Dark coven rising demigo.., p.19
Dark Coven Rising: Demigoddess Chronicles Book 2, page 19
Esras and Kiaran stared at us in disbelief.
We abruptly stopped laughing when the turdlean let out a roar. Partly because the sound was terrifying, but mostly because of the smell. The creature had epically bad breath that somehow blasted at us from ten yards away. And, yes, it smelled exactly like—
“Poop!” Cassie yelled, cupping her hand over her face. “Oh, my God. It freaking stinks!”
I started gagging.
“If the horns don’t kill you, the smell will,” Esras said.
“Now I get the name,” Cassie mumbled.
I gagged again.
“I believe it’s about to charge,” Esras said.
I managed to stop gagging long enough to say, “What do we do?”
Suddenly, a large dark shape leaped through the air, taking the form of a wolf as it landed on the ground. Apparently, Kiaran’s magic got a boost in Faerie, since his wolf form was way bigger this time.
He advanced on the other creature, legs tensed and hackles raised. It felt like my heart stopped beating as the turdlean lowered its head, pointing its horns directly at Kiaran. It dug in its feet, haunches raised as if ready to strike. Then Kiaran let out a roar of his own, unlike anything I’d heard before. The sound was deep and primal as it echoed through the forest, delivering one undeniable message. You don’t stand a chance against me. Now, run or die!
Apparently, the turdlean got the message just fine. It stepped back, keeping its wary gaze on Kiaran. Then it stepped back again, as if considering an escape. Kiaran leaped forward and the turdlean decided it had run out of options. It squealed, spun about and bolted. Vines swayed and sticks cracked as it plunged through the woods.
Unfortunately, the stench lingered.
“Wish I knew a spell for a gas mask,” Cassie muttered.
The coast now clear, we started walking again. Had we thought about it more, we would have realized that Kiaran couldn’t just join us and keep going. The result being that we were all but on top of him as he shifted back from wolf form. A very naked Kiaran turned and walked back to where he’d left his clothes. Amazingly, he looked entirely untroubled.
“If you’ll excuse me,” he said.
“Of course,” Cassie said. “Please, take your time.”
I waited until Kiaran got behind us. “Really?” I whispered, as we started walking again.
“I was just being nice,” Cassie whispered back. “A little consideration goes a long way. Don’t you think?”
“So does a little staring.”
She looked at me side-eyed, a wiseass grin tugging at her lips. “I wasn’t staring. More like admiring a little.”
I kept walking, refusing to look at her.
“The word omnipotent comes to mind,” Cassie said. “Is that the right word?”
“Shut up,” I said.
“As in all powerful,” Cassie said. “Huge and majestic.”
“If we live through this, I’m going to kill you.”
“No teeth, right? I just want to be sure about that.”
*
After what felt like a million years, we left the forest behind and started following a different path. This time, the ancient remnants of a cobblestone street. We could see the bell tower up ahead, rising above the trees, leaving no doubt that we'd soon reach our destination. And, so far, the only threat we'd encountered had been an oversized smelly pig with horns. Mostly, I felt relieved, since I'd been on edge the entire time. Even when we’d been laughing, an undercurrent of fear had kept simmering within me. No doubt, it had been nerves making us act that way to begin with.
Before long, the first building appeared, although there wasn't much left of it now. Just two stone walls remained standing, the rest having succumbed to nature. By the way it stood out here all on its own, I wondered if it might have been a farmhouse. Although, any other sign of what might have been a farm was long gone.
Soon, more buildings dotted the landscape, again little more than crumbling ruins, their roofs collapsed and what walls remained completely covered in vines. As we kept going, the number of buildings started to increase, occasional groupings suggesting intentional proximity. I wondered if they’d once belonged to different generations of family members, or if they may have been the fae equivalent of neighborhoods. Locations where, long ago, people had carved out places of comfort in the wilderness.
