Nora's POV
The sound of my name cuts through the haze of pain as my consciousness flickers back to life. My body convulses desperately, lungs screaming for oxygen. The thorny vines wrapped around my neck tighten like a noose, and my arms drop uselessly to the dirt beneath me.
Burning sparks rain down from above, searing my cheeks. The massive spider looms over me, its jaw unhinging to reveal rows of yellowed fangs. Thick, acidic saliva drips onto my skin. Then suddenly the crushing pressure around my throat vanishes. The spider creature is yanked backward and bursts into brilliant flames. The strangling vines crumble to ash.
James towers above me, the ancient sword gleaming in his grip. Terror fills his piercing blue eyes as he stares down at my battered form. Without missing a beat, he spins and slices through another root-beast with fluid precision. The creature disintegrates before it can even collapse.
"Nora," he says again, dropping to his knees beside me.
