Page 61 of Ever After

“Well, shut my cover.”

He chuckles and I redouble my efforts with the jacket, finding another empty pocket, shaking the fabric in despair. Shit. Will I need to look somewhere else? The lounge? If so, how the hell will I get past that thing and leave this room?

I shake out the jacket and frown. One side of the jacket is heavier than the other. Something heavy thumps against my leg. What the hell? I run my fingers over the fabric, and a gust of Levi’s woodsy scent fills the air, making furious tears spring up in my eyes.

As if sensing my distress, it calls, “First guess. Who am I?”

“I don’t want to play. Find another partner.” I trace the jacket’s hem and gasp. There must be a hole in one of the pockets. Something’s fallen through and was caught by the hem. I shove my hand into the pocket, hoping to find a hole, tear it open. Fucking expensive sports gear. If we get through this, Levi is buying cheap tat from now on.

“You’re not playing.” Its voice is mockingly sad. “Oh well, maybe Levi could stand to lose a finger. Shall we make it the little one? I could rip it out of its socket while I’m standing here. Will that make it difficult for him to draw?”

“Shut the fuck up.”

I tear at the hem this time and mange to make a hole. An object falls and rolls across the floor, disappearing under the bed.

“Could someone just give me a bloody break?” I groan.

Sucking in a deep breath for courage, I edge away from the door and slide under the bed.

The object is a round shape in the shadows. I stretch to grab it and my bum catches on the bed springs. “Shit. You and your bloody squats, Levi,” I whisper furiously. “I told you I didn’t need a bigger arse.”

Muscles trembling, I reach for it again. A barrage of blows shakes the bedroom door. I redouble my efforts, panting in panic. Then there’s an almighty crash. I flinch and the object rolls towards me. I snatch it quickly. It’s a stone—round and flat, the type you use to skim on ponds. On it is a painted picture. It’s too dark under the bed to see details, but I get the impression that it’s a house.

The stone thrums and pulses under my fingers. Footsteps sound, and I watch as Levi’s shoes come into the room. They tread over to the wardrobe, and I hear the doors being flung open, the coat hangers rattling. Should I make a run for it now? The entity turns and strides toward the bed. I hold my breath, gripping the stone.

“Where are you, Mr Billings?” the cold voice says. “Our game is nearly at an end.”

It’s dusty under here and to my horror I feel my nose tickle. I’m going to sneeze. If we get out of this, I’m writing a stern note of complaint about Lord St Claire’s cleaning staff. I pinch my nose and try to breathe steadily.

“I know you’re here.”

I roll my eyes. It’s hardly a surprise. Casting my gaze around, I look for something to throw, something to use as a distraction or a weapon. Although what I’m expecting to find under an antique bed in a Cornish cottage, I don’t know. Then I catch sight of something gleaming near the head of the bed. It’s a couple of fifty pence coins. I stare at them, and before the idea even forms, I’m grabbing them and throwing them beyond the bed, hard.

They bounce off the skirting board and hit the cupboard door. The entity charges forward. I pull myself out and shoot to my feet. It’s opening the cupboard door, standing between me and the landing. I race over to the window and paw at the latch, my breaths coming in sobbing pants, my fingers wet with sweat.

The entity shouts as the window opens, its eyes flashing red. I scramble onto the sill, take a deep breath, and drop into the garden.

The slope eases my fall, but I land badly in my haste, and my ankle crumples. A bolt of pain shoots up my leg, but I ignore it. The only thing that matters is getting rid of the stone in my hand and saving Levi. I glance up at the window. The entity is crouched in the frame, poising Levi’s body to jump. “Don’t you fucking hurt him!”

The thing gives me a cold smile and then drops from the window. It lands smoothly on the grass and starts to move toward me. “Give it to me.” Its eyes fasten on the stone in my hand.

I shove the stone into my pocket and scramble down the garden’s slope. I stumble almost immediately and breathe out a sob of despair. But then I see what I’ve tripped on is a horseshoe. It’s old and rusted, and I immediately recall Tom telling me that iron repels evil creatures.

I glance back and see the entity moving relentlessly toward me, eyes flaring crimson. They don’t come much more wicked. I hold my breath.

One step. Two steps. Another.

I bend, grab the horseshoe, and fling it at the entity with all my might. It screams, throwing up Levi’s arms and staggering back. The horseshoe hits Levi’s torso with a thump. The entity bellows and clutches at Levi’s midsection. My eyes widen as grey smoke seeps between its fingers.

Oh god, have I hurt Levi? Did he feel that? There’s no way to know right now. My fingers stray to my pocket where the salt is hidden. I look at that grey smoke still oozing from my husband’s body and reconsider. What if it burns Levi? I need to concentrate on the stone in my hand. Branok said it must be destroyed. But how?

I look at the entity wearing my husband and the cottage beyond him. Then I glance at the sea and decide.

I feint left and when the creature follows, I spin and race down the steps.

The thing bellows with rage behind me. Hands tug at me, and I fling them off and give a backward kick. It connects, and the entity grunts in frustration. After clearing the steps, I race across the path. I climb over the fence protecting the cliff’s edge, and head towards the sea, aware of heaving breaths and thudding steps behind me.

The edge is suddenly upon me, and for an awful moment I teeter, the wicked rocks below me making the sea roil and froth and boom. The wind whips at my face, and I spare one look back.