Ruby Shadows (Born to Darkness #3)(73)

“What are you doing? Let me go!” I grabbed on to Kurex’s stirrup and tried to pull away from the girl in the pool but her grip was horribly strong. Slowly but surely I felt my hold on the stirrup loosening.

“I don’t think so, Mistress.” The girl didn’t sound so pitiful anymore. Her teeth had stopped chattering and her eyes were glowing like two poison stars. “I think you’re going to join me.”

“No…no!” I gasped but the stirrup slipped from my hands and then I was sliding across the frozen ground, being dragged into the icy pool by the vengeful soul. “Let…me…go!” I snapped, kicking out at her with my free foot. She only laughed and dodged. Even when I did manage to connect, she simply shook off the force of my kick and kept dragging.

I twisted wildly when I felt the icy water touch my feet and then my ankles and calves. This was all happening so fast! It hadn’t even been a whole minute since I’d slipped off Kurex’s back to answer what I thought was a cry for help. Now I was about to be drowned for my foolishness.

Hadn’t Laish told me I should trust no one but him? And to keep to myself if we were ever separated? And what had I done? Ignored his orders yet again. I swore to myself if I could somehow get out of this I would listen to him and do what he said.

But even as I made the promise, I was already waist deep in freezing water and the girl was wrapping icy fingers around my throat.

“No!” I tried to pry her fingers from around my neck but as before, her grip was supernaturally strong. I wished I knew some of the harsh language Laish used—what he had called words of power—but I didn’t. I was all alone with no one to help me.

“Not quite alone,” whispered a voice in my head…or was it my ear? For some reason I found myself looking back up at Kurex who was stamping restively. The girl’s attack on me had been so sudden I didn’t think he’d even realized what exactly was going on. But he was just an animal—could he help me?

If I’d been raised with horses or dogs—the kinds of animals that rescue or guard their owners—I might have called for him at once. But I had always been a cat person and cats, while nice, aren’t likely to fight off a burglar for you or try to drag you from a burning building. Still, I had to try—Kurex was my only hope.

“Kurex!” I gasped, trying to squeeze my voice out though I was getting less and less air with the angry girl’s fingers wrapped around my throat. “Kurex, help! Here, boy—help!”

He turned at once and seemed to see the situation for the first time. With an angry, ringing neigh, he aimed one dinner plate-sized front hoof at the girl. One sharp kick –which looked like a black blur from my point of view—and the grip around my neck loosened.


Kurex kicked again and the girl’s hands slipped away entirely. Her poison green eyes lost their spark and rolled up in her head. One side of her face was caved in and blackish blood poured from her nostrils and the corner of her mouth.

“G-good b-boy,” I gasped at Kurex, my teeth chattering. As the girl sank beneath the glassy surface of the pool, I scrabbled at the icy, snow-packed ground, trying to pull myself up. But I was so weak and cold I could make no headway. Fighting the girl seemed to have taken the last of my energy. I could feel myself slipping backwards, unable to get out. Maybe I would drown here after all, even without the murderous soul to pull me down…

Kurex gave another ringing neigh and bent down to nuzzle me anxiously with his huge nose.

“S-sorry, boy,” I gasped and the words seemed to be coming from far away. “C-can’t…”

Then his huge head moved and I felt something clamp on to the back of my sodden green gown. I gasped as I felt myself lifted and dragged out of the freezing pool by an unseen force. Suddenly I understood—the big horse had my dress in his teeth and was pulling me to safety.

He deposited me gently on the ground between his front hooves and then nosed me again. But for a moment all I could do was lie there. I was chilled to the bone and the bottom half of me was so numb I could barely feel my feet and legs. Kurex nosed me again, snorting anxiously.

“You have to get up,” whispered a little voice in my ear. “You have to or you’ll die here in this dreadful place. Get up, Gwendolyn—get up!”

“I can’t,” I told it, wondering if I was talking to myself or someone else. “I just can’t…I’m so tired. So tired…”

“What about your grandmother and your sister—the ones you love? The ones you’re going to save? What about Laish? Get up for them, even if you can’t for yourself,” the soft voice urged.

“Laish is dead,” I whispered and fresh, hot tears ran down my frozen cheeks. But somehow I found the strength to crawl to my hands and knees and from there, with the help of Kurex’s bridle, I was finally able to stand.

Clambering up onto his broad back in my present half-frozen state without help would have been impossible. Luckily there was a rock half buried in the snow a dozen yards ahead that was just the right height. I somehow scrambled onto its slippery surface and from there I was able to throw one leg across the Demon-steed’s broad back. Then I sat there, clinging to the saddle, freezing and miserable and not knowing what to do next.

Kurex snorted inquiringly and turned his head to look at me with one large eye.

“I don’t care,” I told him tiredly. “Go where you want. See if you can find us someplace warm, that’s all I ask.”