For a moment, the weight of the voices nearly overwhelmed him. He felt his knees weaken, his grip on his blade faltering. But then Aleks's gaze locked on Arthur, the molten heat radiating from his figure, and he found his anchor.
He planted his feet firmly in the sand and stepped forward. "Fedlimid!" Aleks's voice rang out, cutting through the roars and whispers alike. "It's me! Aleks!"
The beast flinched, its bulging red eyes briefly darting toward him. Aleks swallowed hard, fear clawing at the edges of his composure, but he pushed it aside. "You saved me, Fed. You saved Melite, too!" His voice cracked with urgency, but he kept going. "She's waiting for you. She's waiting for you to come back!"
The beast's massive head tilted slightly, its movements halting. Aleks could feel the shift, the way its raging malice momentarily wavered.
