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“I warned you what would happen if you woke me again,” it growled.

Cold fear trickled down Ruby’s spine. There was an otherworldly quality behind the words, not unlike when she had been reciting the portal spell. There was no one else it could belong to except…

She turned, clutching her dagger tightly to her chest as she came face to face with the Bygone.

The Skullstalker was so tall he blotted out the meager evening light. He was dressed in nothing but a dark loincloth,and his skin was an unnatural shade of blue, except for his arms, which swarmed with darkness down to his fingertips. His black hands were tipped with sharp claws, and a black panther tail lashed behind him.

A skull mask covered the top half of his face. White ram horns curled out the top of it. Shadows leaked out from behind the mask, betraying its monstrous nature. The skull’s eye sockets were huge, exposing giant, gleaming black eyes with specks of blue shimmering in the middle, fixed on her with an intensity that made her think of a wolf eyeing his prey.

“You are not the dog spirit,” the Bygone continued, his voice full of scraping rocks.

Ruby shuddered. She always hoped she would die an old woman in bed. She didn’t think she would have to look her death in the face.

“Mortal,” he said, his fangs glinting. “Why do you disturb my slumber?”

Ruby wet her lips. Her throat was suddenly bone-dry.

“I,” she said. “I didn’t mean…”

Her gaze fell on something behind him. At first, she thought it was just a mass of sticks. Then she squinted and noticed the fur lining the sides, shadowy feathers tucked in between the twigs.

A nest,Ruby realized with a shudder.I woke a Skullstalker from its nest.

It was the first thing she had learned when the previous witch trained her on dealing with wild animals. Never approach their nest. And never—ever—wake them. Not that a Skullstalker was an animal. Ruby would take any wolf or lion or even a rabid basilisk over a Skullstalker.

“I’m sorry,” she said, stumbling over her words. “If you just… give me a second to explain…”

The Bygone cocked its head.Sizing up its prey,Ruby thought in a panic.

She checked behind her to make sure the dog spirit was safe and sagged with relief when she saw nothing but the forest. It was now or never.

She brought her dagger to her palm, slashing a second cut over her lifeline. The cuts formed a cross, one of the last things the previous witch of Sweetsguard had taught her before she passed.

Crosses are for binding,the witch had said.I pray you never need this spell. But if you do… cast with all your heart.

That was one thing Ruby was always good at. She was incapable of doing anything without putting her whole heart into it. She hoped it would work in her favor today.

“Chain us until it is fulfilled,” she rasped.

The cross on her hand glowed. Slick chains rushed from the wound, circling them both before vanishing in a shower of pink mist.

The Bygone raised a hand to examine her blood on his fingers No, not his fingers—his claws, Ruby realized with mounting fear. For all he stood on two legs and spoke the mortal tongue, he was still a beast.

“You bound me,” said the Bygone, surprised.

“I boundus,” she corrected. She lifted her chin, hoping he didn’t notice how hard she was shaking. She was a powerful witch, but she had never traveled far from her small town. She felt nowhere near prepared to face a Skullstalker, especially the one that was evoked when you wanted your children to behave.

“You can do…” Ruby shivered. “Whatever you wish with me. But first, you must grant me a boon.”

He cocked his head at her again. Less prey this time, more curiosity. He looked almost bored, like he would rather be back in his nest.

“Alright, little witch,” he said, his voice dangerously soft. “What do you wish of me? Power? Riches?”

“The protection ward in my town is failing,” Ruby blurted. “Our local deity, Paimon… he isn’t answering, and time is running out. We need someone to renew the ward.”

The Bygone blinked. His black eyes were so much larger than a human’s. Every time Ruby looked at them, they seemed to get bigger.

“Paimon,” the Bygone repeated. “Hmm.”