A Blade So Black

by L. L. McKinney

  “Naw, most of them aren’t as … skilled. It’s a shame your partner doesn’t share my high opinion of you.” His tone sounded troubled, and far more genuine than she believed him to be capable of. “He thinks you’re losing your edge, if he ever believed you had it.”

  “Right.” Alice eyed him. “And you’re an expert on what he thinks about me?”

  “No, I’m an expert on stealth and observation. What, you think this getup is just for the aesthetic effect?” He gestured to himself. “What I’ve observed is a capable fighter—that’s you—getting trounced repeatedly and constantly playing catch-up because her partner, or whatever he is, didn’t trust her with vital information. If he told you about the Eye to begin with, maybe you would’ve been more prepared for our first little dance. And I know you wouldn’t be scrambling now. Congratulations on putting the pieces together on that one. I knew you could do it.”

  Anger flashed through Alice, red-hot. “There’s no one to blame for all of this but you. I won’t let you win.”

  “Mmm, you’re not good enough to stop me. Not yet. And with him keeping things from you like this, weakening you, you’ll never be.” The knight lifted his hands. “I can’t make you hear the truth. But when he shows his lack of faith, remember I told you so,” he said, singsong.

  “What do you want?” she growled through clenched teeth, so over this guy and his bullshit. Her voice stayed steady as the rest of her shook.

  “Always the same questions with you.” The Black Knight lowered his legs so his feet hit the ground. She could tell the instant gravity took hold of him again by the way his armor shifted downward slightly. “I’m starting to think you don’t pay attention when we talk.”

  She wanted to punch him dead in his mouth even though his helmet covered it. Her nerves buzzed with the effort to hold back. “Why. Are. You. Here?”

  “To distract you.” He twisted his wrist as if looking at a watch. “Cue music.”

  A shriek bored into Alice’s bones. Icy dread followed.

  Odabeth …

  Eighteen

  FIENDISH

  Alice raced for the campsite. Wind smacked her ears in a whistling rush. Blood galloped through her veins.

  Stupid. She dodged trees and vaulted stones and dips in the ground. Fell for it, again. This was her fault. If anyone was hurt, she was to blame. But she couldn’t focus on that now.

  Lungs on fire, muscles screaming, heart beating a panicked rhythm in her ears, she pushed herself to move faster. Another scream cut the air, following by the shriek of metal.

  The carriage gradually came into sight, and with it signs of battle. The twins fought, back-to-back, against creatures with massive bodies like wolves but heads like cats, with fangs and claws that lashed out in attack. Inky fur glistened in the daylight.

  Xelon fended off two with her sword. Behind her, Odabeth cowered near the trunk of a tree, frozen, her mouth working in silent terror.

  “Nyet!” Dee shouted as the creature he’d been battling tore away and raced toward the princess.

  “Kill the girl!” it howled.

  Alice hit Odabeth at full speed, diving into her from the side, her arms around her torso. Odabeth squawked, pain, shock, and fear rolled into the same sound. There was a loud WHAM as the monster slammed into the tree.

  The girls flew a short distance. Alice did her best to angle them so she took the brunt of the fall. They hit the ground in a tangle of limbs and lace. Pain spasmed along Alice’s body, filled her head, lit stars in her eyes.

  Get up.

  The smell of dirt and vanilla perfume coated her throat. Her lungs kicked at her ribs in their struggle to take in more air.

  Get up.

  Odabeth groaned. The sound bounced between Alice’s ears, along with her racing pulse. The harsh throbbing took a dizzying twist.

  The beast snarled somewhere nearby. “Take her! Take them all!”

  Get UP!

  Alice twisted and flung Odabeth to the side as she kicked to her feet. Her hands flew to the daggers at her hips. Muscle memory brought her into a defensive stance, weapons lifted.

  The beast struggled to free its claws, embedded in the tree. It yanked loose and turned on her, snarling, black lips curling from glowing fangs.

  “You think you can protect her. You can barely protect yourself.”

  Alice’s mind went back to that alley, the monster that called to her from the darkness. None of the Nightmares she faced spoke, from then until now. A shudder moved through her. She shook away the vision. Withdrawing as the monster paced forward, she searched for weak spots—eyes, nose, ears. It had none, just a mouth full of teeth.