The spire wasn’t far off now, maybe even less than a mile, and it wasn’t long before we came upon the outskirts of town. The old stone buildings looked to be in better shape, as if by being clustered together they’d been spared the ravages of time. Still, most were covered in vines, their windows, if they ever had any, long gone, although many appeared to have four walls intact, some even moss covered roofs.
We kept venturing in deeper as the buildings grew more dense around us. Wind whistled past the facades of long-abandoned storefronts, stables and taverns, making the place feel that much more forlorn. I half-expected tumbleweeds to come rolling along.
Kiaran and Esras remained walking out front in a chivalrous attempt at protection. Behind them, I turned to Cassie, for some reason keeping my voice low. “Looks like a total ghost town.”
It was partly just observation of our physical surroundings, but I was more curious to know if she felt what I did. Or, more importantly, what it was that I didn’t feel.
Cassie kept her voice low too. “It sure does. The problem being, where are all the ghosts?”
Yep, exactly. If all these people had died, where were the ghosts? Just like in our realm, some would have to remain. It was just the way of things.
Just to be sure, I asked, “What are you getting?”
Cassie’s eyes met mine. “That there are souls trapped here waiting to move on.”
“But not quite here at the same time.”
Cassie nodded. “Exactly. Like they’ve been left suspended.”
Yeah, great. So, we were both feeling the same thing. But what the hell did it mean? I didn’t need to be the least bit psychic to sense that it couldn’t be good.
We reached an intersection where another ancient street crossed the one we’d just been following. Buildings rose up on all sides now, keeping us from seeing what lay ahead, except for the tower rising above the rooftops. Kiaran and Esras stopped walking and waited for us to catch up.
“I don’t like it,” Esras said. “Something’s not right.”
Ya think? We’re on an island where everyone vanished.
But before I voiced that opinion, Kiaran added, “It’s too quiet. Have you noticed?”
The fact was, I hadn’t noticed, because Cassie and I had kept talking. But now, as the four of us stood still, I became aware of the greater stillness around us. This town had stood empty for hundreds of years. Vines covered the buildings and massive trees pressed in upon them. The cobblestones beneath our feet were mostly submerged beneath the earth. Nature had reclaimed this place long ago. Still, no birds flew overhead. No animals scuttled past, not even rodents. For that matter, where were the insects? Shouldn’t there at least be the fae version of flies or bees?
Kiaran was right. Other than us, nothing made a sound. It was like, for some reason, every living thing knew better than to come here.
“You’re right,” I said. “Something is definitely wrong. Cassie and I felt it too.”
“We should turn back,” Cassie said.
For her to suggest it really said something. Cassie never backed down.
Esras sighed and looked around. He shifted warily on his feet.
Kiaran looked at me. “What do you think?”
“You’re asking me?” Yes, I sounded both incredulous and stressed, but Cassie was the expert when it came to the bizarre and otherworldly. Esras had fought uncounted battles against magical enemies. Kiaran too had a long and storied supernatural history. I, on the other hand, was supposed to be finishing my degree. What the hell did I know about this kind of thing?
Still, Kiaran’s gaze remained steady and sure. As if he’d just read my thoughts, he said, “I believe you do know. It’s within you. Trust your instincts.”
I didn’t let myself think, or try to talk myself out of it. Instead, I spoke the first words that came to mind. Words I knew to be true. “The bell tower. We need to go there.”
“Great,” Cassie muttered. “The first time I was willing to bail.”
All the same, we started moving again, emerging from the shadows as we soon turned the corner. The tower lay just ahead now, wedged in at the end of the block as if the town had risen up around it. And it had, I knew. I just felt it. That monument, that way of calling out to people and bringing them together, had been one of the first things built here. Over time, so much had fallen, but there it still stood, strong and seemingly permanent.
We strode toward it with a new sense of purpose, closing the distance fast. We were halfway there when a flash of light caught my eye. I looked up and gasped. I stopped and pointed toward a tall thin window, arched at the top and open to the air. Within it, light winked back again, a fleeting glint of purple. A gem. It had to be.
