by Amy Hopkins
“Well then, how did he hear it,” Bette asked. She jabbed a hand behind her where Marcus was walking his horse into the clearing, hands clapped over his ears.
“He’s a mystic, but he just won’t admit it,” Julianne said.
“Bullshit!” Marcus snapped. “I can block, but I don’t have an ounce of magic in me.”
“Then what do ye call blockin’?” Bette asked.
“Iron will,” Marcus growled. He stuck a finger in his ear and wiggled it. “Next theory?”
“The monster’s scream is a psychic defense,” Julianne said. “We already know Ardie is sensitive around magic, and I mind-read him, so there’s got to be—”
“You what?” Marcus screeched. “When?”
“Yesterday,” Julianne said calmly.
“Yesterday? Who were you with—DANIL! I’m going to roast that bastard!”
“Please, I beg you, no,” Danil said jovially behind them.
Marcus swung around, fists balled.
“Come on, man. Have you ever tried to stop Jules from doing something she was hell bent on?” Danil asked.
“You said it was dangerous!” Marcus said to Julianne. “Too dangerous for Bastian to try.”
“It was,” Julianne said. “But not so dangerous that it wasn’t worth doing. Besides, Danil was there to pull me out if I needed it.”
Marcus lifted his hands in the air, then dropped them to his sides. “Can’t leave you alone for a day!” he muttered.
“Mmm,” Julianne agreed. “You probably can’t. I’m a bit of a troublemaker, aren’t I?”
Bastian rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry to interrupt, guys… but what the fuck are we going to do?”
“We need to shut down that Bitch-damned portal,” Bette said. “Before that bastard pulls through another army of… whatever those things were.”
“I think I know how to do it,” Julianne said. “Jessop?”
The old man limped forwards. Blood dripped from a lump on his scalp, but his eyes were bright, and he seemed alert. “Yes, ma’am?”
“I need you to build us something,” Julianne said. “But we need to do it in a hurry… and we need to build it at the rift. Get your men to bring whatever supplies they need. We leave now.”
Jessop paled.
“Men!” Mack yelled. “You hear that? We’re going to the rift, and we’re going to stop these hellspawn coming through!”
A weak cheer rose through the crowd, and Mack shrugged one shoulder up. “I tried. Gotta be honest, I’m not too excited about going back, either.”
“It’ll be fine,” Julianne said. “What’s the worst that can happen?”
They moved as one big group, carefully spreading out along the path towards the rift and staying as quiet as they could.
Bette was the first to step into the carnage.
“Oh, Lewis,” she said. “Ye poor wee bastard.”
Lewis’s legs had been torn off his body and tossed on the ground. A few steps further, and she found the rest of the corpse.
The men looked to have put up a valiant fight. Bruises on arms and legs and faces showed they’d fought. Crushed hands and broken fingers suggested they’d fought hard.
Still, with only three men free to guard the portal while the rest of the crew had gone to make sure the workers were safe, they hadn’t been able to fend off whatever attack they had faced.
“Did they come back here?” Mack asked, voice low and weapon high.
Julianne shook her head. “I don’t think something came into the camp. I think something escaped from it.”
She pointed at the ground, where thin, spiked prints marked the soft dirt.
“Two claws and long feet,” Marcus said, bending down for a closer look. “But either this guy stayed around and danced the night away, or…” he trailed off.
“Or there was more than one,” Bette said. “A whole damned lot more than one. And this isn’t one of the wee beasties that knocked ye on yer ass,” she pointed out.
Marcus coughed. “I wouldn’t say I was on my ass, exactly.”
“We have to get back to Tahn,” Julianne said. “But not until we block off this portal.”
“What if the bastards head to Tahn?” Marcus asked. “We can’t leave the town undefended.”
“If we don’t shut down their access to our world, the fat pricks will keep dragging their scaled asses over,” Bette pointed out. “And if we don’t have the men to fight the goat-fuckers off, we’re fucked.”
