A child. A young girl, who was sniveling and shivering, all pulled in on herself as if she was doing her best to keep away from the creature. It was easy to see her in the light pouring from the doorway, too; she wore the typical smock and apron of a farm child, but both were dirty and tattered. Her hair was coming out of its braids, and she was barefoot. Her face was filthy, and tear-streaked, and had that blank, stunned look that only came with utter terror. She was carrying something in her arms, something bulky, like a bundle.

The Blood Witch shook her. “Go, my pretty, and feed the piggies.” The voice that came from the thing sounded like creaking hinges. “One of them is surely fat enough by now. I’ll follow you and test them, yes I will. I am ready for a feast!”

She shook the girl again, then shoved her forward, toward the far side of the cottage. The girl stumbled and recovered herself before she fell, careful not to drop what she was carrying. Then she shuffled around the side of the cottage with the creature no more than a couple of paces behind.

And that was when the screams and cries began, coming from the opposite side of the cottage. Giselle felt a fresh jolt of fear mixed with nausea. What in the name of all that was holy was going on here?

“Oh blessed Jesus, it’s worse than I thought!” Rosa said. “She’s got an entire pack of children back there, and she plans to cook and eat one right now. We can’t wait for Pieter! Come on!”

And with that, before Giselle could object, she charged out of the bushes, heading for the cottage, already pulling her ax off her back.

Oh no—Giselle lurched to her feet to try and stop her, but it was too late.

Giselle followed, skin crawling with fear, both revolvers in her hands, although she couldn’t remember pulling them from the holsters. Rosa might be used to fighting things like some sort of lady-Siegfried, but she wasn’t! And she couldn’t imagine what good her Air Magic could do here; she certainly couldn’t call on any of the Lesser Elementals for help, and if she called, would a Greater One even answer?

But she couldn’t leave Rosa to face that monster alone. So she ran as fast as she could, trying to catch up, hoping she wouldn’t stumble over something in the yard and fall flat on her face. She was going hot and cold in turns, and she was very, very afraid.