Exile of the Clave

Exile of the Clave - Chapter 20

Outside, above the ceiling of the shining dome, the sound of flapping, leathery wings was mixed with the shrieks and whoops of the demons that had crossed over from the Void. They flew overhead, invisible in the darkness.

"We're going to have to make a run for it!" Diego yelled to the Nephilim. "Stay in tight formation! Archers stay sharp!" Alec and Simon nocked arrows to bowstrings in unison with four crossbow-wielding Centurions and nodded their readiness.

The knot of just over forty Shadowhunters broke from the cover of the golden bubble and rushed out into the snowy darkness. Clary led the team down the path that ran along a ridge and bypassed the valley where the wards were anchored. Dozens of witchlights came to life, and their shaky light bounced across the trampled-down crusty snow as the Nephilim ran easily.

Claws descended from above, and Alec was the first to shoot. His runed arrow went straight through the demon at such a close range and lodged itself deep in a second creature above. Both screamed and dissolved in midair even as more of the monsters plummeted down into the group.

Sharp, elongated beaks stabbed at the Shadowhunters as grasping claws strained to reach past the sudden blaze of seraph blades and assorted weapons. Bowstrings hummed, bringing down a handful of the creatures before they crashed into the Centurions holding the rear of the line.

Blades slashed out in the circle of witchlight and pieces of the demons flopped lifelessly to the ground, their black ichor staining the purity of the snow.

Marcos Monteverde screamed as the needle-sharp beak of one of the flying monsters speared through the joint of his left shoulder, and his sister spun fluidly to decapitate the demon. The other creatures flapped madly to spiral back up into the concealing darkness to circle, regroup, and launch a second attack.

"Keep moving!" Diego hollered over the cacophony of demon shrieks.

Not even a hundred yards later, the flying beasts swooped down on the group again, hitting them hard on three sides this time. Blue and pink flares signalled where Magnus and Seraphine were striking back from the centre of the group, and sweat beaded on Max's forehead as he worked to spread a degree of protection over the Nephilim. Claws skittered over a glossy, dark blue shield for a few extra moments before breaking through to the Shadowhunters, buying them precious seconds to find their targets.

Trapped somewhere near the front of the formation, Rayce couldn't properly bring his staff to bear. He whipped it off his back and split it into its two halves just in time to parry a shiny, black beak that slashed at his head. The electrum and adamas sheared through the bone cleanly, and he spun anxiously, eyes searching the air above him for more of the creatures.

Nearby, he saw the woman who had taken him down in the Consul's office on his first trip to Alicante. Pale witchlight reflected off three white scars that marred one side of her face, showing clearly as she grimaced and shoved the weight of one of the demons back and then stabbed it through one glittering black eye with her seraph blade. Its clawed wing jerked up and ripped at the side of her neck just as it started to vanish, and she screamed as new gashes opened from her ear down to her collarbone.

We're being torn apart! Rayce ducked as another demon dive-bombed toward him. He shifted outside the group and slashed at the unprotected backs of two of the monsters locked onto one unfortunate Clave Shadowhunter.

The demons lifted away again into the night, and this time, there were three Nephilim down in the snow. Their comrades scooped them up without hesitation as the group continued to retreat, following a now-limping Clary.

With demon blood spattered across the front of his distinctive gear, Diego called up to the front of the line, "How much farther?"

"Nearly half a mile," Clary gasped, pushing herself to run faster despite the line of fire burning across her right thigh from where a demon had managed to claw her.