Bec by Darren Shan Read Free Book Online Page B

if anybody’s there?” Fiachna asks.
    “They’d have answered if there was,” Connla says.
    “Unless they’re scared or sheltering underground,” Orna notes.
    Ronan points silently at a spot to the left of the huts. My eyes aren’t as sharp as his, so it takes me a few seconds to focus. Then I see it — a small arm, probably a child’s, lying in the dirt.
    Goll sighs, draws his sword, and moves to the front of the group. “Let’s go,” he says gruffly, and we proceed at a forced, nervous jog.
    There’s nowhere to shelter, so we don’t stop when the sun sets, but keep going, hoping to outpace any demons that catch our scent. I try to persuade myself that we won’t be noticed. Only a fool travels at night in these troubled times. The Fomorii won’t expect to find anyone out in the open. Maybe they don’t even look anymore.
    A silly, childish notion. But for an hour it seems as though it might hold true. We don’t sight any demons and hope begins to grow.
    But then we hear a howl of inhuman vibrancy far behind us, but not far enough for comfort. We pause and listen as the howl is answered by others. In my mind’s eye, I see a group forming, demons and the living dead. They gather around the one who found our trail, sniff the air, lick the earth, quiver with excitement — then lurch forward to run us down.
    “They might be after someone else,” Connla says, but his words are hollow. We’ve been discovered.
    “Let’s pick up the pace,” Goll says, expression stern.
    Run Fast’s head shoots up. “Run fast?” he asks eagerly.
    “Aye,” Goll says, then grabs the boy as he starts to shoot off. “Not
that
fast!”
    We can hear them, a pack of demons crashing through the woods, snapping off branches, knocking over smaller trees. I’ve never known demons so excited. I guess, when they attack a fort, it’s hard work. It must be frustrating, the scent of prey thick in their nostrils, having to fight their way through, often failing. But out here, in the open, they have only to hunt us down and we’re theirs for the taking. They’re like dogs after a fox.
    We’re looking for a place to make a stand, somewhere we can defend. A cave would be perfect. We could squeeze in and fend them off, maybe keep them at bay for the rest of the night, then escape in the morning. But there are no caves, or at least none that we can find.
    Goll comes to a halt in a small clearing. Trees have been felled here some time in the last few years. Somebody probably planned to graze animals or build a hut, in the days before the demons came. Goll looks around, assessing.
    “Not here,” Connla wheezes, face dark from the strain. “Too exposed.”
    “There’s nowhere better,” Goll gasps. He points to a mound of logs covered in moss. “We can start a fire. Fell more trees, stake them in the ground, and sharpen the tops. Make it hard for the demons to strike all at once.”
    “But . . .” Connla looks to the others for support, but Ronan, Lorcan, and Orna are already drawing their weapons, preparing for battle. Fiachna has his axe out and is studying the trees. They know it’s hopeless, that we’re going to die. But what choice do we have? There’s nothing to do but draw our lines, wait, and face those who will most certainly destroy us. Die as warriors, with pride.
    I’m thinking about what spells I can use when a small hand slips into mine. I look around. Run Fast is smiling at me. “Run fast?” he whispers.
    “Not now,” I sigh.
    The boy frowns. “Run fast,” he says more firmly.
    I shake my head. “We have to stay and fight. Can you fight? Do you know how to —”
    The strange boy’s fingers grab mine tightly and his face hardens. “Run fast!” he hisses, then points with his free hand. “Worm pups!”
    I start to snap at him to be quiet. Then pause. There’s a tingling sensation in Run Fast’s fingers. Some sort of magic. I look down. His hand is glowing slightly. The boy looks at it too, then up at