By Fairy Means or Foul: A Starfig Investigations Novel(63)

22





I threw my arms around Quinn and pivoted to shield him. Fire wouldn’t bother my dragon hide, but Quinn couldn’t boast the same protections. Quinn’s scream terrified me, but it also woke a rage that I hadn’t felt in a long, long time. I roared while sheltering him with my body, felt him go limp in my arms. This was no regular fire ball. I was going to take Nyx apart. Piece by piece.

I felt for a pulse at Quinn’s neck, relieved it beat strong and steady. It took me a second to realize the fire had disappeared. I was afraid to spin around, though, with Quinn in my arms. Leaving my back unguarded, however, also wasn’t a wise idea. I looked over my shoulder, trying to get a better idea what I was up against. A curtain of smoke clouded my ability to see anything. Of course it did. What was it with villains and smoke screens? Couldn’t they come up with something more original?

We’d have to retreat until Quinn came around. I wouldn’t risk him. I tossed him over my shoulder keeping one hand free if I needed it and hustled back down the steps. I’d only dashed down one turn in the staircase when I heard them. Orcs. A lot of them. Still at the bottom. It wouldn’t be long before we ran into them, though.

While I wasn’t worried for myself, I wasn’t sure I could protect an unconscious Quinn. I’d have to risk the turret. Spinning on my heel, I charged the doorway at full tilt, hoping my speed would take whatever was in that room by surprise. As I entered, I dodged to the left, slamming the door shut behind me, Quinn bumped on my shoulder like a sack of rock potatoes. I was breathing too heavily to hear whether the door latched behind me. One could only hope.

I felt a charge in the air. Dammit.

I dropped Quinn. Cringed when he hit the floor with a thud. I hoped I hadn’t injured him further. No time to check.

Another fireball struck me straight in the chest and I took the full brunt of the blast. It tickled more than hurt, but the force of it knocked me against the wall. I almost tripped over Quinn’s crumpled form before I pushed myself away.

If the turret wasn’t so small inside I’d shift, but there wasn’t enough room. I had to handle the danger in this body. Leaving Quinn on the ground, I charged forward, trying to draw the fire away, the smoke still so thick it was hard to make out the source of the magic. I could guess, though.

“Show yourself, Nyx.” I growled as another fireball struck me. I staggered sideways, my body absorbing the energy of the blast. It came from a different direction than the last one.

A high-pitched titter in the direction where it originated sent me changing course and skidding on the floor.

Another fireball struck me in the back, knocking me to my knees. I hopped back up, scanning the area. I could really use Quinn’s ability to clear smoke at the moment. Squinting, I tried to pinpoint any movement. Another laugh and then another fireball. This was getting old.

“Coward,” I spat as I crouched to get my bearings. I closed my eyes and listened. Movement to my right. Ah, basilisk balls. I sprang in front of another fireball that aimed for where Quinn lay unconscious. Fucker was going down.

I listened for a moment. Silence filled the room. I needed Quinn to wake up. I could protect him if he could move, but otherwise we were both sitting ducks.

Pounding on the door startled me. Great, the orcs have arrived.

Tunneling through our link I looked for any sign of Quinn. I wasn’t sure whether I could nudge him awake, but I needed to try. If he got hurt I didn’t know what I would do. I let him feel my fear for him and that I needed him.

I heard him gasp, then groan. I moved just in time to intercept another fireball.

“Twig?” he wheezed.

“Baby, you all right?”

“I-I think so? Where are you? I can’t see a thing.”

“Can you clear this smoke away? I need to see what I’m fighting.”

He muttered and I felt him drawing strength from me. I backed toward him to make sure I shielded him no matter where the fireballs came from.

After a moment the air near the door started spinning and the smoke was sucked into a funnel-like cloud before it slipped under the door. I heard loud coughing on the other side and the sound of bodies tumbling down the steps.

I smiled at Quinn’s cleverness.

Quinn shuffled over, holding his head.

“You okay?”

“Headache like you wouldn’t believe.”

We scanned the room. Nyx leaned against a wall, his tiny form relaxed. Next to him sat Brandsome’s horn. But that wasn’t what caught my attention. A large pentagram with a sizable demon in it was definitely more concerning. The demon’s skin was mottled red, its eyes large and bloodshot, its teeth gnashing as it hurled itself against the pentagram. Though it was naked, it didn’t seem to have any genitalia, so I couldn’t be sure if it was male or female or if gender even mattered. I never saw a demon like it before, though I was pretty sure it was a Red Fury. In other words, one badass motherfucker. Not good.

“Twig Starfig,” Nyx sneered. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Where you’re concerned it’s never a pleasure.” I stepped a little closer. When I got my hands around his scrawny little neck . . .

“Tut tut. Aren’t you glad to see your brother?”

I snorted. “Like a pox.”

“Then we’re even. Though you do have impeccable timing.”