Karam swallowed and the demons barked back.

Spit stretched like string between their teeth and their bones bulged from their half-shadowed bodies. One dug its claws into the bridge and scraped a line through the ground like it was a throat.

“Cast a light,” Karam called out, to Saxony or Wesley or whoever could manage it first. “It will make them cower.”

But Saxony was at her sister’s side, tending to Zekia, who was still curled on the ground, sobbing in pain from whatever it was the Kingpin had tried to do to her.

Tavia was beside them, clutching on to the mirror doll to keep Ashwood at bay.

And Wesley just stared.

He blinked, staring at the demons in total horror.

“Wesley,” Tavia said. “Cast a light!”

Zekia winced up at her brother. “It’s my fault,” she croaked. “Please don’t be afraid.”

Saxony’s jaw tensed and it was then that Karam knew Wesley was scared, perhaps for the first time in his life.

These demons had tortured him under Zekia’s control. They had ripped into him and not only torn the flesh from his bones, but it seemed they had gotten their claws into something else.

Something deeper.

Something far inside his mind.

And the creature could sense it as much as Karam could, because five of the six galloped toward Wesley and the others.

“Use your shield to keep them away!” Karam yelled to Saxony.

But she didn’t need to, for her love was already casting a protection over the four of them as all of the demons tried their attack.

They bit and clawed and scraped at the barrier, trying desperately to get in and feast on their flesh.

All except for one.

A single shadow demon kept its focus on Karam, circling her.

It seemed to smile when it saw she was not planning on running under the protection of the shield.

Karam had taken these creatures on before, in the fighting rings and on the Kingpin’s isle.

She could do it again.

Karam grabbed a blade and ran at the demon, sliding along the ground and slicing across its belly.

The creature howled, thick blood like ink spraying across her face.

But the wound wasn’t as big as it should have been, and Karam had only caught half flesh, while the rest was all shadow.

The demon turned to hiss at her.

Karam flipped back to her feet and struck out with her knife again, but she was met with only claws. The shadow demon raised its talons in the air and swiped out, scratching across her chest. She jumped back and the creature pounced, knocking her over.

It was on top of her, its spit and blood coating her face.

Quickly, Karam brought the hilt of her blade up through its neck and into its skull. The demon’s head trembled uncertainly, as though it was trying to shake the blade.