New World

18 | Riders of Mannan

Lila looked around as they walked through London, heading back to the Institute after picking up the things from Hypatia. She walked with Kit on her left and Livvy and Ty on her right side.

Kit was enjoying himself kicking puddles as he walked, Ty pointed out the tower where criminals died, and Lila stayed quiet as Livvy spoke.

"I wish Dru was with us," she said. "She would have liked that. It's been hard to get her to leave her bedroom recently."

"I think she's afraid someone will make her babysit if she does," Kit voiced.

"I think she's keeping a secret," Livvy said.

Lila frowned. "Huh?"

"Why would she do that?" Ty asked at the same time Lila spoke.

"It's just a feeling I have. I can't prove it...what's that?"

Lila looked in the same direction Livvy was, up at the blue sky. And there she saw three horses, racing figures against the clouds, with a rider on each of their backs.

"The Wild Hunt?" Kit suggested. "But I thought—"

"There's too few of them for it to be the Hunt," Lila informed.

"I don't think it's the Wild Hunt," Said Livvy. "They ride at night. It's broad daylight."

"I don't like this," Said Ty. "They're coming right toward us."

There was a breeze overhead as the horses went over, then the horses landed around them, blocking them from running away.

The horses were a bronze colour, their riders bronze-skinned and bronze-haired. They wore half-masks of gleaming metal. They were beautiful and unearthly, out of place in the shadows of the bridge. They were faeries, but taller and bigger, armed despite the edicts of the Cold Peace. They each had a massive sword at their waist.

"Nephilim," said one. "I am Eochaid of the Seven Riders. These are my brothers Etarlam and Karn. Where is the Black Volume?"

"The Black Volume?" Livvy echoed. The four of them had become tighter against the wall of the path. There were people staring as they walked past, and Lila knew it was because it looked as though they were staring at nothing.

"Yes," said Etarlam. "Our King seeks it. You will give it up."

"We don't have it," said Ty. "And we don't know where it is."

Karn laughed. "You are but children, so we are inclined to be lenient," he said. "But understand this. The Riders of Mannan have done the bidding of the Unseelie King for a thousand years. In that time many have fallen to our blades, and we have spared none for any reason, not for age or weakness or infirmity of body. We will not spare you now." He leaned over the mane of his horse. "Either you know where the Black Volume is, or you will make useful prisoners to tempt those who do. Which will it be, Shadowhunters?"

"Run."

With her word, Livvy took off in a run. Ty and Lila followed, Kit running as fast as he could to catch up and stay with them. He was breathing hard and they weren't.

They could hear hoofbeats behind them, and they ran as fast as they could.

Livvy swung herself over the gate which separated the road from the river, and Lila's eyes widened. Did Livvy have a plan? Lila most certainly didn't. Maybe Ty did? She hoped someone did. So they all followed pursuit, over the gate and heading straight down.

They landed on concrete beneath the bridge, where Livvy and Ty were already pulling off their jackets, so Lila did too. When Kit landed just a bit away from them, then running to them, Livvy threw him a shortsword and he caught it.