The Shadow of Beauty

Ch 3- Saved

Helia wasn't sure how it came to this, but she was about to be eaten by a giant. She was immediately soaked when she hit his soft, slimy tongue and he began to maneuver her to the center of his mouth. He shut his mouth, sealing her in darkness as he tasted her thoroughly.

His powerful voice shook her, hurting her ears, "Oh...my, my. Tart...a hint of caramel. Very interesting."

Helia struggled as the massive, slimy muscle against her back flopped her around with his speech. Like she was a piece of hard candy, he held her in his mouth, rolling her around, pressing her to his palate, and then releasing her. He was savoring her. Helia's heart was set to explode, the fear was so strong. Her cracked ribs were on fire as she tried to keep breathing. Frantically, she felt her armor for a weapon, any weapon she could use to make him spit her out. But he'd found and removed everything she carried. She was defenseless.

Or was she?

Somehow, she had a desperate idea that could stop her doom. Quickly, she unstrapped her boot, yanked it off, and held it in her hand. Even in the dark she could hear the giant's gusting breaths rushing at the back of his throat. She just had to time it perfect or she'd be swallowed.

His tongue began to arch, nudging her back to his gaping throat. She tried to stop the push, but she slid ever closer to the eager void below. Helia clenched her teeth and waited. Then she heard the air rush in just ahead of her and with effort chucked her boot straight down his opened windpipe.

The reaction was instantaneous. Like a great machine that had a wrench jammed between its gears, the giant's whole body shuddered and came to a stop. Helia cried out when she felt the giant pitch forward. His lips parted behind her and a hurricane gust of a cough shot her straight out of his mouth and onto the ground. It hurt as she rolled a few times, covered in saliva and dirt. She let out a painful sigh of relief knowing she was still alive...for the moment.

The giant, meanwhile, was hacking and coughing up a thunderous storm trying to expel the foreign object from his lungs.

That's when a soft female voice called out nearby, "Kendrick! Are you all right?"

Helia looked over and saw the same winged fae she had rescued from the poacher's net. It was Twillow. Somehow or another, Twillow and this giant (Kendrick) were familiar with one another. Apparently, it was he she had be calling for when she was trapped. Twillow stood before Kendrick, concern written on her petite face.

Kendrick coughed once more and finally spat Helia's boot to the ground. He gasped a gale of air and slowly regained his composure, though his eyes were watering.

"Yeah...yeah. I'm ok."

Helia pushed herself up, holding her throbbing ribs, and looked over at the winged fae, "Twillow?"

Despite the fact that the human was a dirty, slimy mess the fae's purple eyes widened with recognition, "Helia?"

"Clever, little Slayer." Kendrick's huge voice growled, not sounding very amused anymore.

His hand extended out to seize her again and probably finish the job, but Twillow suddenly fluttered in front of it, arms spread.

The giant's hand stopped, but his voice was hard, "Get out of the way, Twillow."

She shook her head adamantly.

Kendrick's bright eyes narrowed slightly, but he maneuvered his hand around her to grab the human.

The mint-skinned fae suddenly shot up to his face and shouted, "NO, Kendrick! Leave her alone!"

Kendrick's eyes opened wider and his hand stopped. Never had the quiet, demure fae yelled at him before. Frankly, the only time he heard her raise her voice was when she was afraid and screaming.