Julianne raised a hand. “Danil, you and Polly head back.” She waved down Danil’s protest. “We can’t leave them undefended—at least if one of us is there, we can send out a cry for help if we need it.”
Polly grabbed Danil’s arm. “We’ll go. We can help the town prepare, just in case. Right, dear?”
Danil nodded and the two of them ran off.
One by one, each of the crew of workers walked up and dropped their load by the rift. Some carried beams and heavy planks. Others had bags of clay and plaster, or packets of nails and belts full of tools.
Jessop already had his measuring stick out, checking the size of the beams and setting aside the ones he wanted.
The frame went up quickly. The boxed structure surrounded the portal, attached to a platform anchored to the ground by deep posts. Everyone helped to fill it. Globs of wet clay were layered between handfuls of rock and stone, buckets of wet adhesive filling any gaps between them.
They worked as fast as they could, but no amount of willpower could force each layer to dry faster. By the time the frame had been filled and the portal had vanished from sight, the shadows stretched long over the ground.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Danil trotted his horse along the road to Tahn. The poor beast had almost been run into the ground in the urgent race to the witchpost, and he didn’t want to kill it, so he tempered their speed.
Polly leaned forwards. “Danil… Can you hear that?” She pulled her horse up and closed her eyes.
After Danil had insisted his hearing was better because he couldn’t see, Polly had been practicing the trick. With her eyes closed, she really did feel like her other senses were heightened.
It didn’t take supernatural hearing to pick out this noise, though. “Shit!”
“Polly, that sounds a whole like a giant horde of remnant. Tell me it isn’t?” Danil’s horse picked up on his anxiety and let out a high-pitched whine.
“Is it ahead or behind us?” Polly asked in a low voice, patting her own horse’s neck to soothe it.
Dani shook his head. He pointed at the thick forest off to one side. “Both. Or, neither. They’re headed right for us, and fast.”
Polly could hear the rumble getting louder. Curses, yells, and the thwack of branches and leaves as the horde moved through it sent a shiver down her spine.
“Come on,” she said. “We can outrun them.”
They kicked their horses and ran, circling round a bend in the road. They shuddered to a stop, fear wrapping around their throats.
Stay. Very. Still. Danil sent the words to Polly with a thread of reassuring calm.
Polly couldn’t have moved anyway. The sight of several hundred remnant rushing across the road into the trees on the other side had frozen her muscles and squeezed at her lungs.
A second horde, behind them, erupted from the dense foliage. They rushed at Polly and Danil, weapons raised. Danil flinched. There was no escape, the two groups had them hemmed in.
He sucked a breath and prepared to die. The remnant ran past, pushing and shoving and screaming.
Bodies pressed and shoved against the shuddering horses, and several of the remnant screamed insults and threats.
Danil felt the beast’s eyes crawling over him, but whatever had them fleeing at that breakneck pace had such a grip, not a single one stopped to fight them.
The crowded press eased as fast as it had started. Remnant after remnant passed, then vanished into the trees across the road, leaving them suddenly alone.
“Sorry,” she whimpered, trying to force down her shuddering gasps.
Danil squeezed her. “That,” he said softly, “Was the scariest fucking thing I have ever encountered. Ever.”
“You’re n-not scared,” she said, eyes still wet. Her voice was a little steadier, though.
“Are you fucking insane?” Danil asked. “Those bastards could have shoved us through a meat grinder backwards. Only an idiot wouldn’t be scared.” He winked. “I’m just really, really good at hiding it.”
“Liar.” Polly sniffled, then wiped her nose on his shirt.
Danil cupped a hand around her face. “I’m not kidding. I’ve spent my life at the Temple, learning to control my mind, master my emotions. I can hide fear; I can work through it and stay focused when I’m terrified. That doesn’t mean I’m not shitting my pants.”
“Teach me,” she said, voice hard. “Teach me how to do that.”
“Right now?” Danil asked, surprised.
Polly shook her head. “No. But soon.” She took a deep breath. “If one of those bastards had taken a swing… I couldn’t have moved if I’d wanted to. I couldn’t have fought back.”
