Page 86 of Kiss of Magic

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” she swore. She had no idea where she was going.

Ahead of her was the orchard. She knew she couldn’t go in there – Mistral would have to slow down and that would be fatal. Her eyes scanned frantically. To the right was the ornamental lake.

The lake.

An idea formed. Crazy, risky, but at least it was an idea. And it was the only one she had.

She glanced behind again with trepidation. The demon was now almost on Mistral’s hind quarters. The horse was sweating in panic, froth flecking its mouth, but Ren forced him to hold steady.

“Easy, boy,” she murmured. The demon was readying to spring. Her nerves stretched taut but she forced herself to wait until its back legs bunched. “Now!”

Horse and rider veered sharply right, leaving the demon to overshoot. It landed badly, rolling several metres before it sprang up furiously, gouging deep grooves into the soil in its frustration.

If it wasn’t angry before, it definitely was now.

It tore after Ren as she galloped full pelt towards the lake. She glanced behind her.

“Come on, you bastard. Keep coming,” she breathed.

The way it ran was disconcerting, sometimes on its back four legs, sometimes on all six, occasionally using its tentacles to propel it along like some grotesque malformed cockroach.

She imagined those limbs clutching at her. Those teeth sinking into her flesh. It was so close now she could see its saliva dripping.

They reached the lake. Mistral naturally turned to gallop round it. As he curved away, Ren slid her feet from the stirrups and let the momentum carry her off the saddle and into the water.

The shock of it made her gasp. She plunged below the surface, managing to swallow a mouthful of lake on the way down. By the time she kicked her way back up, the demon was squatting by the edge of the water.

You’re. Mine.

Ren licked her lips. Her heart was hammering. She only had one chance. Behind the demon, she could see her father galloping towards them.

“Come and get me then. Or are you scared of getting wet?”

She tried to inject contempt into her voice but fear made it tremble. Maybe that was good. Maybe fear was what the creature wanted.

You. Will. Scream.

It prowled forward. As soon as it touched the water, Ren turned and splashed to the side. Adrenaline gave her speed. The thing was right behind her when she reached the bank. Something touched her foot and she closed her eyes in terror.

With a panicked heave, she rolled onto dry land. And as the last part of her body left the water, she channelled every ounce of her largely useless weft power into it.

The sudden smell of winter filled the air.

Ren waited on the bank, heart pounding, sure she was about to be eviscerated. Nothing happened. Warily, she opened her eyes.

The demon was right there, barely two feet away, but completely trapped in the frozen lake. Its lower limbs and all its tentacles were pinned below the ice. It struggled and the ice creaked. But it held.

With a howl of fury the demon reached towards Ren with its remaining free arms. Hastily she scrabbled backwards, putting herself out of reach. The demon shrieked and raged but it was stuck fast. She knew it wouldn’t be for long. Already, little cracks were appearing around it.

Her father rode up beside her. He dismounted, still carrying the thermal weapon, and surveyed the scene dispassionately. Then he raised the gun.

“You’re on my land,” he said coldly. And fired.

The weapon melted both ice and demon. Ash and steam spiralled into the air. Black lumps of charred bone landed on what remained of the lake, before sinking gently out of sight. Ren knew it would be a long time before she could bring herself to swim in there again.

She got to her feet and looked at her father.

“You did it. You killed the demon.”

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