  Hackles raised, it pounced.

  She leaped to the side, twisting to rip at the creature as it sailed by. It yelped and dropped. The instant it hit the ground she was on top of it. The fear from before, the hesitation, was gone. She moved like a girl possessed, her body working outside of her thought processes. Her hands tingled; her palms ached with her tight grip on the daggers. The Figment Blades found giving flesh, again and again, their glass-like surface catching the light in ways that made them shine.

  She countered one swipe of claws, but another caught the meat of her thigh.

  “Hng!” Her groan sounded loud in her ears. Blood ran warm against her skin. The tears in her flesh stretched as she ducked another swipe.

  Knees bent, she exploded forward and hit the beast broadside, daggers first. Both blades plunged into its exposed ribs. Something slick and putrid erupted over her hands. Nausea reeled in her gut. Bile kicked the back of her throat, but she swallowed and twisted.

  “Ahhhh!” Canine-like legs kicked and pumped. Claws caught her arms and legs, tore at her clothes and skin. She let go and scrambled backward.

  “Thank you,” the creature hissed, then twisted and flopped, its death throes pitching it over. With one final buck it fell still. The skin went fluid and slurped to the ground, spreading outward until it solidified with a crackle. The body should’ve caved in on itself, but instead it fissured, fizzled, and dissolved slowly. Particles rose into the air like a fine dust, carried up and away on the wind. Alice drove her dagger into the ground. Light exploded from the blade with a sound like warped thunder. She threw her hands up to shield her eyes, blinking as the roar and brightness faded. The ground where the monster had fallen was now white.

  Alice sat there, eyes wide, chest heaving. “What … the hell … was that?” Her fingers hovered over the pale grass the color of ash. Movement to the side drew her attention. The Tweedles clutched their swords, the blades buried in another beast as it flailed. One creature hobbled away, tossed its head in a howl, then darted off into the woods.

  Xelon threw herself down at Odabeth’s side. “Your Highness?” She gathered the princess into her arms, hands carefully surfing her body in search of injury.

  Alice shut her eyes as everything wavered in and out of sharp focus: the stink on her fingers, the burn from her injuries, the ache in her muscles. That damned thing talked. It thanked her for …

  “Alice.” One of the twins took her face in his hands. “Open your eyes.”

  She obeyed, peeling her lids open. Dee’s ice-blue orbs locked with hers.

  “She all right?” Dem demanded, standing behind his brother, his left leg working in an anxious bounce.

  She would have smiled, but guilt settled into every muscle, including the ones in her face. This was her fault. She’d let the Black Knight distract her. If she’d just walked away, or attacked—anything but flipping talk to him.

  Dee shifted his attention to the slices in her clothes and skin. She winced when he pulled at cotton and denim to get a good look.

  “Nothing too deep, no sign of venom,” Dee reported clinically.

  Dem released a hard sigh and ran a hand through his short hair as he spun in pointless circles. “Bozhe moi.”

  “How is the princess?” Dee called without taking his eyes away from his work checking Alice’s wounds.<
br />
  “None too worse for wear.” Xelon smoothed her hands over Odabeth’s arms, examining her similarly. The knight murmured something. Odabeth sniffled and nodded, then wiped her face.

  Alice met Odabeth’s bleary red gaze. Swallowing, the princess glanced away, hands gripping the grass-stained folds of her dingy skirts.

  “Look at me.” Dee gently guided Alice around to face him. “You didn’t hit your head, did you?”

  She started to shake it, but then thought better of it. “No,” she rasped, despite the thunder between her ears. “But … did you hear them talk?”

  Dem turned from where he was surveying the area. “Talk?”

  “Those Nightmares.” Alice lifted her hands helplessly. “They talked!”

  “I heard.” Dee finally sat back, breath escaping him in a rush through his nose. “That was wild. And also not normal.” He frowned, looking around as well. “I’ve never seen Nightmares like—”

  “That was incredible.” Dem dropped to the ground beside his brother, eyes on Alice. “You took that thing apart—you were a beast!”

