Evolution (Demon's Grail Book 2) by Amy Cross Read Free Book Online Page A

out into the pouring rain.
    “Not really,” I reply, stopping to wipe blood from the blade of my sword. “To be honest, it's a little dead.”
    I hear the door creaking open, and I can't resist turning to see the Hoshkian standing in the doorway, staring at the scores of corpses that litter the bar area. Blood is dribbling freely from several of the bodies, splattering onto the floor, and even the barman is slumped dead against one of the beer pumps. Frankly, the scene is even more impressive than I'd realized, and I can't help but feel a little proud. All those idiots, removed from the world by little old me. I deserve a medal.
    Slowly, the Hoshkian turns to me, his face drained of all color.
    “It got a little rowdy,” I tell him, before turning and walking away into the night. “Spread the word, old man. Some of these remote little places aren't quite as safe as they once were. In fact, some people even think there might be -”
    Stopping suddenly, I see a dark figure up ahead, standing in the rain and watching me calmly. After a moment, he turns and walks away into the shadows, but I know I have to follow. I guess I should have realized he'd show up around now. He's already let me run free for longer than I expected.

Emilia
     
    “People are starting to notice us,” I mutter, as we sit beneath an oak tree by the side of the road. The branches and leaves above offer some protection from the night's rain, but not much. Ahead of us, a vast dark forest spreads to the horizon, hissing under the relentless rainfall. “I don't think we can hide our presence for much longer.”
    I wait for a reply, but he says nothing. The only sound comes from the storm all around us.
    “At the moment,” I continue, “it's little more than drunken gossip in small taverns. People spreading whispered rumors about spiders having been seen, nothing that a sane person would take seriously. There'll come a time when that changes, though. Eventually we'll be spotted by someone whose word is taken a little more seriously, and then things might become difficult.” I turn to him, watching the silhouette of his scarred face against the rain. A light breeze is blowing, ruffling the tattered strands of dead flesh that hang from his features. He has no eyes, no nose, and just a few torn gaps for a mouth, but beneath his flesh there's a brilliant white and blue light burning, occasionally visible through the thick cracks than run through his flesh. “Has the council planned ahead for that eventuality?” I ask. “We can't remain in the shadows forever.”
    He pauses, before turning his face toward me a little, just enough to let me see the dark hollows of his eyes. At the same time, I can hear a dull creaking sound from within his neck. At times like this, I find myself wondering more than ever about his true form. Skellig isn't a spider, nor is he a vampire or a werewolf, so he should be from one of the lower species, except... There doesn't seem anything lowly about him at all. Just his gaze is enough sometimes to send a shiver through my chest. Father would never have sent a lesser being to advise me following Keller's death. Whatever Skellig is, he emanates a sense of great, calm power. There's something ancient about him, too, something that hints at deep experience. From the few things he's told me about himself, I get the feeling he has traveled extensively.
    “What of Karakh?” I ask finally, trying not to let the desperation leak into my voice. “Has there been any word? Are we any closer to -”
    Before I can finish, he raises his left hand and points out into the rain with a bony, almost skinless finger.
    “What?” I continue, turning and looking out at the rain-filled night. Sometimes Skellig can be so inscrutable, I struggle to understand what he means at all. “It's a storm,” I continue. “I've never seen a storm like it, it's been raging all day and there's no sign of it passing yet. What's wrong, don't they have storms