Rorroh began to cackle, delighted byher own twisted brilliance.
“Where’s the hune now?” Cyrus asked.
“It does not matter,” Rorroh replied, “He was last seen in the Northern Sea; impossibleto follow. Only once has he come near your village, and with Drache’s help, he was easilyturned away.”
Cyrus’ mind spun. His people had once prospered on the back of a giant,living creature? And there was another of its kind, still alive, that couldrescue Cyrus’ village, unravel Rorroh’s lies, anduntwist their narrow minds? And the only thing standing in their way was Rorroh?
Cyrus looked to Edward. Where wasEdward? Cyrus searched his shoulder, his collar, his pocket. Where was Edward?
Cyrus noticed something small and fuzzy lower from the ceiling. Itdangled by a silvery thread over Rorroh.
“Edward?” Cyrus whispered.
The witch’s expression turned from hatred to confusion. She looked fromCyrus and found a black spider, with a yellow mark on its back, crawling alongher hand. Horror and rage filled the arachnid’s face, and his hair stood on end.
“Is this what you made me for?” Edward seethed, “Is this what you want?
The spider’s eyes shut, and hisbrow began to swell. Like fishhooks, he dug his seven long legs deep into theSea Zombie’s flesh. Edward’s eyes flashed open, milky and white, along with sixsmaller eyes that bulged from beneath his fur.
“NO!” Rorroh screamed.
Chapter 36
BE AFRAID
RORROH TRIED TO SHAKE THE SPIDER OFF,but Edward was fastened to her like alock. A hiss began to emit from his throat. His jaws creaked open.
“Let go!” the witch shouted.
She reeled back and whipped her hand through a shelf of jars andbeakers. Glass shattered and sprayed the room like sparks, but the Sea Zombiewas unable to dislodge the blodbad spider. Twoneedle-like teeth began to extend from Edward’s gums, each dripping blackvenom.
“I promise, I will see you both ripped limb from limb,” Rorroh snarled.
Like a steel trap, Edward bit deep into the witch’s hand. His body beganto convulse, as he pumped ounce after ounce of boiling toxins into her diseasedflesh. Around the bite, Rorroh’s skin started to dryup like paper; then turn to sand. She fell to one knee, crippled with agony. Thepoison started to spread further up the Sea Zombie’s arm. It reached hershoulder and advanced towards her chest. Cyrus’ heart began to lift. The witchwas dying.
Rorroh fell to her other knee andheld out her decaying hand. Like salt, the first layer of flesh started tosprinkle the floor. She fought to make a fist and, uttering a language Cyrushad never heard before, focused all her attention on the wound.
With great effort, her body seemed to battle back against thetransformation. The veins in her arm bubbled and swelled with black blood, and her skin turned from a yellowish-grey to adark, blistering purple.
The witch’s blood erupted into Edward’s throat, and his stomach began to grow. His eyes whipped forward, and he started to choke. Clutching his belly,Edward released the bite, moaning as he tumbled to the floor. He bounced to a stopand curled up into a ball. Then he began to shiver uncontrollably, vomitingblack bile.
Cyrus watched as his best friend’s hair turned from black to white andthe yellow mark on his back faded to blue.
“Edward!” he screamed.
“You better run while you ssstillcan…” the Sea Zombie slurred.
Cyrus stared at Edward, unmoving, so helpless on the ground. Then helooked to Fibian, maimed and bleeding in a heap. Was he even alive? Both had risked their livesfor his. He looked to the Sea Zombie. She was injured and weak but growing stronger with each passing moment.
Cyrus turned and made for the door. With a shaking hand, he grasped thehandle and held the door ajar. The stairway led up and away and was clear ofany danger. Cyrus craved escape. An image of Niels spiked his thoughts. Heshook his head and paused. His breath gusted through his throat. Was he really going to do this? He slammed the doorshut. Then he chambered the bolt and locked the room tight.
“I’ve run for the last time,” Cyrus said, “It’s your turn to be afraid.”
Chapter 37
BATHED IN FIRE
LETTING HIS ANGER DRIVE HIM,Cyrus rounded on the Sea Zombie. He marched over to her and kicked her to the ground.
“How dare you!” the witch wailed, her poisoned hand shakinguncontrollably.
Cyrus weaved around a table and rack and drew a short-sword from thewall. Again, he looked to Edward and Fibian. Both laystone still. He walked back to the cowering witch, wringing the handle of thesword. She looked cold and waxy, dripping with sweat. He kicked her in thestomach.
“That’s for my island.”
The witch wheezed and fell to her side. He kicked her in the ribs.
“That’s for Edward.”
Cyrus heard bones crack. Rorroh curled up in afetal position. He kicked her in the head.
“That’s for Fibian.”
Rorroh’s headsnapped back, her costume nose flying across the room. She slumped to thefloor, blood dripping from her mouth. Cyrus stood over her like a hunter over game. He lifted her head, exposing her neck.
“And this,” he said, bringing the blade to her throat, “this is forNiels.”
The Sea Zombie clutched his arm with her remaining hand. She squeezed so tight, his wrist snapped. Cyruscried out, dropping the sword.
“And that is just the beginning,” the witch growled.
She threw an elbow and struck Cyrus in the head. His face exploded incrimson pain. He fell to the ground and grasped his broken nose. Rorroh rose to her full height. With her wooden nosemissing, her rotten, boney septum whistled and seeped. Her torn robes drapedfrom one knobbly shoulder. She ripped off her soddenrags and threw them aside. Her sagging chest pantedwith yearning. Her drooping belly billowed and heaved. Her wiry legs rippledand flexed.
Cyrus struggled to his feet, favoring his broken wrist. Rorroh sprang forward, naked and crazed. She kicked him inthe gut. Cyrus flew back over a table, planting on his broken wrist. Lightningpain flashed through his arm. He gasped for air. Rorrohthrew the table aside as if it was madeof straw. She kicked Cyrus in the mouth. His jaw shattered and his visionflashed white. As he came to, face down in the
