Page 39 of Witch’s Ruin

My hands went limp, falling to my sides. “I…I can’t,” I quietly said.

A worried frown replaced his angry scowl. He sensed my fear before I buried it. His throat cleared. “We can hunt now, and return at dawn.”

“I would have rather eaten them,” I teased, making my voice sickly sweet. I blinked up at him. Where had those words come from? No, never mind, I knew.

Rixon emitted a low growl, setting the little hairs of my arms on end, with shivers racing down my spine—

Ear splitting screeches rent the night air. A sudden, sharp tug pulled at my gut. I whirled out of Rixon’s hold, in the direction of the pull. He was at my side in an instant.

“It would seem,” I managed, “that we’ve already got something to hunt.”

“After you, Lady Witch.” He gestured.

I took off at a sprint.

As a girl, I’d loved running, chasing my father’s horses, swallowing up pastures, relishing in the beautiful outdoors, the sunshine. But that had been so long ago. I’d grown lazy in the Citadel, and it showed. That was going to change, here in the capital.

Steadying my breath, I inhaled through my mouth and exhaled through my nose. A curse fell from my lips. I glanced down, taking hold of my skirts to hike them up. I’d dressed up today, which was part of why I’d wanted to return to the palace. Chasing after demons in a beautiful gown looked glamorous, but it was hardly practical, and the last thing I wanted was to ruin yards of tulle with demon guts. Too late for that!

More screeches sounded—Trongs, perhaps? And definitely more than one. Last night’s experience came racing to the forefront of my mind, the fear on the children’s faces. My mouth went dry. What if tonight was worse?

I needed—

“When blood fails, and darkness freed…”

I faltered, almost tripping, and stopped. “What’s the matter?” Rixon said, grabbing my elbow to steady me. Wings rustled above me. I looked up but the sky was empty.

“Nothing, we keep moving.” I was off again.

Laughter, rich and dark, sounded in the back of my mind. I tried to push it away. To ignore it.

“The price is life…”

The hairs on the back of my neck prickled.

A few blocks later, I found our quarry. Trongs, as suspected. There were four of them. My stomach turned, lifting into my throat. They had something bloodied between them. All that was left was pulp and armor. Guards. The alley was dark.

Trong pincers clicked and clacked, like they were communicating. At my approach, they rounded on me. My arm shot out, stopping Rixon before he could bound forward, sword drawn. “Wait a moment,” I hissed.

“Mina they have—”

“I know. But we’re already too late.” I could not save the guards—what was left of them, but I could get answers.

Nausea swelled in my stomach, twisting. “Stop,” I commanded, instinctively pulling on something invisible. The demon kernel inside me? I couldn’t be sure. All four demons, with blackened, hunched bodies, and arms like mantises, hesitated. Heads tilted, regarding me.

“What the fuck?!” Rixon hissed. Fear clawed down my spine. It was unnatural—this was unnatural. Something deep inside me screamed, begging me to reach for my blades, to destroy what stood before us.

I acted against those instincts.

“Where did you come from?” I demanded.

Nothing. Their heads continued to tilt, to regard me. Perhaps they wanted to eat me, but something made them stop, made them hesitate. Something made them question my blood as a witch.

I rephrased my question, my command. “Show me how you got here.”

Laugher, again. Dark and oily. “For blood we have, and blood we give…”

“Show me!” I commanded again, then gasped, when one of them took a tentative step forward. Then another. And another.