attack quickly. Take the inexperienced ones first,’ she told them, indicating with a couple of quick gestures those she had identified, ‘then the rest. Otherwise stay hidden.’

She stood again, and the cripwof growled softly at her.

Siraay thought Drosni might be expressing his disapproval at her going out there alone.

Too bad. There were many strategies that could win a fight. Numbers was one. Superior experience was another. But the last, surprise, should never be underestimated.

Before she moved, Siraay glanced down and did a quick scan of herself. And frowned. Clean. She was too clean.

So she squatted back down, reached out, and yanked up a small, badly grown clump of mountain grass. A clod of damp dirt hung from it, and this Siraay grabbed at, rubbing it over her pants, over part of the top she had been wearing beneath her jacket, and on her hands and face.

She looked down, considering herself. Better, but still missing something …

Reaching both hands up to her midsection, she grabbed hold of her top and yanked at the material in opposite directions, tearing a hole. Then she reached down to one pant leg and did the same.

Much better. But …

Siraay grimaced, a memory coming to mind. She turned back to the cripwof, whose expression was curious and perhaps almost amused as it stared at her. ‘Drosni,’ she murmured quietly, making the cripwof perk up his ears. ‘I need you to bite me.’

The ears flattened and the upper lip moved.

She held up a hand. ‘I know, but you need to do it. It doesn’t have to be deep, it just needs to look good. Bleed a little. Forearm might be best. Believable, but it shouldn’t hinder me that much.’

She offered him her left arm, but Drosni hesitated.

Siraay’s temper flared. ‘We’re losing precious moments here!’ she whispered harshly. ‘Either you do this or Lifron does.’

He seemed to stare at her, still incredulous, but moved forwards a step.

‘Bite me!’ Siraay insisted, shoving her arm forwards.

Faster than her eyes could track in this form, Drosni’s head whipped out and hot points of pain ripped into Siraay’s arm. She twisted her head away and put her other hand in her mouth so she wouldn’t cry out and give away their position.

Her eyes watered from the effort, and her breathing became rapid.

It took a long moment, but soon Siraay had her breathing controlled to a point where she could talk. She looked down at her arm. And winced.

Like when her former self had been bitten on the foot, the bite marks were similar to rips in the skin, and her arm was already bloody. She made a fist with that hand … it hurt, but it was a pain she could work with.

And Drosni hadn’t bitten deep. Siraay put her other hand on her bloody arm and pulled it away quickly, wiping the transferred blood over another part of her shirt.

She was ready.

She stood and spun away from Drosni and Lifron, letting her face exhibit the pain in her arm, and allowed her chest to move deeply with exaggerated effort.

Then she stumbled forwards, gripped the trunk of a tree, and pushed off it, stepping out into a clearing full of enemies.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

WHEN SIRAAY STUMBLED into the encampment, many eyes and bows promptly swivelled in her direction, the deadly points of numerous arrows all aimed at her. She tried not to think about what just one of those projectiles could do.

‘Please! Please, you’ve got to help me!’ She stumbled forwards again and almost tripped, as one of her tired feet rasped over the top of an exposed tree root that she had tried to step over.

Almost tripped.

The Resistance soldier who stood closest to her swiftly shouldered his bow and grabbed for her arm to steady her, and Siraay let herself cry out as his grip curled around her bloodied arm.

It was a reflex move, she knew, him grabbing her in order to stop her from falling. It was a deeply ingrained instinct of Kaslon males to protect their females, one heightened due to the animal forms they could call upon.

It was an instinct Siraay had been counting on.

By grabbing