Equinox (Book One of the Firebird Chronicles) WATTY AWARD HIDDEN GEM WINNER 2015

Chapter Thirty Three: Night Raiders

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Like shadows, the drunken band darted across the fields between the shacks. All of them wore black, something I hadn't noticed before. But now I had, they seemed much more organised than I'd first thought-- and given them credit for.

Fabian pulled my wrist, and we set off running behind them. Darkness was rising fast, and there was barely a soul around. I could feel eyes watching us from windows, fascinated by these madmen and women.

There were six of us in total, Fabian and I included. There was one other woman-- the bar's proprietor-- and the men I'd met earlier. They were all too absorbed to notice newcomers, or maybe they didn't care.

Frederick was the quickest runner, and his small silver wings were the only glint in the blackness ahead. But I knew I was quicker. My days of thieving and running meant that I quickly pulled up beside the frontrunner, leaving a startled Fabian in my wake.

'Hey, princess!' Frederick appraised me lazily, his arms pumping as he ran.

'Don't call me that...'

Frederick shrugged, weaving left as we exited the compounds of the shanty town. Ahead, expanses of green fields led to the rocky cliffs, and a prison, lit only by the dim light of a waning moon. I came to a halt, awe taking over my ability to keep running.

My plans to break into a prison seemed unthinkable in the face of such a monstrosity.

'What are you doing, princess? Keep up! There's normally a patrol guard around here!'

'Normally?' I repeated, hearing the drumming of feet as the group passed by. Fabian, finally caught up, tugged my arm as he went past.

'They do this every night?' I said, feeling oddly nervous. After all, we were deliberately looking for the same creature-thing, a daemon, that had tried to kill me on several occasions.

It took "facing your demons" to another level.

Fabian didn't look quite so impressed. 'He's bragging; not every night. More like when they can get away with it...'

'Every night!' I heard Frederick insist. 'Or at least, two out of three!'

'When they turn up, he isn't lying about the patrol guard, though,' Fabian admitted, and Frederick preened. 'And they do get into fights, only they often come out worse for wear.'

'Don't listen to him, Princess! He's just trying to get into your knickers!'

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. 'Even he can't manage that mid-confrontation with a daemon.'

My reply was a seductive wink from my silver-haired friend. Our flirtations were over quickly, however, when a howl came from above us.

The thing was perched on a rocky outcrop overlying the uneven foothills up the mountain. Its forelimbs clutched the edge, long talon claws curling into the stone. Seeing such a creature for the umpteenth time, I noticed something about it that I distinctly hadn't thought before. With its ugly red stretched lips, rough cut jaw and straggled hair, there was something very humanoid about this monster.

They say they're his army. That he turned them into monsters.

Rumors of the King's power came to mind as the daemon howled again, showing rows and rows of sharp, dagger teeth, swirling with saliva. Its slit-like eyes flickered around each one of its targets, curling its wings with lazy uncertainty.

The men and women around me whooped and began to run at the daemon as if they'd seen a sweetshop.

Frederick charged.