Page 37 of Ringmaster (The Kingdom of Shadow & Bone #1)

Azrael

Darkness surrounds me as layer after layer of shadow conceals every step I take along the empty streets.

The closer I get to the Oceanside Market and trading docks, the louder the sound of crashing waves lapping gently at the sand grows.

I peer ahead into the darkness, scanning for any sign of life.

My hand lightly grips the hilt of my sword—magic snapping and crackling between the metal and my skin.

I’m ready to unsheathe it at the first hint of danger.

Under the glow of the moon, I bask in the quiet of the night, knowing full well if this Leyak is half as dangerous as the last one I vanquished, it’s already stalking me, or worse, has the hunter doing its handiwork and is avoiding getting too close.

If it’s smart, it won’t risk meeting me face to face unless it believes it has an advantage.

I’ve never lost a battle. My reputation is solid in the courts.

Shadow Prince. Demon slayer. Soul sucker. Most know they are no match for me.

To catch the Hunter and the Leyak, all I need to do is lure them into the trap I set earlier.

I plan to eliminate the Hunter first. He’s the easier of the two escaped demons to eliminate.

Afterwards, I’ll summon the Leyak from the shadows.

And if I’m lucky, I’ll expose the hoard and send the snatchers back to Hell as well.

I’ll show Lucifer I have no problem following through with my tasks.

The moon glows overhead, making it easier to move through the dark.

I know the Leyak is hiding in one of the shanties in the smaller villages along the other side of the market—where lawlessness thrives and no one asks questions when someone vanishes.

Loved ones carve the names of the missing into the stone at the center of the town.

It’s the only memory of those lost to the snatchers—or far worse creatures—who make their way into the town.

Moving stealthily, I step into the deserted marketplace.

Thoughts of Mercy fill my head as I think about all the times I’ve watched over her from the shadows, while she visited with her cousin, or retrieved food from her uncle.

How could I have been so reckless tonight?

I can’t believe I allowed things to go that far.

It was nearly impossible to leave after I licked her pleasure from my fingers.

I wanted more. I wanted to wrap my mouth around her, to savor the taste.

It took all my self-control to walk away.

And now… now I’m just as bloodthirsty as I was earlier.

Only this time, I need to capture my prey before it captures me.

A low breeze blows, and I can just barely make out the sound of footsteps dragging against the dirt.

Shadows stretch unnaturally along the cobblestones.

A smell—salt and something spoiled—taints the air.

I’m no longer alone. It’s just me and whatever’s following me.

I assume the Hunter’s relaying my location to the Leyak, coordinating an ambush.

If I take him out first, it’ll make annihilating the Leyak much easier.

Magic tingles deep within my veins, warning me of the nearby danger.

The runes on the sword glow, swirling over the metal.

I continue along my path, hugging the shadows and leading the stalking hunter to his demise. The air is growing heavier with the scent of rotting souls. He’s inching closer but still too afraid to strike.

Music plays faintly from the large ships docked in the bay. Smoke curls, twisting through the night like clouds, but the Hunter’s stench is strong enough to overpower the emberleaf in the air.

Once I cross to the other side of the boat, I’ll have passed the invisible border separating the two villages.

I close my eyes, imagining myself turning to a black, smoky mist as I take my next step.

Instead of my boot landing against the worn wood planks of the dock, I’m floating in the air, scanning the docks below.

Searching for the stinking, rotting body of the Hunter.

After a few minutes, I spot him trudging across the dock, dragging one leg behind him as if it’s not quite functioning, as if the joint’s hollowed out, the host body already decomposing.

He looks like he’s in poor shape and in need of an upgrade.

Perhaps that’s what the Leyak promised in exchange for his services.

My body. Should he succeed. The fool thinks he can kill me and wear my skin like a prize.

I watch from above until I know for certain our paths will cross.

Then I descend, nothing more than a shadow resting against the bow of the ship, waiting for the Hunter to get close enough for me to strike.

Second by second, time stretches on. Finally, the Hunter is standing inches from me.

The putrid smell of rotting flesh is nauseating.

Upon closer inspection, it’s clear the host body is barely holding together.

Magic thrums as my shadows attack, swallowing the Hunter in their clutches—trapping him long enough for me to take my demon form. I slam the blade of my sword through his chest, pinning him to the dock.