“No freaking way,” Cassie said. “It has to be a trap.”
“She's right,” I said. “It can't be that easy.”
Esras turned to look at us. “I guess it depends on how you define 'easy'. Don't forget. If it wasn't for yours and Cassie’s magic, we wouldn't even be here.”
I looked from Esras, to the window, and then back to him. Maybe he was right. Getting here had been nowhere near easy. In fact, we'd gone through hell to get this far. And if you traced it back all the way to Tharnel making that connection between Cassie and Glendal, the odds had to be at least a million to one. There’d been detective work, kismet, hardship and incredible danger. So, maybe that had been Claire Spencer’s decision, that just getting here was enough of a test.
Then Cassie said, “What the hell is that?”
She'd turned around completely, looking away from the bell tower. We spun around too. I followed her gaze to where, at the other end of the block, a figure had just emerged from an alley. It looked like a man. Even from a distance, I could see that he was tall and thin. Too thin, it seemed. Unnaturally gaunt. He was pale, whoever he was, and ghostly white. By the way he shuffled toward us, dragging his feet, I wondered if he might have been hurt.
Without thinking, I called out, “Are you okay?”
Cassie spoke softly, her voice tense. “You might want to hold off on that.”
No sooner had she said it than another figure appeared behind the first. Then another emerged, followed by another. More and more kept coming from that same alley, building into a crowd. It wasn’t possible. Who were these people? They kept drawing closer, all with that same sickly pallor, their eyes locked upon us. I could swear some had skin peeling from their faces.
I looked to Esras. “Are you guys sure everyone’s dead here?”
He nodded and just kept staring to where the horde kept growing.
As they kept picking up their pace, drawing closer, I could see more clearly. Some had bone showing where there should be flesh, others teeth where there should be lips. A few were missing eyes, and some were missing both. But that didn't stop them from steadily shuffling forward.
No way. This couldn’t be happening. Was I possibly flashing back to one of Blair's memories? Obviously not if everyone else saw it too. Which meant that these people had to be—
Then Cassie said it for me. “Are those pointy-eared zombies?”
She looked to Esras, who shook his head. For a moment that felt like a lifetime, he didn’t speak. Then he said, “We call them the beobas.”
Cassie looked back at the ghoulish figures, her hands already glowing. “What, pray tell, are the beobas?”
“Those who live without life,” Esras said. “Those who walk while they should be dead.”
“In other words, zombies,” Cassie said.
Esras drew his sword, taking a step back as we did the same. “Is that what ‘zombie’ means? Then I take it you must have them in your realm?”
Cassie’s head jerked from him, to the beobas, and then back to him again. “Only in movies!”
We all took another step back.
“Remind me again,” Esras said. “Which ones are movies? The big things or the little things you watch on your phones?”
“Both!” Cassie growled. “Movies are just— Not right now, okay?”
I swiveled my head back and forth desperately. “Um, guys? What should we do here?”
The zombies or beobas—whatever you called them—had definitely shifted modes. They weren’t shuffling anymore. They were walking fast and with definite purpose.
“Probably run,” Esras suggested.
“I second that vote,” Kiaran said.
Apparently, the beobas chose that moment to reach the same conclusion. They switched from walking fast to barreling toward us. And the silence they’d kept until now was suddenly broken. Hungry howls filled the air.
“Definitely run!” Cassie shouted.
We turned and bolted toward the tower, only to discover that more beobas had spilled out behind us. More and more kept appearing from between the buildings.
“Get to the tower!” I cried, part of me wondering if that even made sense. All the same, we had to get there. And if that place was also full of beobas, what then?
“What the hell was wrong with those people?” Cassie shouted. “Why would they leave a talisman here?”
It was a damned good question. Had we gotten it wrong from the start? Maybe each location had been designed as a trap.
