Tide - By Daniela Sacerdoti Page 0,85

the demon froze just as its beak readied to pierce Sarah’s face. It groaned, a muffled sound that to Sarah’s ears sounded too human for comfort. But she would show no mercy. She tightened her grip on the demon-bird and watched it squirm while the Blackwater dissolved its skin.

“Sarah!”

Sean?

Sarah’s concentration wavered for a split second, and the demon took its chance, slashing at her with its claws, wounding her bare throat. She screamed in pain and fury. She knew exactly what it was aiming at – her jugular. In a haze of pain, Sarah grabbed at its shoulders again, digging her fingers into its flesh. When she dared to turn her head slightly towards Sean’s voice, there he was, tracing the runes with his sgian-dubh, slashing the air.

The demon-bird began thrashing, pummelled by Sean’s runes. With enormous effort it freed itself from Sarah’s grip and leapt up, staggering between Sarah and Sean, watching them with eyes full of pain.

Pain. Sadness. What is this demon about? How can a demon look … sorrowful?

Sarah shook herself. She saw Niall, Elodie and Mike rushing up the slope towards Sean, Niall already humming his song. Frantic now, the demon swept around to face them all, then turned back to Sarah. It was her blood that was on its claws.

Then, as if a brake had been put on the world, they heard the creature say, loud and clear, “Sarah Midnight.” Everybody froze.

Sarah’s heart stopped for a second. Stars danced before her eyes as she clutched her bleeding skin. Strange. She felt no pain. She looked at her friends, but they stood stunned in the rain. Niall’s song was rising higher and higher, and a subtle pain was beginning to make its way into their ears, but the Surari seemed unaffected, just like he’d been by Sarah’s gaze.

“What are you? What do you want from me?” demanded Sarah, trying to disguise the panic she was feeling.

“You’re talking to demons. Again!” yelled Sean, punctuating each word with a hit of his blade. The Surari brought a clawed hand to its chest, mirroring Sarah’s gesture, and it came away bloodied, its blood mixed with Sarah’s. With one last look, the creature spread its wings and lifted itself without effort, despite the blood pouring from its chest.

Sarah growled in anger as she watched it fly upwards. “Running away again? Scared to face us, you coward?”

The demon rose up to the height of Winter’s window, and they watched in horror as the Surari and Winter, frozen in fear, looked at each other.

“Winter!” Niall called frantically.

But the demon wasn’t interested in attacking her, and instead continued its ascent, gliding on the wind. It rose towards the clouds and disappeared into the stormy sky.

Sean wrapped his arm around Sarah’s waist. “Are you OK?”

Sarah nodded. “I’m fine,” she said. “I’m just fine.” And then she fell unconscious into Sean’s arms.

42

Wounds of the Body

Wounds of the soul

The ones you don’t see

Will never heal

“It was worse than we thought.” A voice, coming from afar.

And another voice. “Pretty deep wound. Shit, it nearly got her.”

Sarah opened her eyes and blinked repeatedly, letting the world fall into focus. Her throat was dry, and her entire body ached.

“You’re awake.” The first voice again.

Sarah turned towards the sound. It was Elodie. Yes, Elodie. Sitting on her bed, holding her hand.

“What happened?” her voice came out weak and croaky. Her lips were parched.

“That bird thing hurt you. Quite badly. You lost a lot of blood.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t worry, Sarah, you’ll be fine soon,” Elodie said gently, stroking her face. Sarah closed her eyes, relishing in that unexpected tenderness. Gradually, memories began to answer some of the questions hurtling round her head.

“The demon-bird. Did we kill it?”

Elodie shook her head. “No. Not yet.”

Sarah winced.

“Don’t think of that now. We’ll find it, I promise you,” Elodie reassured her.

“Sarah!” It was Nicholas, barging into the room.

“Where were you?” said Elodie, getting up to make room for him on the edge of Sarah’s bed. Nicholas ignored her.

“Sarah, what did they do to you?” he murmured.

“Really, I’m OK. Please stop fussing,” she repeated with as much irritation as she could muster. She felt so weak. “Help me sit up.”

It took a while, and it hurt, but once Nicholas had propped her up with all the pillows he could find, Sarah could see, out of the corner of her eye, that there was someone else sitting in the armchair beside the fireplace. Once her eyes had become accustomed to the light she saw that it was Sean, mute