Eyesore slapped Crunch on the bicep. ‘No more deals. No more chains. No more tricks. We will take the flesh and pain that’s owed us. If you’re still here after, we will take you as well.’

The woman sighed. ‘No, not with you, you great shambling oaf. I’m talking to the one behind you.’

Sa-at gasped at the audacity. She had just killed herself as surely as if she’d opened up her veins and run screaming into a Spiderkin nest. Eyesore turned, cracked his knuckles and took a step towards the woman, allowing Sa-at a glimpse of her. She stood, dressed as an ordinary traveller, like those he’d seen from Sagan, but standing with extraordinary ease. He recognized her instantly, the woman with the golden lips!

‘If I save you,’ she called, ‘do you promise to help me?’

For the Wild, the offer was vague, but given his situation, not unreasonable.

‘Yes!’ he said, his voice high and fearful.

‘Good.’ She turned her attention to Eyesore. ‘This is your last chance, you disgusting insult to the human form. Stand aside or be destroyed.’

‘You shut her up,’ said Crunch, ‘and I’ll get the Birdspawn.’

Sa-at flinched away, uselessly, as Crunch took the final step, his bulk more than enough to block off any chance of escape. The woman did not flinch however, standing stock still as Eyesore charged towards her.

Though his attention was mostly on Crunch’s hands as they groped their way towards him, Sa-at saw something rising behind Crunch’s back, a strand of his thick hair, knotted to a strand of Eyesore’s. He realized the woman must have tied them together before she revealed herself. The conjoined strands rose as one to form a taut line, straight as a bowstring, and then Eyesore’s and Crunch’s heads were jerking backwards to the crack of vertebrae, and Crunch was stepping away, stumbling, struggling to keep his balance.

Eyesore wasn’t faring any better, appearing like some shaggy tree about to fall.

While Sa-at stared and the brothers flailed, the woman began to move. The twilight was suddenly pierced with shining violet as she pulled out a small piece of crystal and weaved after Eyesore, ducking a thick arm as it swung for her, stepping lightly on one of his ruddy knees to spring upwards, until their gazes were level. In his attempt to hit her, Eyesore had lost any hope of staying upright. He fell, and she fell after him thrusting down with the shard of crystal, her strength and weight burying it deep into his middle eyesocket.

There was a popping, followed by the sound of wild thumping as Eyesore began to thrash on the floor. The woman wasn’t finished however. She sat on his chest, knees either side of the demon’s neck, and drove a hand into his face, into the injury, pushing the crystal still deeper.