Page 102 of Kiss of Light

The transport stumbled, righted itself, stumbled again. Tala watched angrily. She knew it wasn’t alive, that it was only a piece of enchanted machinery, but she had the irrational feeling the Spider was being hurt. Desecrated.

“I thought it was impervious to magic?” Lemar murmured quietly.

“It isn’t magic. Just a big old trap. Most basic thing in the world.”

The Spider had walked into a concealed pit. It was struggling to climb out but its legs were held by snares buried within the hole. Snares strong enough to hobble it.

“You knew it was there?”

“I possessed one of the raiding party.”

“But who are they?”

She pointed with her chin.

“Look.”

Another leg of the Spider was snapped off and the whole thing began to tilt. As it came crashing down, several dozen figures galloped from the trees, whooping triumphantly.

“Centaurs. Salaq’s?”

“Yep. He has all the bestials in his camp now. Let’s go, before they realise we’re not in there.”

“Wait.” Lemar shot his hand out, stilling her. “I wasn’t kidding about there being only one safe route.”

“Then you’d better go first.”

“Stay close. And once we cross into no-man’s land, do not deviate from my path.”

“Any excuse to make me walk three paces behind.”

“I’m serious.”

“What, are there landmines or something?”

“Something.”

Tala rolled her eyes.

“Fine. Lead on.”

They ran silently towards the line of trees marking the start of no-man’s land. Behind them came the clash of steel, metal on metal, as the centaurs tried to pry open the now motionless Spider.

She thought they would make it, she really did.

They were within a few feet of the boundary when a figure stepped out of the dark and blocked their path. Tala didn’t need to smell its fetid stench to know it was another centaur.

“Got you,” it said.

Forty Four

It was a male, big, even for its kind. Dried sweat matted dark bay flanks. He smiled, revealing yellowed teeth in a scarred face. A sword was levelled at Lemar’s throat.

“Nice trick,” the creature smirked. “But this is as far as you go.”

“Think so?” Lemar smiled lazily. “You may have four legs but she and I can run rings round you.”

“You can’t outrun all of us, vampire. Not without going beyond the trees. And I hear that’s a death-trap.”

---