Page 24 of A Kiss of Hammer and Flame

The flaming eyes narrowed, followed by a gleaming flash of white teeth, and fangs, fangs like a beast too. Was the creature smiling?

It opened its mouth, licking its lower lip before uttering in a low, unearthly voice like the crackle of crashing thunder and lightning combined: ‘Scion…’

Cahra felt the urge to shriek then, but she shoved the impulse down, down into the ball of her back foot – then pitched herself forward and into the path of the creature, wielding the bone and swinging it like a blacksmith’s hammer.

The creature shifted so fast it locked her arm in place before she’d taken a full step, and she gasped at how quickly it moved. Not to mention those eyes, like smouldering rubies, the flames pointing downwards like the Sigil of the Seers’ inverted triangle, straight to Hael. The creature effortlessly levered the bone from her grasp, hurling it into a pillar beside them, dust flaking from the unseen ceiling as the tomb trembled in reply.

‘I do not wish to harm you, Scion.’

It was not of this world! Cahra refused to drop her fists. ‘What do you want then?’ Apparently, not to kill her… Yet. ‘And what do you mean, “Scion”? Where in Hael am I, andwhatis going on?’

Curiously, the creature tilted its head at her. Then it froze.

‘They are coming,’ it snarled, its timbre thawing with each sentence, despite the rancour of its words.

‘Who’s coming?’ Cahra spun, eyes flashing around them.

The creature shook its head, vexed, the flash of skin so white and bright she blinked. Then, teeth gnashing, its eyes exploded into black flames as it dissolved into smoke. Cahra raised her arm in defence, the air around her lashing with savage power, as a petrifying shriek, a real-life scream in the actual world, finally awoke her.

It was coming from her mouth.

CHAPTER 12

Cahra’s heart-stopping scream halted the coach so fast she saw Terryl go flying forward – Raiden throwing a protective arm out, a dagger instantly in his other hand. Wide awake now, she kicked the blade from Raiden’s grasp and gaped. Terryl stared in shock between them.

‘What in Hael is wrong with you?’ Cahra spat at Raiden.

‘You’re the one shrieking like a wraith,’ Raiden snapped back, throwing open a door and leaping from the coach.

Cahra glowered, watching from the window as the man circled the travelling caravan, weapons out.

‘Forgive him,’ Terryl said quietly. ‘Raiden is forever concerned with attracting unwanted attention. I, however, am more concerned for your well-being. Are you all right?’ Lips pursed, Terryl’s savvy gaze swept her.

‘Bad dream,’ Cahra said, the anger dulling inside her just a little. She squirmed, fidgeting with her coat’s hem. The burning place in her dreams stole the air from her lungs, yet it was so familiar. The memory of her panicked turn in Terryl’s wagon flooded back and she fought the urge to shiver as she realised she hadn’t been asleep to dream of that place.

Thattomb.

What was happening to her?

‘Well, you are awake now,’ Terryl stated, his voice soft. ‘And it is as you said earlier, you are under my protection. Perhaps they shall set your mind at ease.’ He nodded outside.

Cahra’s eyes flashed from Terryl to the glass, where she could see Raiden’s people finalising their security checks. She grunted, but watched as the man named Queran dropped from the nearest tree, bow slack, shaking his head at Raiden. The black-haired woman fighter from Terryl’s mansion emerged from the underbrush with stealthy precision to join them, casually tossing a dagger in one hand. Cahra didn’t want to admit it, but Raiden’s people did help to calm her. Moments later, however, as he climbed back in and slammed the door, she forgot all about it the second Raiden settled his iron eyes on Cahra.

Face drawn, Raiden fired at her, ‘Want to tell me what that was about?’

‘No.’ Cahra glared back. ‘Want to tell me why your blade was pointed at my head?’

Raiden opened his mouth but Terryl silenced them both with a question.

‘Report?’ The edge to the lord’s tone was plain.

Raiden straightened. ‘The perimeter is clear,’ he replied. The horses hitched, the coach jostling back into motion.

Terryl nodded. ‘How long until we stop?’

‘Approximately one hour,’ Raiden told him, his eyes scanning the trees outside. ‘We’re approaching the first secure location.’

‘Secure location?’ Cahra tried not to mimic Raiden, but it was tough.