Jandra ran her hands along the long-wyrm's hide as Killer, the ox-dog, drew up beside her and started to sniff. "A creature like this shouldn't exist," she said. "I've been studying biology since I was old enough to hold a book. All vertebrates are limited to four limbs. It's biological law."
"The beast must not have read the same books," said Hex. "If it can read at all. Despite its draconian head, I didn't get the feeling it was intelligent. It didn't speak during the battle, although its rider let out a string of scatological commentaries as he departed."
"Jeremiah, what else do you know about these creatures?" Jandra asked.
"Not a lot, ma'am," the boy answered. "Occasionally the menfolk of my village spot the demons when they're in the mine. The demons shy away from light. But they weren't scared of fire when they attacked Big Lick."
"Why did they attack?" Hex asked. "What provoked them?"
"I don't know," said Jeremiah. "They just came in during the night and started dragging people from their beds. I don't think they killed anyone, their riders just tied us up like hogs and carted us back to the mountain. I'm lucky to have got away. Luckier still to find Zeeky."
"And now Zeeky's gone into underworld to find your parents," said Bitterwood. "Can you lead us through the mines?"
"I… I'm afraid to, mister," the boy said. "They say these things don't just eat you… they also eat your soul."
"If you live a life of cowardice, your soul has already been chewed up," Bitterwood scolded.
The boy hung his head in shame.
Hex said, "Zeeky's footprints are easy enough to spot in the coal dust. I can smell where her pig walked. We won't need the boy to guide us."
"You're crazy to go into the mountain," Jeremiah said, directing his words at Bitterwood. "That one demon right near killed you. There were at least a dozen that came to Big Lick."
Bitterwood smiled grimly. "I've faced stiffer odds. I only fared badly because I was already injured. If Jandra can make me a bow and some arrows using her-" he stopped suddenly. Killer had lifted his head with a jerk, and turned to face the back of the cave. He let out a low growl toward the darkness.
"What is it, boy?" Jeremiah asked.
"I hear something," Jandra said, looking in the same direction. "Something's moving back there."
Hex dropped to all fours and strained his neck forward, sniffing the air. "Another long-wyrm," he said. "More than one, in fact."
Bitterwood's eyes searched the darkness. The back of the cave was a tangle of rock and shadows, and the light Jandra had created only made it more difficult for him to see what was approaching. Then, at the edge of his vision, a patch of shadow moved closer, until its eyes caught the light and flashed golden.
"Jeremiah," Bitterwood said, as a second pair of eyes joined the first. "Now would be a good time to run."
Jeremiah darted toward the entrance of the cave and, having barely traveled twenty feet, skidded to halt. Bitterwood glanced back. Three more long-wyrms and their riders were at the entrance of the cave. This brought the total number they faced to five, plus the riders.
The middle long-wyrm at the front of the mine had two riders. "That's him," the hindmost rider said, pointing toward Hex. "He killed my mount."
The long-wyrms crept closer, eyeing the sun-dragon. Their riders carried loaded crossbows. All possessed the same pale skin of the earlier rider, and all wore the same shimmering white tunics and strange visors. Though Bitterwood couldn't see their eyes, it was apparent from the tilt of their heads that the riders were focused on Hex.
Jandra said firmly, "Don't come any closer. I'm sorry we killed your mount. There's no need for further violence."
"The hell there isn't," growled the rider whose mount had been slain. "The goddess was furious when Fondmar and his wyrm were killed. I'll not face her without bringing the head of the dragon who killed my mount."
"Why did you attack the town of Big Lick?" Jandra asked. "What have you done with its people?"
Bitterwood noticed that as she spoke, Jandra had dipped her hand into the pouch on her belt and was now allowing the fine silver dust to trickle through her fingers and vanish into the air. The atmosphere around Bitterwood began to faintly hum. What was she doing? There was already enough light to see by. Too much light for his taste. He fought better in the shadows.
