Night Lords

Part II Chapter 4

Part II Chapter 4

The following evening, we all had a job to do. Brett would remain behind and ensure that no Deemon or human would burn the hut down or mess with our foundations for the home. Greatorex and Tasha were going to meet Lowry and hopefully were going to get a good talking to, while Max and I would attempt again to speak to the Deemons.

Like the previous night, when I felt the prickle on my skin, Max and I had our hands in the air and walked slowly into the forest. 'Are they here?' Max asked, glancing in every direction.

Yes, was the simple answer, but there was a whole different question entirely. Earth Deemons could hide in plain sight. They had amazing camouflage and could place traps in the earth. And before you knew it, you were spiked in the stomach, legs and arms. They were conniving and clever, and they knew it.

I sat on the ground and closed my eyes, resting my hands on the ground. 'I am back again,' I called out into the dark forest. 'I simply wish to talk to you. Again, I am no threat to you. I just want to-'

A twig snapped, and I opened my eyes just in time as I heard the soft thwap of a projectile through a wooden tube. I caught the dart millimetres from my nose. From one sniff, I could tell it was tipped with a poison that makes your insides bleed, causing you death within a few minutes. Well, it does for humans.

'Max, please head back to the town. I will remain here,' I told him sternly. He hesitated for a few seconds before nodding and heading out of the forest. I glanced at the dart. It was made from holly and had strange, intricate carvings all around it. Gently, I placed it on the floor. 'Isn't that a bit rude? I told you I am here to talk. Do you know any other Night Lord, or spawn, who has ever talked to you before?' I called out, still feeling the prickling on my skin. 'I conversed with an earth Deemon on another continent. His name was Eurmek. He gave me some of your secrets, and I gave him some of mine.' I heard a rustling to my right but didn't look in that direction. 'An earth Deemon nest did something terrible to some humans; it made the humans stronger, faster and deadlier. The humans could see you and kill you more easily than we could. To even the odds, these deadly humans took out many Night Lords and killed many of their own kind. Eurmek sought me out because I can speak like you. He told me what he had done and regretted it and asked for my help, the Night Lords' help, and the spawns' help. You may find that impossible, but it is the truth all the same. Our coterie is new in these lands. We have seen so much death lately; we want to settle, to remain in one place. To be content with what we have. And yet, you have killed humans at the quarry when those at the quarry wish to make homes and health centres for the sick and needy.' Again, it was silent around me, and I was getting frustrated. I still felt the prickling on my skin, but they did not reveal themselves to me. 'I have now been in your presence two nights now, and all I have professed is to converse with you. It is not a trick. As a Night Lord, my gift is being able to talk to you.' As silent as the stars, I waited as long as I could, then I reached down and plucking the dart off the ground, I stabbed myself in the thigh. 'If you want to kill me, try better next time. I will be back tomorrow night to ask the same question.'

'Without the boy,' one of them spoke, and I stopped and glanced in the direction they spoke. I gave them a smile and a simple nod.

'Yes, without the boy.' Turning around, I headed out of the forest and found Max by the road, and I gestured for him to follow me as we headed towards the town. I stopped and collapsed to the floor when the prickling sensation left me.

'Petra!'

'I'll be fine. My insides are boiling. I stabbed myself with that poison dart to prove a point.'