The Witch Watch by Shamus Young Read Free Book Online Page B

the horses from drawing too near. Then it climbed over a fence that the captain did not dare on horseback, and so broke away just before they ran him down.
    The Witch Watch scattered and combed through the town while the inhabitants cowered inside. Alice heard a woman scream. Thinking the abomination had been found, she hurried towards the sound only to discover that the woman had simply been startled by Archer moving past her window.
    Alice consulted the ethergram. As before, the needle was still slightly inclined to point towards the abomination. It was not strong, and she had to hold very still to see the movement. This was difficult because she was winded. When the needle settled down, it seemed to be pointing away from the area where the men were hunting. Had the abomination doubled back? She turned and went around the nearby house. Now the needle was moving quickly. She thought this might be a malfunction, but this might also happen if it was extremely close.
    A black shape rushed in front of her and she cried out. It wheeled to face her. She had no time to draw a weapon, and so in a panic she simply held out her hand and unleashed fire. The abomination spun again, shielding itself from the flame with its cloak. Then it fled, still burning, towards the road.
    Her cry drew the attention of the others, and soon they were closing in around it, a specter of flame and smoke rushing through the night.
    The abomination threw itself down in the dust and beat out the flames. By the time it rose again, the horses had caught up with it. Alice watched as the captain tried to hew it with his sword, but their foe was unexpectedly crafty. It stayed in front of the captain, using the horse’s head as a shield. Turpin turned quickly and swung, but the abomination ducked the blow and slapped the horse’s hindquarters, sending it galloping forward. Turpin cursed as his mount carried him away from the battle.
    Jack rode forward and struck true. His sword landed between its shoulder blades, and the abomination fell on all fours.
    Alice threw up her arms in frustration. “The head! What are you doing? You ass! Take off the head!” She was shouting at Jack with the tone of a governess scolding foolish children.
    The abomination stood up, still with Jack’s sword driven into its back and protruding from its chest. It looked down at the blade curiously. The sword had been thrust in from above, so the hilt hovered over its head like a flagpole.
    “Extraordinary,” it said. “I’m still alive.” There was a pause while it tried to expel the blade by pushing on the tip. “Well, you know what I mean,” it added.
    Archer ran up beside Alice, panting and coughing. He bent forward with his hands on his knees, trying to ask what was going on between gasps.
    The Witch Watch looked on, dumbfounded, as the abomination lurched around, trying to pull the sword free. It reached up and gripped the hilt, awkwardly pushing and pulling, wiggling the blade back and forth. After much muttering and staggering about, it withdrew the blade.
    Turpin, having recovered control of his horse and dismounted, approached with his own sword in his hand.
    The abomination drew back its hood, revealing a grim, yet smiling skull. Only a few ragged strands of hair remained. It looked at Captain Turpin. “I see you mean to put me to the sword. Before you do, might I ask you what crime I’ve committed?”
    “You’re an abomination!” the captain spat.
    “Abomination is such a harsh term. I prefer to think of myself as an affront,” it replied.
    “Mock all you like, Your Lordship,” Captain Turpin said coldly, “We’ll soon have you back in your proper grave.”
    “Very good. I was in the wrong grave the last time I was dead. I’m not the Lord Mordaunt.”
    “You can claim to be whoever you like. You’re still going back to the grave.”
    The abomination then turned his sword around and offered it back to Jack. “Very well,” it said, “I surrender. But