Page 140 of A Touch of Poison
Its acrid breath burned my eyes, the stench choking.
But I drew and lined up my shot, stilling every part of me save for my leaping pulse.
I fired.
Deep down its throat, past the rows of sharp teeth, my arrow buried itself inside the monster. Its roar cut out.
I already had another arrow out of my quiver and was coating it in blood, but…
The Horror gave a high-pitched wheeze, like it was trying to scream but couldn’t. It took a step closer, but its front legs crumpled, and the monster slumped.
Its remaining eye stared on and on.
Was it…?
I nocked my prepared arrow and edged closer, ready to fire again if it moved.
But it didn’t.
Dark blood oozed from its mouth and the eye I’d pierced, but it didn’t so much as blink.
I’d done it.
I’d killed a Horror.
Maybe there was something good to come from my magic.
I laughed and circled around the monster’s massive form so I could get to the palace and, hopefully, find Bastian. The sun had dipped below the buildings around me. It wouldn’t be long before the poison in my system would reset and start—
Clicking.
Behind me.
I wasn’t even past the dead Horror, but the sound gripped my heart and it felt like I took an hour to turn and…
Another Horror. Charging. Screeching now it had lost the element of surprise.
I backed off. I just needed to run for the palace. I just needed to—
Something snagged my heel and the world lurched.
Somehow, I caught myself on the dead Horror’s legs. Coppery blood flooded my mouth where I’d bitten my tongue.
And the charging Horror was almost here.
No time to run.
I drew, aimed, fired in a single breathless moment.
The shriek told me I hit, but I was already bloodying another arrow, gasping as tears stung the corners of my eyes. Tears weren’t useful, though, so I gritted my teeth and straightened, bowstring taut.
This Horror had to be tougher than the last, because it was still bearing down on me, sharp teeth bared. Fifteen feet away. Ten.
I fired.
A shriek that cut off as the monster’s neck arched.
It fell silent and I sagged with relief.
