He screamed as his claws banged against the creature's flesh. He might as well have attacked a boulder. Sparks rose and the creature seemed unharmed; Tanin felt like his claws had almost torn off. The creature snapped its great jaws, and Tanin fluttered backward. The jaws managed to close around his wing.

He howled. Tears of pain filled his eyes. The jaws chomped down, grinding his wing, and Tanin screamed and leaned in to bite. His own jaws were large enough to swallow lambs whole; they seemed puny by this beast. Yet still he bit, and his teeth drove through mummified flesh and scraped against bone.

The creature released him. Tanin fell through the sky, his left wing pierced with holes; wind whistled through them.

"Maev, some help!" he shouted.

He glimpsed her battling two creatures above. Both were still smoking and crackling with fire. Blood covered Maev's leg.

"I'm battling two already!" she shouted down to him. He could swear he saw her roll her eyes. "Grow up and fight your own battles."

Before he could reply, the gaunt demon swooped again, mouth opening wide, splitting the beast down to the tailbone like a halved fruit.

Tanin gritted his teeth, growled, and soared.

He flattened himself into a spear, driving upward. The creature dived down, cackling, raining drool and bits of rotted flesh.

Heartbeats away from a collision, Tanin grimaced.

He roared as he soared, driving into the creature's mouth, shoving himself into the beast.

The jaws began to close around him. Tanin kept soaring, horns pointing upward.

The force of his onslaught split the creature at the tailbone, tearing the great jaws apart.

The demon's two halves tumbled through the sky. Each wing beat independently. The broken pieces spun wildly, shrieking their own cries, until they crashed into the sea and vanished.

Tanin spat. "Stars damn it."

Wincing, his wounded wing a blaze of agony, he rose higher.

He found Maev spinning in a circle, scattering flames, holding the remaining two demons at bay. Cuts ran along her leg, and a gash bled upon her forehead. Still she managed to glare at him.

"Are you done playing your games, brother?" She swiped her tail, clubbing one of the beasts. "Go on, choose one and kill it, damn you!"

The two demons hissed, their flesh charred, fires still burning upon them. Their skin had peeled back and their muscles blazed; through the flames peeked black, jagged bones. Yet still they flew, cackling. The slimmer one, a creature like discarded entrails, thrust toward Maev, snapping its teeth. The obese demon, his charred belly swinging like a tumor, turned to fly toward Tanin.

The demon's many eyes blazed like cauldrons of molten metal. Its mouth opened, lined with sword-like teeth. Its wings—so small they were almost comical—flapped mightily, propelling the creature toward Tanin like some obscene bumblebee toward a flower. It pulsed as it gagged, spewing another stream of acid.

Tanin grunted and swerved.