City of Dust

Chapter Twenty-Four

Ehtab himself lands in a cloud of dust and fury, throwing back the remains of his minions with a mighty sweep of his leathery wings. At first, I can't believe it is the demon lord because he's actually wearing clothes.

Well, a long, belted black tunic with gold borders, but it's something.

Across the demon lord's back is a scabbard and the hilt of a massive broadsword sticks over his shoulder. Oh, God—that thing could cleave us in two with one sweep, I think in horror. My mouth goes dry and the muzzle of the Winchester drops. Winston brays, throat shaking as he issues his challenge.

Ehtab glares at the battle-elk from beneath heavy bovine brows. His black mane blows in a wind of the demon's own creation, flying around his head and shoulders like a flame.

"Is this how you repay my hospitality, Hunter?" Ehtab thunders, reaching back and unsheathing the broadsword. It gleams like a piece of fallen star in the moonlight, its edges as sharp as diamonds.

"Look out!" Glaris shouts, grabbing me off of Winston and rolling to the ground as Ehtab sweeps the sword down on the ward.

A massive clang echoes throughout the empty streets of the City of Dust as my ward explodes in a shower of blood-red motes.

"You'll pay for your interference, Hunter," Ehtab growls, reaching through the motes towards me.

Winston bellows and charges, but Ehtab knocks the battle-elk aside with one careless hand. I scream and reach for the big bull as he falls to the ground, horns clattering on the cobblestone like dried firewood.

Glaris grabs my arm, but he's too late. Ehtab's giant hand grabs me by the front of my shirt and drags me through the remnants of the warded circle. The toes of my boots scrap along the street as I'm lifted up—and up—into the air until there's nothing beneath me.

Fear courses through my body and I struggle, kicking at the demon with my feet and clawing at his arm and wrist with both hands. My shirt collar cuts painfully into the back of my neck and I can only imagine what being decapitated by cotton feels like.

"You—!" Ehtab's next sentence is cut off, words falling into a stuttering mess as the demon's bovine face contorts in pain. His whole body contracts with what appears to be pain. "What are you doing?" Ehtab roars, shaking me back and forth.

My teeth clatter around in my head as I struggle to keep from snapping my neck. The scarf falls off my head and blue hair streams outwards like a banner.

Something glowing pops out of the front of my shirt and lands on the demon lord's hand. Purple flesh begins to burst and boil as Jae-Seong's blessed cross spreads a fiery burn across Ehtab's skin.

Ehtab screams and rears back, dropping me and his sword in the process. The demon lord clutches one hand with the other; his minions cower before their master, uncertain of how to proceed.

I land hard on the cobblestone. "Oof!" I groan, rolling over onto my belly. There's another bruise for the catalogue.

Glaris grabs me and I hear his muffled grunt as he pulls me to my feet. "Get up!" he shouts, words textured by pain.

My eyes dart over his body. Where is he wounded?

But the demon-hunter looks just fine, unlike me. Why does he look so fresh and I feel like I've been run over by a herd of crocatta?

I stagger to my feet, just in time to see Ehtab lean down to pick up the broadsword. "A piece of God," the demon lord growls. "Why didn't I notice it sooner?"

All the better for me, I suppose.

I back up, reaching for the crossbow on Winston's saddle.

Ehtab straightens and turns his wrist, loosening up his sword arm. "Never mind. I'll destroy it like I've destroyed everything else of that worthless god's." He lifts the sword and begins to swing.