Danil nodded slowly. “Ok. That’s fair. You’ve taught me to fight with my eyes closed, I certainly owe you this.” He rubbed her back. “But first, we have to get back to Tahn. I don’t think those remnant are headed there, but I can’t say I’m so sure about those things Bastian saw.”
Polly nodded and stood on shaky legs. Danil helped her back onto her horse.
“You ok?” he asked, worried at how hard her hands trembled as she held the reins gripped in white fists.
Polly shook her head. Then, she grinned. “I’m scared as fuck. Not gonna stop me doing my job, though.”
Danil couldn’t stifle the wide smile that crept over his face. “That’s my girl.”
He mounted his horse, kicked its ribs, and they set off on the last leg of their journey.
When they arrived at Tahn, the sun had dropped low in the sky. Danil was relieved to see the gates firmly shut and lanterns dotting the top of the wall.
“Ahoy the gates!” Danil called as he dismounted. “It’s your favorite mystic! Open up!”
A head poked over the wall. “Ye don’t look like Julianne or Bastian,” Garrett called. “In fact, ye look like that prick Danil—and he’s nobody’s favorite.”
“Very funny, you vertically challenged little bastard.” Danil waited, but the gates didn’t open.
“If ye want to come in, I’d advise ye don’t piss off the man who’s holdin’ the gate shut, ye smartassed wee prick.” Garrett waited for a response.
“My prick is anything but small, little man. Now, open up.” Danil smirked.
Garrett opened his mouth to shout something down, but Danil muttered something under his breath.
“Yes, Danil the great an’ powerful. I shall bow at ye feet and lick yer dirty boots, for yer glory shines upon—”
“Danil, hurry the fuck up!” Polly snapped. “I’m cold and tired and some big fucking monsters are coming to kill us. Just get him to open the damn gate.”
“Spoil all my fun,” Danil grumbled. A moment later, the gate swung open and they rode in.
“You better hold that spell as long as you can,” Polly suggested. “Because the second you let him out of it, he’s going to hunt your ass down and give it a walloping.”
Garrett gave them a limp wave, then closed the gate.
Danil winked at Polly. “Watch this.” He waved a hand in front of Garrett, then placed a finger on the rearick’s temple. “Garrett, you won’t remember this. Instead, you think we traded insults for a while, then you opened the gate to let us in. You locked it after. But, you are now absolutely certain that my dick is bigger than—OW!”
Danil winced, rubbing the bruise forming where Polly had punched him. His finger had slipped off Garrett’s head with the unexpected whack had interrupted his spell.
Garrett shook his head, dazed. Then, he slowly looked up.
“Why you little—” Garrett lunged.
Danil dropped his horse’s reins and ran, taking off down the street. The furious rearick at his heels shouting in anger.
“Idiot,” Polly murmured. She grabbed Danil’s horse and led both animals back to Tessa’s.
Her friend ran out to the road to greet her. “Is everything ok?” Tessa asked, voice breathy. “First you ran off, then Garrett came in and ordered the town locked up. He ran past just before, screaming at someone.”
Polly giggled. “Yeah, that was Danil. I expect that to go on for a while.”
Tessa put her hands on her hips. “Men! I swear, it’s a wonder they get anything done in between dick measuring contests and—what’s so funny?”
Polly had doubled over laughing at the words ‘dick measuring contest’. She did her best to explain to Tessa that that was exactly why Garrett was trying to kill Danil.
By the time the two women had recovered from their laughter, a sore and sorry Danil had returned.
“What did he do to you?” Polly asked.
“I have a bruise on my ass an inch thick and a mile long.” Danil rubbed his backside. “I think it broke the skin.”
Polly sighed and shook her head. “You know what I’m going to say, don’t you?”
Danil nodded sadly. “That I deserve everything I got? I had to use that spell, though! He wouldn’t let us in, and who knows what could have followed us back!”
Polly snorted. “That’s not the bit that I was complaining about, and you know it.”
