Contract Marriage With Alpha Snow novel Chapter 426

Chapter 426: The Serpent Crane and the Kraken

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Chapter 426

~Zara’s POV~

My mind raced. If we moved, we’d fall straight into the Kraken’s pit. If we stayed, we’d be devoured by the Serpent Crane.

There was no winning in this scenario.

Think, Zara. Think fast.

The serpents weren’t attacking us yet. They were watching, assessing like they were waiting for something.

Movement.

Was this a test of patience or a battle of instincts? I forced my breath to slow and my muscles to remain still.

But Kaid—he was already gripping the hilt of his dagger. I shook my head subtly, my fingers tightening against the rock in warning.

Don’t fight. Don’t move. We need another way.

Kaid’s eyes flicked to mine, his expression hard, but he gave a barely there nod.

The serpents hovered above us, their heads weaving in slow, hypnotic motions. The wind picked up, carrying their scent further into the marsh.

And that’s when I realised something.

They weren’t just sensing us. They were waiting for something else. Something more dangerous.

A low rumble vibrated through the cliffside. Not from above. From below. The water shifted.

My blood turned to ice.

The Kraken.

It had felt the presence of the serpents above. And now? It was stirring once again.

No. No, no, no, no!

Before I could warn Kaid, the smaller of the two serpent heads struck.

Not at us—but at the water below.

And in that instant, all hell broke loose.

"Duck, Kaid, and transform!"

Our claws extended, and our fangs protruded out as we dove to the side immediately. Using our strength, we lifted ourselves up and immediately threw our bodies upward on the cliff.

Our little movement caught the attention of the Serpent Crane, and immediately he turned, its enormous body moving swiftly along with it, forgetting the Kraken.

’Kaid, behind that big rock,’ I called, and immediately we rushed in that direction. Thankfully, the serpent’s movement caused a mist of dust, briefly masking us from its eyes.

But I knew that was very little, given its enormous head. It didn’t take long for the bigger-headed snake to locate us, and it hissed.

Thankfully, Kaid and I had already approached our destination. "Jump!"

We both jumped and rolled over, hiding behind the rock with our bodies pressed tightly against it.

A sharp, elongated hiss sliced through the heavy air again, vibrating against my skin like a warning.

I dared lift my eyes, and I saw its massive two heads clearly, their scales dark as night, hovering above us. Their forked tongues flicked out, tasting the air, desperately trying to sense us.

Beside me, Kaid shifted ever so slightly, his back pressed against the rock. He wasn’t breathing. Neither was I.

We were trapped.

"The serpent," Kaid mouthed.

I barely had time to process his words before the two monstrous heads lowered slightly, their golden, slitted eyes locking onto us.

"Fuck," I barely breathed, my throat tightening.

Their long, sinewy bodies slithered over the rock face, coiling effortlessly like silent, deadly ropes. Their weight made the ground beneath us tremble slightly, and small pebbles broke free and tumbled toward the marsh below.

The marsh where the Kraken still waited. Earlier on, the serpent crane had escaped the Kraken’s trap when it chased after us. That alone gave me the idea of how to escape this snake fully.

One wrong move, and we’d either be eaten whole by the serpents—or we took the other way of plunging back into the water, where another nightmare awaited.

Kaid’s gaze darted toward me, then downward. He was thinking the same thing. "Options?" he mouthed, his fingers twitching ever so slightly toward his weapons.

I swallowed hard. We could fight. But fighting would mean movement. And movement would mean noise.

"You must not disturb the waters, or you will not leave it alive."

That meant falling into the marsh was not an option. And it seems the Kraken was more deadly.

"My necklace is masking our scent I believe," I mouthed back. "Stay still."