The small tear-shaped pendant that swung free as she bent over him held his gaze, its enamelled green and gold polished stones catching the sun’s dying rays. She paused as if in regret. ‘I will embrace you and cut the vein in your neck and then you will drown and the prophecy is fulfilled. My blade will make sure you can no longer fight what tries so hard to kill you.’ She smiled. ‘Even legends die, Thomas.’

She bent lower, her arm reaching out with the blade. He saw the rings on her fingers. Anger lent strength to his arm but it was not enough to strike her. The hawk spiralled high above, its keening screech beckoning his soul, warning of imminent death. Velasquita looked up. The hawk distracted her as he forced his free hand to snatch at the hem of her dress. A surge of water gushed beneath his left leg, lifting the archer’s knife within reach. She stumbled forward onto the blade, which slashed into her side. She fell across him, hands clutching the gash. Blood spiralling away in the eddies. She lay across his chest and right shoulder. Her face was so close he could have kissed her.

‘I... did not see this,’ she said, her face creased in pain. ‘So I know I… will not die here,’ she whispered and began forcing herself free of his feeble grip and the weight of water.

The pummelling undercurrent swept away the knife; using the stream’s power to lift his shoulder, he rolled, finding hidden strength in his arm and hand. The bitterly cold water put iron into his fist. Clutching her throat, he forced her head beneath the clear water, saw her gasping, his hand tightening. Squeezing the life from her. Her eyes widened in panic. She fought him, but the thought of her victims gave him strength to hold her fast. She choked until she lay still. Lips parted in a macabre smile. Eyes wide, staring at him. Eyes never leaving his face.

He forced her neck between rocks and snatched at the pendant. Blackstone pressed his thumbnail beneath its cap and raised the small phial and whatever it held to his lips. He swallowed the bitter liquid and let the pendant be swept away. Was it the antidote or a final trick played by the witch? Was her prophecy fulfilled?