“Maybe they knew we’d be up to the challenge, “ Kiaran said, not even breathing hard, like he was barely running. Meanwhile, I was already gasping as I sprinted full-bore.
“How could they possibly know that?” Cassie shouted. “And, by the way, if we’re up to the challenge, why are we running?”
It would have been hilarious if I wasn't scared shitless. And as much as I wanted to appreciate Kiaran’s optimism, it was a hard sell at the moment.
“Well, at least we know why there's no ghosts!” Cassie said, huffing and puffing beside me.
I shook my head, not making the connection.
“Think about it!” she added.
Right now, my main focus was on staying alive. But that thought connected with the other, making me realize what she was saying. If fae zombies were anything like our movie zombies, their victims didn't die. Not really. They got turned into the living dead. Which meant their souls didn't leave either. Instead, they became trapped in the hellish prisons of their bodies until somebody freed them. And how did that work again? Oh, right. They were either set on fire or had their heads chopped off. And we could soon end up that way?
I called over to Cassie, “Thanks for that!”
“I just figured you’d want to know!”
Actually, no, Cassie. Some things we're just better off not thinking about.
We got to the bell tower just in time, the beobas closing in fast behind us. I was out of breath, my heart hammering, as Esras slammed his shoulder against the door. Thankfully, the door gave. But was that a good sign or a bad sign? It wasn't like there was time to think about it. We spilled in after him and Esras slammed the door shut again. As soon as he threw his weight against it, pounding started from the other side. The door rattled on it hinges as beobas piled up against it.
“Here!” Kiaran roared to Esras. He threw a beam of wood through the air.
Esras caught it, then slammed it into brackets meant for bracing the door.
He and Kiaran stepped back, drawing their swords. The pounding continued, growing louder. The door shook and groaned like it wanted to give, the howls from the other side growing more desperate and frantic.
“That should hold for now,” Esras said.
“But for how long?” Cassie said.
Kiaran was already dashing toward the stairs. “Hopefully long enough!” he called back over his shoulder. “We need to keep moving!”
I stared after him. “How do we know there aren’t more up there?”
Esras dashed toward the stairs too. “There’s only one way to find out. Come on!”
It seemed to me that there was a serious flaw in his logic. Then again, what were our other options? We needed to get that gem.
Cassie and I sprinted after them, leaping onto the staircase and taking the steps two at a time. I told myself that, so far, the beobas hadn’t demonstrated any planning or cunning. They behaved like a pack of wild animals. So if there were any above us, wouldn’t they already be running down to get us? Yes, I told myself, they would be. Just keep going and get what we came for.
I called out to Cassie, as she ran up ahead of me. “But, seriously. You can get us out of here, right?”
Her ragged voice echoed off the stone walls around us. “I think so! Probably!” She took two more steps and called out, “I can try!”
Not exactly comforting. Even less comforting was the loud crash that came from below.
“That must have been the door!” Esras shouted.
“He said that must have been the door!” Kiaran seconded, just in case we weren’t already terrified.
Cassie’s voice echoed out in front of me again. “How long is this staircase?”
Esras’s voice echoed back next. “I think we’re about halfway!”
How the hell could he know that? Was it a fae thing? Like, they just had some natural instinct for gauging the number of steps it took to reach the top of an ancient bell tower?
“Run faster!” Cassie called out.
Seriously? What the fuck? Like I could run any faster. My legs were pounding, my feet on fire, every muscle in my body screaming for me to stop. I was gasping for air, my hair slick to my scalp with sweat. Then I heard the howling horde below.
I ran faster.
Finally, we reached the top and tumbled through a doorway. Esras slammed the door shut behind us. Unfortunately, that door hadn’t been fitted with brackets. Nor were there any wooden beams. Had the person who’d designed that defense system been a little overconfident? Or—and this seemed more likely—had that person been turned into a beobas before they’d finished preparing?