“Well, well, well. Look what we have here,” I sneer, running my tongue over the dagger-sharp teeth filling my mouth. I flex my wings in a show of brute domination.

Souls are leaking from his wound. It’s a fatal blow, tethering him back to Hell. The runes on Soul Slayer blaze with ancient power.

“Prince of Shadows,” the Hunter yelps, surprised by his capture.

I growl, low and guttural, snapping my teeth at his neck. “Where’s the Leyak?”

“I’m not telling you,” the Hunter taunts.

I twist the sword deeper. He screams out in terror as more souls seep from the incision.

“Don’t send me back. I can serve you.” He writhes against the blade, willing to damage the already rotting body in an attempt to escape.

“Look at how you squirm—trying to escape even as you beg. You’re in no condition to serve me. Why haven’t you found a new host?” I demand.

The hunter doesn’t answer. He stops thrashing. I dig the blade in even deeper. The only thing tying the hunter to this realm is my hold on his soul. He teeters on the edge between both realms. One snap of my fingers and he’s back in the depths of Hell.

“Tell me why you’ve sacrificed yourself, Hunter,” I shout.

“Don’t you feel him in the shadows? Have you really not figured it out yet?” The Hunter smiles, grabbing the blade and wrenching himself all the way through.

His body is engulfed in flames as his soul turns to ash, blowing away in the breeze. Under my feet, I can feel the rumble and shake of his arrival as Hell swallows him whole.

The shadows. My mouth widens in a devilish grin. The Leyak hasn’t taken a physical form. It’s manifesting as a shadow. How could I be so stupid—so arrogant—not to sense it?

I rip my sword from where it’s buried in the dock, flipping it a few times before tightening my grip.

Shadows twist along the buildings, taunting me.

The Leyak is hiding in the very element I command.

I won’t be tricked. I shift into a raven, shooting away into the night sky, circling the town in search of the shadows hunting me.

On the ground, my shadows surge through the sleeping village.

They wash over the town like an enormous tidal wave, splashing out in every direction, determined to find the cunning demon.

Once they zero in, I swoop down and perch in the branches, silent and unseen, ready to plan my attack.

I’ll only get one shot at trapping the Leyak.

I watch through beady black eyes as it meanders through the dark alleys, between small shanties and cottages, prowling for its next victim—me.

Frustrated, the Leyak screeches from the darkness of its own shadows. “I know you’re here, soul collector.”

I smile, allowing the delight to creep slowly across my face as I shift—dropping from the trees and landing on my feet with a thud.

“And why am I here?” I growl, fighting the urge to charge into the darkness like a madman waving a sword.

Magic buzzes around me as my shadows form a protective barrier. It’s imperative I wait out the Leyak. I resist the urge to impulsively attack, harboring all my self-control to act with caution.

“You—are—here—for—me!“ it shrieks into the moonlight.

Doesn’t matter. No one in the village can hear him. Its voice vibrates at a frequency beyond mortal comprehension.

“Well? Are you going back willingly, or will it be a battle?” I ask, luring the Leyak in with my offer.

“It seems you’ve caught me red-handed,” it hisses.

A wicked laugh rolls off my lips. The Leyak says nothing more, silently evaluating its chances of survival should it face me.

It howls—a gruesome, inhuman, defeated noise laced with fury.

Its ambush plans are ruined. I stand still and unmoving, awaiting its decision.

Finally, the Leyak strikes. It takes a more permanent shape, leaping off a nearby wall and launching itself for me.

I spin, dodging the attack. It screeches a battle call at an unnaturally high pitch.

Its shadow-dusted wings flap once, twice, three times—before my sword slices through them, shredding them beyond use.

It swoops sideways, avoiding the ground, and that’s when I strike.

The Leyak aims its forked tail at my chest. But before it hits, I grab hold, wrap it around my arm, and yank the creature to the ground with a thud.

With the threat subdued, I step closer, placing my heavy boot on what might be its shoulder—half shadow, half beast.

Then I step back, pulling on the creature’s tail with all my might.

The Leyak screams, sensing what I’m about to do.

It slashes at me with its claws, causing me to lose my grip and stumble backward, falling to the ground.

My sword clangs to the ground next to me, just barely out of reach. I roll, reaching—