He took Tessa’s arm, pulling her to him, thinking they must run, must escape any way they could. Then he remembered. In his pocket was a pair of viper-pricks, each with enough lethal poison to kill a dozen Lizards. Would they do what was needed?

He would have to find out. He didn’t have any other choice. The creature was already advancing on him, taking a more solid shape as it came, the outline of its huge shoulders and arms, its massive chest, its great clawed hands solidifying against the wispy curtain of the blown dust. He could see the glint of its eyes from beneath the heavy bone of its flattened brow. It was staring at him with undisguised anticipation, eager for what it was about to do.

He backed away slowly, pulling Tessa with him, one hand groping in his pocket for the viper-pricks. He found them right away, and his fingers closed about one plastic sheath and began to draw it out. Then, impulsively, he let go and instead reached down hurriedly to touch the earth. If he could make himself blend with the land, could disappear into it as he had before, he could gain a small advantage. His magic had let him do this once; perhaps he could do so again. If the monster couldn’t see him, it couldn’t hurt him.

But he realized the flaw in his thinking almost immediately. Even if he could disguise himself, he could not disguise Tessa. The demon might not be able to find him, but it would still be able to find her. He saw the demon watching him, measuring his efforts with interest. He could tell what it was thinking. Unlike the last time, the demon was not confused. It had learned from that encounter. It knew he would not abandon the girl.