Page 226 of Kingdom of the Two Moons

“Well, maybe anything a little more helpful, Blair?”

“Those aren’t just demons. Those are Trochetian horses. Shape-shifting demons, in the form of a dragon,” Blair explains, suppressing the shiver that runs down her spine. Fuck, she’s only ever heard rumors about them. “A creature from the Abyss, and fucking deadly if you’re not his owner. They’re rare and utterly lethal.”

“Their diet doesn’t, by any chance, happen to exclude half-humans and witches?”

“Not that I know of,” Blair whispers, ignoring her heartbeat that’s started to skyrocket.

“Anything else that might help our cause?”

“Well, they obey their owner, so you might just pray Caryan shows up here to save us,” she drawls sarcastically.

Melody scowls at her before she pushes to her feet. “Run, Blair! Now!”

At that, Blair startles to her feet too, and they bolt back the way they came, the dragon so close on their heels its hot breath warms the tunnel, carrying the unmistakable scent of flesh and carrion.

“If it fucking likes fried food, we’re dead,” Blair pants through her gritted teeth. Her weak body protests against the strain, but she pushes even harder as large, utterly deadly teeth snap shut behind her, missing her by mere inches.

“What?” Melody throws her a glance, eyes wide at the teeth right behind Blair.

“They can breathe fire,” Blair throws back. “We’re gonna end up as fucking barbecue.”

“Not today,” Melody has the nerve to snarl back.

Just before the darkness swallows them again as if it wanted to protect them. It spits them out a moment later, throwing them right back into the cavernous hall and the sea of bones, saving them from the unmistakable heat that has started to emanate from the demon’s mouth.

“Left tunnel!” Blair screams.

They skitter over the bones, half crawling, half running. Sharp edges cut open their skins, drawing blood as they push towards the leftmost tunnel.

“I think we shook him,” Blair pants between her teeth, right as another dragon—a green one—comes shooting out of the middle tunnel right behind them. It wants to launch itself at them, but it, too, is slowed by all the bones, skittering awkwardly towards them over the slippery surface.

Blair stares at it for a moment too long before she catches herself and starts to push on. But something holds her back.

“Fuck,” she curses under her breath. “My leg got stuck in a ribcage.” She pulls and pulls, but her ankle has snared, interlocking with the other bones.Game over.

“Run. Use me as bait and get out!” she shouts to Melody, meaning it.

But the half-human turns around and, hells, is coming back for her. Again.

Blair bares her teeth. “Save your fucking, miserable life,” Blair snarls as the girl grabs her arm, trying to drag Blair out.

The demon skitters closer, its teeth snapping for Melody.

She draws the Nefarian’s sword again. “Good, you want to eat us? Then earn it,” she spits at the monster.

The demon lets out an irritated hiss, its eerie eyes fixed on the black, thrumming metal in Melody’s hand. Unsure whether to strike or not.

“Get up, Blair!” Melody orders as the demon starts to perform some strange, serpentine movement Blair knows all too well.

“Get the fuck away, girl! It’s going to burn us!” Blair screams as the demon’s tongue starts to curl. “Leave me!”

But Melody just grabs her arm harder and pulls with impressive strength.

Blair slams her hands over her ears, and her whole body locks up as demonic fire blasts towards her, singing every patch of exposed skin. It feels like it goes on forever, but there’s no excruciating pain incinerating every cell of her being.

When Blair glances up, she finds the blue blast roaring over her head and illuminating the whole cave—and Abyss fuck her—she’s lying flat on her belly like a stranded fish. And in front of her, having fallen backward as she dragged Blair out, is Melody, breathing hard, her eyes wide, her hair plastered to her face from heat and sweat.

The ringing in Blair’s ears stops, along with the stream of fire. All that remains is a surreal moment of total silence before the beast rears his head, realizing they are still alive and not fried. Then it comes for them, swinging its massive head, its jaws locking with an audibleclick,slammingshut right over Blair’s head.

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