“Winter’s Eve,” I growl through gritted teeth.
She smiles. “Excellent,” She purrs.
I clench my hands into fists at my side, anger furling and unfurling in my chest. Erzur slips from the room, a bounce in her step. I run my tongue over my teeth and inhale sharply. I want to wrap my hands around her ebony neck and squeeze until her eyes bulge. I want to toss her over the balcony into the tumultuous waves and run across the land to find Verity and tell her that we’re free now. I hear a gentle noise, the old witch clearing her throat, and realize that I’m breathing hard, shoulders heaving. I feel the beast inside strain against my conscious and realize with horror how close I was to succumbing to it. I stagger from the room, real fear lancing through me.
I can’t stop what’s coming.
Chapter 8
Verity
Sweat beads on my forehead as the sun bears down on me. I dart backwards, dodging a swipe of Thal’s sword. Air rushes over me with the force of his arm, ruffling my loose hairs. I push the hair that slipped from my braid out of my face. Thal pushes forward, driving me back. I block one of his blows, the force of it reverberating up my sword arm. I grit my teeth against it and whirl away, sweeping at him with my blade.
He leaps back just in time and tosses me a grin. “You’re improving quickly, Verity,” he says. I can hear the admiration in his voice, and I can’t help the smile on my face.
Thal and I have spent a week practicing together during the day while the horses rest. I asked him to teach me after we encountered our first demon and it became very clear that I was holding everyone back. He doesn’t go easy on me, pushing me every day. I’ve gone to bed each night with more than a few bruises and shallow scrapes. But Thal is there each night with a soothing balm.
I decide to drive back at Thal, to take him by surprise and force him on the defensive. I lunge forward, adrenaline pumping as I raise my sword. He lifts his sword to parry mine, but I feint at the last second and drive it towards his knee. Victory swells in my chest before I feel the cold point of a dagger against my throat. I freeze, not daring to swallow. My eyes dart towards Thal and he grins wickedly.
“Damn,” I sigh, dropping my blade.
Thal taps the dagger teasingly against my jugular. “Match,” he says.
I shove him lightly and he tucks the dagger away before it cuts into me. “It wouldn’t hurt to let me win once in a while,” I say, smiling.
“And then you would never learn.” Thal slings an arm over my shoulder and leads me into the shade where we can cool.
I glance up at the yellowing leaves. “It’s growing colder.”
“Fall in Alnembra is beautiful,” Thal says, tossing me a piece of jerky. “You’ll enjoy it.”
I grimace, thinking of my imminent, chosen homelessness. “I’m not sure if I’ll be in Alnembra.”
“Nonsense.” Thal eyes me. “You always have a place with me at my estate.”
“Oh, your estate?” I mimic his posh accent, giving myself airs.
Thal opens his mouth to retort, eyes blazing merrily, when a soft horn blows. Thal leaps to his feet, food forgotten. Fear lances through me. I know that sound well, though I never seem to get used to it. Syren rides towards us, the reins to our horses in her hands. She tosses mine to me and I catch it deftly.
“A demon is circling a nearby farm,” she explains.
I swing into the saddle, better at it than before. Thal takes the lead, riding hard over a short hill and deeper into the valley we’ve been patrolling. I swallow with some difficulty when I see the farm come into view. It’s a picturesque set up; a stone house with a thatched roof, a barn, and fields of yellow grain just waiting to be harvested. But there’s a dark figure prowling the perimeter, just beyond a rickety wooden fence surrounding the farmhouse. My heart pounds at the sight of the scaled, black creature.
It swings its head towards us and releases a guttural growl that I know so well I hear it in my sleep at times. I balk for an instant, but Thal’s green eyes draw me forward. The Fae rush the beast and it throws itself into a sprint, kicking up dirt behind it. Syren fires arrows at the demon with frightening fluidity, she moves like water.
Thal is the first to meet the demon. He roars and the demon shrieks with him. They clash in a flurry of steel and black claws, Thal’s cloak fluttering out behind him. My heart clenches in my chest as the demon’s claws lash out at Thal. The demon strikes his armor square in the chest, knocking Thal from his mount. I hiccup, lurching forward in my saddle. Before I know what I’m doing, I urge my horse forward.
The demon’s strong arms plow into my horse, knocking it to the side and driving me from my saddle. A scream lodges in my throat as I drop, my hand clenched around my sword. The air soars violently from my lungs when I land, and I heave. I roll to the side, shouts of the Fae soldiers and Thal echoing in my ears. But louder than them, is the low growling of the demon. My blurry vision clears in time to see its yellow, vibrant eyes, devouring me.
I gasp sharply, fear flooding through me like a forest fire in dry hills. The demon prowls closer, lashing out at any soldier who gets too close. I know it will kill me if I do nothing. I crawl into a crouch and swing at the demon, trying to remember and apply what Thal has taught me. The demon dodges and lunges at me, claws outstretched. My eyes
