Page 124 of Devil's Deal

I growl under my breath when I climb the tree. It’s better to focus on my anger and not to think about what I have to do. Keeping the noon lady from running before nighttime is tricky. After yesterday, I know holding her down on my own won’t work. She’s too strong.

Which is why I came up with my plan, but gods, do I hate it.

“Come to Mommy, ugly girl,” I mutter under my breath, doing my best to channel anger and confidence. “Let’s get it over with.”

I wait. Dadzbog’s emanation, as Chors called it, reaches the highest point in the sky, blinding me with its scorching light when I check its position. I grow more and more uneasy, looking out through the branches. Has she changed her hunting grounds? Did Woland move her away to thwart me?

The longer I wait, the sweatier I get, my head itching under my tight straw hat. I’m scared, but if I could, I would just get it done and over. The wait is killing me.

Finally, I spot a flutter of white in the distance. She drifts closer, the faint sounds of her song dancing in the hot air.

I brace myself. The poludnica seems deceptively slow, yet she reaches the balk in a shockingly short time. She stops where the shade doesn’t reach and looks at me in silence, the song ended. I grip my bundle with a sweaty hand, eyeing her mouth.

Gods. I really hope her jaw can’t close. If she bites me…

I cut off that thought before it makes me nauseous. Putting this off only makes things worse, so I slide down the tree, her milky eyes taking in my every move. When I’m in the grass, I cautiously come over. One step. Another small one. The sun is right overhead, and the tree gives little shade.

She makes a high-pitched, yearning sound when I stop just out of her reach.

“I’ll put you out of your misery, don’t you worry,” I say.

She swipes at me with her hand, faster than I expect, and I jump back, avoiding her fingers. Her nails aren’t that long, but they are filthy, her skin purplish. I would just bet she’s teeming with all kinds of sickness.

“No touching.”

She takes her hand back with a hiss, her skin paling even more where shadow fell on it. Her arm is ghostly white in patches.

I clench my jaw, my insides tensing with terror when I look at her teeth. Just please, don’t let her bite me.

Stifling the scream of bravado that wants to tear out of my throat, I leave the protection of the tree. In one jump, I’m almost to her, but suddenly, she’s ten steps away, hissing at me as her hair billows wildly despite there being no wind.

I just manage to retreat back into the shade when she reappears where I stood, her jaw open even wider, an inhuman, rusty shriek coming from her throat.

It’s sickening. I see her uvula vibrating from where I stand.

“You’re making this difficult for us both,” I growl, bouncing on my feet in preparation for another attack.

I lunge at her, but she avoids me. One moment she’s there, and the next, she’s a few paces to the left, screaming as her hair whips around her face. This time, I don’t run back to safety. I plant my feet, my teeth clenched to the point of pain, as she charges at me. Her arms are outstretched, fingers bent and ready to scratch.

She moves too fast. I make to grab her when she’s on me, but she slithers out of my grasp, her nails slashing down my left arm. Agonizing heat licks my skin, and I stagger back under the tree, gripping my arm and wheezing. The pain grows and grows, until I fall to my knees, my legs too weak to support me.

The poludnica stops her scream and just stands there, watching me. I think she’s grinning, though with that mouth, it’s hard to tell.

“Laugh while you can,” I hiss, gingerly removing my hand to see the wound.

The sight makes my guts twist with horror, and for a moment, I’m afraid I will hurl. I look away, but it doesn’t help. I’m breathing so fast, I’m dizzy, and still, I look again, trying to get accustomed to the sick, horrible sight.

Three deep, completely black gashes run down my arm. My flesh isn’t just burned, it’s completely singed to cinders. Pain radiates from the wounds, my arm growing numb, and I have to blink repeatedly when my vision swims.

Apparently, Chors’ mark doesn’t protect me from her touch. He could have mentioned it.

I look up. The poludnica titters, the sound eerie and unpleasant, and my anger flames into a fire that devours my fear.

I grin back, baring as many teeth as I can.

“You shouldn’t have done that.”

She titters again, like a little girl during playtime, and I jump out at her with a roar. She avoids me, but I pivot, holding my bundle of weapons like a shield. Her teeth glint in the sun, saliva dripping down her chin. She lunges at me with her hands outstretched. I move away, gritting my teeth when the pain makes me stumble.

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