RISING SHADOWS (Shadows Book 2)

Chapter 11

I flew down the deserted High Street to the sound of crackling flames and distant booms. The lingering smell of smoke still suffocated my insides, burning my lungs and throat.

All around, the reassuring signals of my coven's presence sounded. Colourful echoes of their magic splashed across the sky and danced on the buildings like fireflies. Only the last group to leave, Arden's group, knew I'd ventured off alone. Despite what had happened, I needed to make sure Kat was not hurt. I couldn't explain it, goddess knows her treatment of Fawn alone meant she didn't deserve it, but a desperation deep down told me I shouldn't just leave her to become demon fodder.

Kat's house was about a mile from the centre of Pagnall, a quiet cul-de-sac of identical, beige semi-detached homes. From my position in the air, I could roughly see the area where she lived, and reassuringly there seemed to be no signs of demons. Yet.

I continued sailing low, dampening flames where I found them, looking for any survivors.

As I passed over the roof of The King's Head, an old pub still standing from Highwaymen days and one that Kat, Will, and I had been kicked out of for being underage, I spotted a spiky looking creature. It opened its mouth, jaw dropping lower and lower as a snake's might, and out shot blue-tipped flames. The whole side of The King's Head erupted into a wall of fire. The demon laughed, a shriek and a rumble all at once that filled the whole street. Its yellow eyes glowed with malicious embers through the haze of blackening smoke.

Lower I edged my broom, drifting towards the ground in a zig-zag pattern like a bird's lost feather. I landed as intended, behind the demon and placed my broom carefully on the ground. My heart thudded as I crept up on it.

"I know you're there, witch."

I gasped at the scratchy voice, my legs locking where I stood. Suddenly, in its presence, I felt a great weight crushing my chest and the stench of sulphur and ash hung in the air between us. It turned to face me, flames flickering in its transparent throat. It tilted its split chin high into the air, nostrils flaring. The demon's mouth opened like it had just tasted something delectable.

"You share the blood of our former king," a snake-like tongue whipped across its thin lips. It lifted its arms up to the sky. "It is his death which has allowed us to rise, and there you stand, a Queen in the making. A Demon Queen."

"Not if I can help it."

"No," the shrieking-rumble came again. "Not if I can help it."

I forced one foot forward, then the other, my eyes fixed on the demon at all times. But as I tried to call my magic forth, it stalled as if in peaceful slumber. Neither element would answer. Sweat began to bubble on my forehead, heat rising in my face.

The creature must have sensed my panic, because with one low snarl it launched itself at me, a gateway of dagger-sharp teeth bared.

And there wasn't even a flicker from my magic. Not a whisper of elemental power. My magic stayed calm as if I wasn't about to face-off with a towering beast of a demon. I had a split second to make a choice. Stay and fight without access to my magic, or make a run for it.

I braced myself, feet slightly apart.

The demon continued its charge.

My hands balled at my side.

It seemed hungry, feral almost.

I took a deep breath.

The creature swallowed the space between us quickly. Four metres then three. Getting closer. I stumbled backwards. Talon-clawed fingers reached for me inches away, then an unseen force sent the demon hurtling backwards landing in a cloud of dust and ash. It shook its head from side to side, snapping its jaws. With a narrowing of its glowing eyes, it shot to its feet and launched into another attack. But as soon as the demon got within half a metre of me, it was once again forced away from me.