“Don’t touch the circle!” I hissed at her. “Keep your boots well clear.”

There could be something invisible trapped within it.

We were almost halfway around when the ground began to tremble. I sensed danger behind me, so I turned quickly and looked down. As I watched, something thrust its way up through the grass like a sapling growing at an insane speed. It was as thick as a human arm and flexed in a spiral as it grew.

When two more followed, I took three rapid paces back, holding my staff across my chest in a defensive position. I now saw that they were tentacles, each tipped with a hard, sharp bone like a blade.

Jenny gasped in astonishment, and then we both stepped back rapidly as a huge head erupted from the earth. Next, thin legs emerged, got a purchase on the grass, and began to heave the rest of the monstrous black-scaled body out into the moonlight. It had legs beyond counting—a giant insect, something like a centipede.

Jenny opened her mouth wide, as if to scream, but no sound emerged. She just stared at the monster with wide eyes.

What was it? I racked my brains but could think of nothing similar that existed in the County.

It was about the height of a large breeding bull, but perhaps three or four times longer, with long jaws full of fearsome teeth. They moved strangely within its mouth and kept changing their angle and length, as if they were adjustable.

The bulging eyes regarded me carefully, and I could see myself reflected in each one. Then the beast breathed out, and foul acid breath washed over me, drawing tears from my own eyes. I started to cough and choke.

It scuttled forward to attack, and I heard Jenny give a moan of terror. I jabbed toward its left eye with the blade at the end of my staff, but the creature retreated out of range, then opened its jaws wide and gave that loud, screeching roar. At close quarters it was truly terrifying, and I was almost deafened by the sound, my teeth set on edge.

I realized that it was preparing to attack again, and I readied my staff, but just then I heard an eerie cry from somewhere near the trees. I risked glancing behind me and saw that it was the witch assassin. Grimalkin repeated the cry, and the creature turned, with great agility for its size, and scuttled toward her.

She turned and ran.

Somehow she had attracted its attention, perhaps by use of dark magic. She had been only too successful: she was running and had almost reached the trees—but it was catching up fast, getting closer and closer.

I ran after the creature, and Jenny followed behind me. Grimalkin was out of sight now, and the creature plunged into the wood, snapping branches and crushing saplings.

Under the branches, the light of the moon was obscured and it was suddenly dark. I slowed a little, fearful of blundering into the beast’s murderous jaws. Then came a crashing, tearing sound, as if trees were falling to earth, and then a terrible shrill scream.