  Alice looked over her injuries herself. Serious or not, they still hurt like hell. “Just doing my job.” The words tasted like a lie. If she’d been doing her job, she’d have been here to help.

  “I’ve never seen you fight like that. Have you seen her fight like that?” Dem asked.

  “No. You sure you’re okay?” Dee asked.

  She nodded, tucking her hands into her lap. “Fine.”

  The twins stood, Dem helping Alice up before he held out her daggers. She took them with thanks, swiped them against her jeans, and caught sight of cracks in the blades.

  “Great,” she grumbled, sliding them into the sheaths. Busted already. Her Muchness must be real low.

  “Here.” Dem offered one of his dual swords, harness and all. Alice started to wave it off, but he pressed the weapon into her hands. “Not smart to go unarmed now.” He was right. Her daggers could shatter in another fight, leaving her helpless. She thanked him and worked to fasten the sword to her back.

  “So I’m straight—are you guys okay?” She rocked with the adrenaline still surfing her system.

  “Good.” Dee traced a trio of thin slices in his cheek.

  “All limbs accounted for.” Dem wiggled his fingers. “And I’m gonna have a new scar.” He winced as he lifted his shirt to reveal a shallow slice along his side. It still bled, but looked clean. There were other scrapes, probably a few bruises blossoming unseen over both of them. “Chicks dig scars.”

  “So sexy.” She rolled her eyes and looked to Odabeth and Xelon. Both were on their feet now as well, Xelon fussing over her princess gently.

  “Sooooo,” Dem dragged out. “Those things didn’t look like any Nightmare I’ve ever fought.”

  “We already covered that. Keep up.” Dee glanced at the white-washed grass. “Didn’t purge like one, either.”

  “They’re called Fiends.” Xelon finally turned from the princess, though Odabeth shifted closer to her side.

  “Fee-what?” Dem asked.

  “Fiends.” Xelon retrieved her sword with a slight jerk, or was that a wince? Alice couldn’t see if the knight had been injured, her cape falling down around her and blocking any view as she sheathed her weapon at her hip. “Using the power of the Nox, the Black Queen was able to corrupt those who didn’t swear loyalty to her, morphing them until they were monsters that had no choice but to follow her. They’re faster and stronger than natural Nightmares. More lethal all around.”

  Alice shuddered. “W-wait. Some Nightmares were people once?”

  Xelon shook her head, pushing platinum strands out of her face. “Not humans, but my people. I lost many good friends that way.”

  “Those were hard times.” Odabeth set a hand on Xelon’s shoulder. “My mother and aunt were able to reverse my grandmother’s work, but only for her more recent victims. The others h-had to be…”

  Xelon covered the princess’s fingers with her gauntleted ones.

  “Podozhdite.” Dee waved his hands. “Who’s running around turning people into Fiends?”

  The sinking feeling from before returned full force. Alice sighed, her gaze falling to the ground.

  “It’s got to be the Black Knight,” she murmured. For an imposter, this dude was pulling off some super real shit.

  Surprise flickered over each pale face.

  “The Black Knight?” Xelon asked. “What makes you think—”

  “I saw him. While I was getting water from the creek.” Alice smoothed a hand over her braids. “He showed up and started … talking. A-about nothing. I was ready for him to attack, not strike up a conversation. So I stood there and listened like an idiot. It was a distraction.”

  All eyes focused on her; Alice fought like hell not to squirm. Instead, she smoothed her hands over her arms, mindful of her scrapes. “I’m sorry, I—I should have realized sooner.”

  After several painful seconds of silence, Xelon stepped forward to meet Alice’s gaze, her motions somewhat disjointed. “You’re not to blame for his deception.”

  Part of Alice wanted to believe her. The other part knew better, but said nothing.

  “We need to move,” Xelon said. “We’ve still got an hour’s ride before we reach the Western Gateway.”

  “If we leave now, we can make it before sunset.” Alice eyed the sky, where bursts of orange mixed in with pink. “Even then, we’ll be cutting it close.” That’s when she noticed their party was two travelers short. “Where are the horses?”

  “They took off the minute the fun started.” Dee jerked a thumb over his shoulder.

