The rock bounced harmlessly off the demon cat’s flank. The beast turned away from the injured knight and watched the stone roll away. Then it locked its eyes on her.

Kyra spun on her heel and ran.

She stumbled as she turned the corner, stubbing her toe on something hard, but Kyra forced herself to keep going. Behind her, the cat’s growls grew louder. What had possessed her to help that knight?

A windowsill caught her eye, and she scrambled for improvised hand- and footholds to climb as quickly as she could. With every step, Kyra expected to feel claws on her shins, tearing into her flesh. When she cleared the first story, she finally chanced a look down. The cat wasn’t there, and Kyra kept climbing. Only when she’d pulled herself onto the roof did she catch a glimpse of movement in her peripheral vision. She scrambled back as the demon cat launched itself off a tree, landing softly on padded feet right where Kyra had been standing.

She should have remembered that cats could climb trees.

It came at her now, like a kitten pursuing a bird, only so much bigger. Kyra desperately looked around. She couldn’t get back down, not with the cat right there. Her only choice was to run.

Kyra sprinted across the rooftop, jumping over steps and praying that she wouldn’t step on any weak shingles. She could feel the massive cat chasing, could sense its heavy paw pads as it bounded after her. Kyra reached a gap in the rooftops and leaped. As her feet touched the next roof, a weight pushed her forward. There was a slashing pain as something sharp cut her shoulder blade. She landed hard on her forearms, curling herself into a ball as claws raked her shin and slid off.

She lay there, stunned, but nothing happened. Finally, she twisted her head to see. The cat stood a pace away, delicately sniffing at her injured leg. It made a guttural sound and slowly licked her shin with a rough tongue.

The wet touch shook Kyra out of her stupor and she pushed herself to standing, stumbling onward only to collapse again at the pain from her injured leg. She sat back up, facing the cat and doing her best to scoot away. The demon cat stormed toward her and knocked her down, bending its head down to hers. Kyra closed her eyes and turned her head. She felt the animal’s hot breath on her face and resigned herself to the worst. Then the breaths receded, and the pressure on her chest released. Kyra opened her eyes to see the demon cat several strides away, looking at her intently through amber-slitted eyes. Then it turned and bounded off.

Thirteen

T H I R T E E N

Kyra winced as the cold cloth touched her shoulder.

“Hold still,” Rand growled. “It’s just a scratch.”