Danil sighed. “Look, you might have a point. I’m not admitting that you do, I’m just saying you might.”
Polly walked past, head high. “Well, until I get a full apology, you’ll just have to keep that big ol’ dick of yours to yourself.”
She slapped his ass, and he yelped in pain, but she ignored him. Tessa clapped a hand over her mouth but couldn’t hold back a fresh round of giggles.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Marcus threw a glance over his shoulder. Above, trees loomed over them, obscuring the stars. Ahead, the long line of exhausted workers and guards marched towards home.
“I could fall asleep on my horse,” Julianne murmured beside him.
Marcus nodded. “I know how you feel. Why don’t you meditate for a bit? That’ll recharge you a little, at least.”
Julianne chewed her lip. “I don’t feel safe diverting my attention,” she said.
Marcus shook his head. “It’s more dangerous for you to be so tired you can’t stand up when the real fight breaks out.”
Julianne sighed, then nodded. “Ok. We’re only twenty minutes out. Will you take my horse?”
Marcus took the reins, holding them gently at his side. He was confident the horse would continue to amble along, while Julianne only spared the absolute minimum energy and concentration needed to not fall off.
They rode in silence, Julianne’s eyes a soft white, Marcus’s dark in the half-moon light. The men ahead spoke little, using quiet voices and constantly darting glances at the trees. Every sound brought a spike of anxiety, every stumbled step a jolt of worry.
The trees broke and finally, the walls of Tahn came into view. The bright, sparkling lanterns lifted the men’s spirits, and they picked up pace, walking faster and talking a little louder.
Marcus heard a burst of quiet laughter. Another man started a loud joke. Then, a scream.
Bedlam broke out. Marcus’s horse reared up, then charged ahead, ripping the second set of reins from his hand. Something crashed beside him and as he turned to look, the moonlight sparkled on a shiny surface, throwing hues of red and amber.
“Run!” Marcus screamed. “Run to Tahn!”
He wrestled with his horse as Julianne’s bolted past, riderless. Terror t
urned his veins to ice as he jerked roughly, wheeling his horse around to face the terror.
The armor-clad monster stood in the pathway, sword raised menacingly. Behind it, a figure in white rested on the ground.
“JULIANNE!” Marcus screamed. Oblivious to the risk, he booted his horse and charged forwards.
As Marcus approached at a breakneck speed, the beast lifted his weapon. All the rider could see was a pair of bright, white specks rising from the pile of white cloth.
Marcus nodded, and clenched his teeth so hard they almost cracked.
The sword swung, sharp blade biting through the cool evening air. Marcus threw himself to the side, yanking the horse around.
Hooves skidded on dry dirt, and Marcus brushed the ground with one hand, skin peeling off on the tiny rocks and sharp stones that dotted the side of the road.
The blade scraped his leg, sending spears of fire shooting through his thigh. Marcus’s outstretched hand grabbed Julianne’s.
Fingers wrapped around his wrist. He pulled, gripping the pommel of his saddle with white knuckles. He felt Julianne’s leap, pushing her off the ground and her grip on his arm pulled harder.
The horse skidded to a stop, now facing the back of the monstrous, armored creature from another world. Julianne’s arms slid around Marcus’s waist as the momentum of their turn slid him back to a sitting position.
Now. Julianne’s command thundered in his head, and he kicked, bolting forwards. The lumbering man-beast tried to turn, but his heavy armor slowed him. Marcus dashed past, and they were off, hurtling down the road, wind whipping hair into his face and stinging his eyes.
The gates that kept Tahn wrapped in safety had already opened to admit the crowd of people fleeing towards safety. Now, they were closing. Bowmen stood on the wall, tall and proud, weapons drawn.
Two men—one short, the other with sparkling white eyes, screamed from above.
“Faster, Faster!”
“Get yer skinny ass inside ye prick!”
Marcus leaned forwards, kicking his horse and praying it wouldn’t stumble.
Something leapt onto the road beside them. Big, red… he didn’t look, only focused on the narrowing gap ahead.