Brigantines were falling back, purple smoke swirling around them ever more thickly. Ambrose ran at them, yelling his battle cry—a deafening, clanging sound. His men joined in, shouting with him as they ran down the ramp and crashed into the final group of Brigantine soldiers. Ambrose’s sword arm was aching, his hand slippery with blood, his head full of noise and clamor, but he wouldn’t stop until they’d won.
TASH
DEMON TUNNELS
THE NOISE in the cavern was like nothing Tash had ever heard before. It was madness. The purple demon smoke she had released from the bottles flowed over the bodies of dead soldiers and around the living, turning the fighting men into silhouettes. The smoke in the core was rising even higher, the whole cavern glowing more purple than red. It was hotter too, much hotter. Like being inside a fire. Tash’s eyes were drawn upward, toward the roof. Somehow she wasn’t surprised to see demons looking down, watching the battle. And one demon in particular.
Twist!
And then, a few terraces below him, she spotted another familiar face peering out from a tunnel. Frost was staring down at the smoke in the core, before ducking out of sight.
Oh no, missy. You’re not getting away . . .
Tash ran faster than she’d ever run before, feeling the power of the purple smoke flowing through her as she leaped over dead bodies and discarded weapons. Up and up. Higher and higher. At the higher levels, stone bridges crisscrossed the cavern and Tash glimpsed Frost running across one and leaping down to another, her eyes on a tunnel to her right.
Was it a way out? Whatever it was, Tash didn’t want her to reach it.
I’ve got to get there before her.
Tash ran and pushed off hard. She flew through the air and landed on the next bridge, going so fast she had to brake hard so as not to fall off the other side. She ran onto the terrace and blocked the tunnel entrance, just as Frost ran up a ramp, her chest heaving with the exertion. She slowed on seeing Tash, then shook her head and held her arms out as if defeated.
If you think I’m falling for that, it’s you who’s the pea-brain.
But then, behind Frost, another shape appeared—the huge red figure of Twist. Frost glanced round, her face changing to one of fear. She ran to Tash and grabbed her arm desperately.
Let me through. I need to get out.
You’re not going anywhere.
If you let that demon get me, he’ll kill me.
What’s that to me?
I’ll tell you about the smoke. Why it’s changing. And it’s changing even faster now. I know what’ll happen next.
If I protect you from Twist, you’d better tell us what’s happening. If not, I’ll hand you over to him myself. And Tash grabbed Frost by the hair and let go of her arm so her thoughts couldn’t be heard, and she stepped forward toward Twist.
Twist stood very still. He didn’t look angry or violent, just curious. He was even smiling a little.
Tash wasn’t sure what to say, and she knew demons spoke in pictures, not words, but she held her hand out, and Twist slowly put his hand in hers.
It’s good to see you, Twist. Even if you can’t understand me. But I need to take Frost to Ambrose.
She tried to show with her mind what she was going to do, but before she had formed the images properly, she felt Twist’s grip on her hand tighten and she knew he was glad she was alive, that he was happy to see her.
I’ve got so many questions, Twist. So much to say. But I really don’t know how to say any of it.
Again she felt a wave of something good, almost like an invisible hand lifting her and comforting her. And Twist was smiling.
Then he took his hand away and stepped aside.
AMBROSE
DEMON TUNNELS
AMBROSE WAS breathing hard, his sword arm shaking. The purple smoke that swirled over the ground was thinning to reveal bloodied bodies at his feet. The Brigantines had fought to the last at the base of the cavern, but they were beaten. However, there was still work to do—he needed to ensure the tunnel entrances were secured and then check on his losses. He turned to look for Geratan, and instead saw Tash pulling Frost toward him by her hair.
Tash touched his arm.
This is Frost.
I gathered that.
She can’t hear me. I’m just holding her hair. She says she knows what’s happening to the cavern and demons. She