Page 22 of The Falconer

The result is immediate. The redcap’s power is so strong, it courses through my chest and fills the empty expanse inside me. I revel in the feel of rain on my skin and the energy sweeping through my veins. If only—

The blade is knocked from my grip. A colossal hand grabs me by the throat – another redcap.What on earth? It lifts me easily into the air and my legs dangle.

I gasp for air and the redcap snarls, baring glistening sharp teeth stained with blood, its breath foul with rot. It relishes this. It enjoys watching people suffer, like every other disgusting faery I’ve fought.

I plant my hands on its arms, using them to lever my body up and swing my leg in a strong, sure kick under the redcap’s chin. It’s surprised enough that it drops me.

As I hit the ground, my teeth snap together and I bite my tongue. The coppery tang of blood fills my mouth as I stumble.

The redcap swings its hammer again. I roll and it just misses me. More of the bridge’s balustrade crumbles. Then I remember: the redcap may have a hammer, but I still have my watch fob. I reach into my pocket and simultaneously press the two buttons on the clock face to release its concealed retractable claws. The metal talons emerge with a soft click, sharp and ready.

The redcap surges towards me again, arms wide. Diving between its legs, I roll into a crouch and thrust the explosive device against the redcap’s lower back.

The redcap howls and swings its body around. I move with it, using all the skill learned from hours of endless, boring dance lessons. Twisting my body, I grasp its arm to hold it still just long enough to push the buttons on the clock’s face again, so the claws dig into its flesh.

I scramble to my feet and sprint to Kiaran.

‘What are you doing?’

I grin. ‘You’ll see.’

I pull him along with me, urging him to run faster and faster as I try to calculate a safe distance from the explosion, based on the quantity of black powder I’ve packed into the fob watch. The redcap’s heavy, pounding footfalls are loud behind us and my breathing quickens as I try to put more space between us and the faery.

Four. My legs pump harder and I shove Kiaran in front of me.Three. I throw myself at him, rolling us so his indestructible body protects me from the direct blast.Two. I hold my breath and press my palms over my ears.One.

Even my hands over my ears don’t muffle the boom. Clouds of dust boil outwards as the blast lights the sky orange. The most remarkable part is that underneath the orange is a vivid blue in a shade I’ve never seen before. Oh, my. These must be the colours a faery gives off when its biological material reacts to the black powder. How interesting.

I frown at the falling debris. The device shouldn’t have had that much power. Who knew faeries exploded so magnificently? I certainly don’t want the faery who murdered my mother to die that quickly when I find her.

Kiaran is so still beside me, his heart a heavy, soothing rhythm against my cheek. I’m unable to hear it because of the blast, but I can feel it. I watch the dust settle across the street and my body calms. The rain patters around us.

Kiaran shifts his body away from mine. I awkwardly clear my throat and stand to stare at the massive, gaping hole where half of North Bridge once stood. My ears pop and my hearing returns, though still a bit muffled.

‘Well,’ I say, working my jaw to pop my ears again. ‘I didn’t expect that.’

‘Coincidence. Neither did I.’

Kiaran’s tone surprises me. Oh goodness, his eyes are glowing as he gets to his feet. He brushes the debris off his torn clothes – bits of smoking rock that might have severely injured me if I hadn’t used him as a shield.

‘Black powder is a light explosive,’ I say defensively. ‘I didn’t factor in the redcap’s reaction to theseilgflùr– are you angry?’

A snarl reverberates in the night.

Kiaran and I turn to the remains of North Bridge. Across the wreckage stands a third redcap. Oh dear. Three faeries in one night isn’t at all normal.

My hands clench into fists as the faery jumps across the remains of the bridge, graceful despite its large body. It doesn’t matter that I don’t have an effective weapon. I will hit it until my fists are raw. I will bite and claw to survive if I have to.

The redcap runs towards me, snapping sharp teeth.

Kiaran steps between us. The redcap comes to a halt and stares at him in surprise. It’s as if . . . as if the redcap recognises Kiaran. Neither of them speaks. Kiaran tilts his head in that inhuman way of his.

I never see him move. One moment, nothing. The next, he’s holding the redcap’s dripping heart in his hand.

I gasp in horror as the redcap makes an awful choking sound and falls to its knees. Blood slides thick down Kiaran’s wrist and stains his white shirt. He’s still holding the dripping heart.Still holding the heart. . .

And I’m struck with a memory before I can even think to suppress it. Blood soaking through my mother’s dress. Slick and dark on her pale skin. Thick lashes frame her eyes as they stare wide at the sky, glazed over and dead inside.

I watch mutely as Kiaran plants his heavy boot in the centre of the redcap’s massive chest and shoves the faery over the bridge’s remains. He tosses the heart after it.

---