  “They’ll find their way back to the palace, where they’ll be safe.” Xelon scanned the area.

  “Good for them.” Alice scrubbed her face. “Meanwhile, the rest of us will be stuck out here in the dark with Fiends running around all … Fiendish.”

  “What about the supplies?” Odabeth asked as Dee gauged the direction of the Glow and started walking. “The coach?”

  “Leave it.” Dem fell into step at his brother’s side. “No time.”

  The princess gave a noise of protest, but Xelon said something Alice couldn’t make out and she fell silent.

  As they trekked along, everyone seemed jumpy and turned to look whenever something moved in the brush nearby. Twice they’d increased their pace, but there was no way they could make it before nightfall.

  After a while, Alice’s legs started to ache, and a hitch in her shoulder made itself known, but there was nothing for it. They had to keep moving.

  Xelon caught Odabeth when she tripped over something for the millionth time. Normally, Alice would have questioned the ridiculous decision to wear those silly, strappy shoes, but three things stopped her: One, she was almost positive Odabeth only owned those kinds of shoes. Two, even if Odabeth did indeed own other shoes, Alice was sure hiking boots were not included. Three, the princess hadn’t complained once since they started off again, about having to walk or no longer having her things. She was holding her own, in the best way she could.

  “Not much farther,” Alice offered.

  Not that it mattered. They were going to run out of daylight a couple of miles shy of the Gateway. The darkness itself wouldn’t be a problem—the Glow provided more than enough light to see by—but another Fiend attack was definitely on everyone’s minds.

  When the last swells of daylight faded, a heavy tension fell with the darkness. The soft whisper of leather and cloth sounded as everyone who was armed drew weapons. The only other sound permeating the night air was the thump of their footfalls, the crunch of grass and leaves, the occasional snap of a twig. No birds, no insects, no nighttime creatures.

  Then Alice heard it, faint and distant. “Wait,” she whispered as she threw up her hand. Everyone froze. “You hear that?”

  They glanced around, their heads tilting. It sounded like the whistle of the wind at first. Then it grew louder, into a howl. And there was more tha
n one.

  “Move.” Dee took off at a run.

  Odabeth and Xelon followed. Alice and Dem brought up the rear. The princess gripped her skirts, wheezing around harsh pants. She slowed their pace, stumbling over her own feet. The howls grew louder, closer. The baying rose to a sound like hyenas cackling.

  “Strewth!” Odabeth gasped, throwing glances over her shoulder, her eyes bright in the blue light of the moon.

  “Almost there,” Dee called over the collective symphony of their efforts.

  The group burst from the edge of the forest and plowed into the tall grass of the meadow. Ahead, the Glow burned, intense in the night.

  Another howl.

  “If we can reach the Glow, the light will hold them off,” Xelon hollered.

  “I don’t recall them being picky about that sort of thing.” Dem panted around the words.

  “It’s sacred ground,” Xelon said. “They’ll come apart if they set foot there.”

  The howls became snarls.

  Claws pounded against the ground.

  Odabeth whimpered.

  “Don’t look back!” Xelon shouted.

  Everyone ran as fast as they could. Alice kept sight of the princess ahead of her.

  Behind her, teeth gnashed. Alice imagined fangs sinking into the exposed flesh of her neck.

  The Glow loomed close. Thirty yards to go.

  Another snarl. One of the Tweedles shouted a curse in Russian.

  Twenty yards.

  Alice’s legs burned. Her calf cramped.

  Ten …

  Nineteen

  JAWS THAT BITE

  We’re not gonna make it! Alice chanced a glance over her shoulder. Fiends were closing in.

  Xelon looked back as well, just as the closest beast leaped. In one motion she spun, drew her sword, and slammed into the monster. Both of them went tumbling.

  “Xelon!” Odabeth screamed, her voice cracking. The twins turned, spitting curses.

  “Get her out of here!” The knight was on her feet, fending off a swipe of claws. “Go!”

  Everything in Alice wanted to stay and fight, but the princess was the priority. “Guys!” Alice called to the twins as she took hold of Odabeth, who fought against her, screaming for Alice to let go. Dee grabbed her other arm and together they hauled her toward the Glow.