The Gilded Wolves (The Gilded Wolves #1)(68)

“Duck!” hollered Séverin.

The five of them ran to the end of their respective sections.

“Ammit,” said Enrique, loudly.

“What?”

“That’s what that is,” he said. “The devourer of souls from Egyptian mythology.”

“But we’re not in Egypt!” wailed Hypnos. “What’s it doing here?”

“I’m guessing they brought it over to protect a powerful Horus Eye,” said Enrique.

“Which means you must have found the true one,” said Séverin.

The ground thundered. The snuffling sound of an animal searching for something filled the air.

“If we went back and got the Eye, maybe it will disappear,” said Zofia.

Hypnos choked back a laugh. “That’s your experiment, ma chère. Enjoy. I am not going out there.”

“Not all of us have to,” said Séverin.

He looked over his shoulder.

Ammit breathed heavily, its head lowered, eyes half-lidded and unfocused. Near its foot was the white feather that had fallen onto the ground. Ammit paced back and forth across that small section. The fur on its body bristled as it hunched protectively near the shelves.

“It’s definitely guarding something,” said Séverin.

Now all they had to do was lure it away from that thing.

“You four go around the other side of the shelf and get to the section with the Horus Eye. When you’re close enough, signal me. I’ll jump out. Ammit will come after me. Then all you have to do is close the book and grab the Eye. Got it?”

All of them began to creep to the other side of the shelf except one: Laila.

“You’re far too fond of martyrdom, Majnun,” she said. “I’m not leaving you.”

Yet, he thought.

“It’s your grave, Laila.”

“As long as it’s my choice.”

The two of them peered through the cracks in the shelves. Zofia, Hypnos, and Enrique crept ahead …

Ammit didn’t move. Its whole body was rigidly trained in Séverin and Laila’s direction. Zofia leaned forward, her fingers inches away from the book. Hypnos and Enrique crouched on either side of her.

Then, Enrique met Séverin’s eyes, nodding once.

Zofia reached for the book. Ammit’s neck twitched, as if it were about to turn. Séverin jumped from his hiding place.

“Hungry?”

The creature roared.

Steam blew from its nostrils. It pawed the ground, then charged. The floor trembled. Objects rattled off the shelves. A ripe, putrid scent wafted from the creature, choking off the mineral scent of the air. Séverin braced himself, digging his heels into the floor. In the distance, he saw Zofia reach for both sides of the book, slamming it shut. Beside her, Enrique plucked the Horus Eye from the shelf.

“Good-bye!” he shouted, waving.

But Ammit kept charging.

Séverin saw Zofia frowning, looking up, then looking back at the book. She opened it and closed it again, but nothing happened. He pushed away the panic. Sometimes Forging defense mechanisms took time. Just another moment and it would work. It had to work. Ammit ran closer. Séverin could smell its rank breath, like flesh left to curdle in the sun’s heat. He gagged. Ammit raised its paw, opening its mouth. Blood-flecked teeth shone in the light. At the back of its mouth was a blazing, sunken furnace in the precise shape of a feather that reminded him of a lock awaiting a key. Séverin paused. For a single moment, he took his gaze off Ammit, searching the floor for the white feather, which must be the key to triggering the creature’s somno. All he had to do was force the white feather into its mouth.

But he had looked away from the creature a second too long.

Its shadow engulfed him. Before he could throw up his hands, Laila dove from the shelves, shoving him out of the way just in time.

He grunted, stumbling backward. Laila pulled his arm, dragging him behind another shelf in the same instant that Ammit charged into the wall. It snorted, shaking its head.

“Feather,” said Séverin. “Get the feather.”

Laila darted off to grab it. Seconds later, Ammit had freed itself from the wall. It reared back on its legs, turning to face the hall. Séverin crawled forward. Enrique and Zofia were holding spears they must’ve grabbed from a nearby shelf. Hypnos clutched the Horus Eye to his chest. Laila was closest to the creature. In her hands gleamed the white feather. Ammit eyed Laila like prey, tilting its head to one side. As if considering.

The rest of the world seemed to fall away in that moment.

Not her.

“No … No no no,” Séverin rasped, forcing himself to stand. He waved his hands. “Over here!”

But Ammit was not distracted.

Laila’s gaze darted to Séverin’s, then back at the creature. She squeezed her eyes shut. There was no way she could get the feather to him. She held out her hand and the creature charged at her. Distantly, Séverin heard the others shout. He didn’t think he made a single sound even as every ounce of his body screamed. Ammit charged at Laila, pinning her down with a paw. Pain twisted across her face, but she fought back, thrusting the feather forward where it disappeared into Ammit’s mouth. Ammit’s head swung, blocking Laila’s face from view. A loud howl rumbled through the shelves, and then Laila’s hand fell slack on the floor.