Chapter 16 · The Shadow Slaughter

"Move, or I’ll flatten you into the floorboards," the Brute spat, his voice sounding like two boulders grinding together.

He didn't wait for an answer. The massive fist, thick as a ham and covered in jagged obsidian scales, slammed down right where Lyra had been standing a second ago. The stone cracked. Dust exploded.

I felt the shockwave ripple through the shadow-bond. I wasn't just watching; I was hitched to her pulse, her panic, and the sudden, sharp spike of adrenaline that tasted like copper in the back of my throat.

"Is that all you got, you overgrown pebble?" Lyra yelled. She was sliding across the debris, her boots barely touching the ground. She swung her blade in a shimmering arc, the steel whistling as it sliced through the air.

*Clang.*

The blade hit the Brute’s forearm, but it didn't cut. It didn't even leave a scratch. The monster didn't even flinch. He just grinned, showing rows of serrated teeth that looked like they could chew through a tank.

"Cute toy," the Brute grunted. He lunged.

He was faster than his size suggested. One massive hand gripped Lyra’s wrist, squeezing. I heard the faint, sickening creak of bone under pressure.