Of course, in a second, it would no longer matter. In unison, all the wyrm-riders lifted their crossbows. Everyone aimed their weapons at Hex.
Bitterwood tensed, waiting for the triggers to be pulled, so he could spring into action before they reloaded. In his head, he was already mapping out the path he would follow, which wyrm he would attack first. He could have one long-wyrm dead in twenty seconds; a second would fall half a minute later. Beyond that, the situation had too many variables to plan. Hopefully, his attack would be enough of a distraction for Jandra to turn invisible and get Jeremiah to safety. He wished he had a second to share his plan. He would have to trust her instincts.
The time for planning abruptly ended as the vengeful rider shouted, "Fire!" The crossbow strings sang out with a single deadly note.
Chapter Ten:
The Battle of Dead Skunk Hole
Bitterwood charged as the bolts whistled through the air. A flash of light caught his eyes. The bolts flared, lit by an internal fire. Three feet from Hex's hide the missiles vanished in puffs of smoke.
"Yes!" shouted Jandra, sounding pleased. "Finally!"
Hex looked puzzled by the dusty cloud wafting around him. Then he grimaced, as if in pain, before unleashing a sneeze that echoed through the cave like thunder.
With all eyes on Hex, Bitterwood grabbed a shovel that leaned against a mine cart as he closed in on the nearest long-wyrm. He jumped atop a crate and threw himself at the beast. The long-wyrm whipped toward him, drawn by the sudden movement. Bitterwood planted a hand on the dragon's snout and somersaulted over its toothy maw. He landed on the beast's back, two yards from the rider, who dropped his crossbow and hastily drew his sword. As the weapon cleared its scabbard Bitterwood swung. The wooden handle cracked as the iron blade of the shovel connected with the man's head. The rider tumbled from his saddle, his sword flying from his fingers. Bitterwood dropped the shovel and snatched the sword as he leapt from the beast. He landed on the stone floor, crouching, his cloak concealing the blade. The shadows on the floor revealed the long-wyrm snaking back toward him. Bitterwood spun around, burying the blade in the underside of the beast's jaw. Hot spittle flecked his cheeks as the long-wyrm's mouth slammed shut. The upper six inches of the sword jutted from the creature's snout like a bloody horn.
Bitterwood braced himself. He'd missed the long-wyrm's brain. The beast recoiled in pain. Bitterwood held onto the blade with both hands as he was jerked him from his feet. With a slurp the blade pulled free, and Bitterwood dropped back to the stone. The creature shook its head back and forth in agony. Bitterwood aimed carefully and thrust upward, his feet braced for maximum leverage. The tip of the sword found the spot he wanted, nearer the back of the jaw. This time, the blade broke into the beast's skull with a gratifying crunch. A spasm ran the length of the long-wyrm, all its claws clenching in sequence. Bitterwood pulled the blade loose as the beast slackened. He jumped free of the collapsing serpent, his eyes searching for the next target.
None of the long-wyrms even looked his way. Two of the remaining beasts were fighting Hex, one was locked in combat with Killer, and the last creature and its rider were engulfed in flames. Jandra was focused on their writhing bodies; her hands grabbed at the air. It looked as if she was gathering the smoke that rose from her victims into a tight ball.
Satisfied that Jandra was in no immediate danger, Bitterwood sprinted across the room toward the long-wyrm that fought Killer. In a replay of the earlier battle, the ox-dog had buried his teeth into the creature's throat. Unlike the earlier battle, Killer's new wounds were more than just scratches. The wyrm had coiled around it and was digging deep gouges in the giant dog's underbelly. A pool of gore grew beneath them as the creature's copper claws pulled out bluish-red loops of intestine. Killer's jaws went slack. A noise, part howl and part sigh, came from somewhere deep inside him. The rider, still in his saddle, leaned forward with his silver blade and buried the tip of the weapon between the dog's eyes.