Page 48 of The Demon and the Broken Girl

Calla’s expression sets in grim determination. She grips her dagger, shadows already flickering along her knuckles. I want to order her to hide, to let me handle it. But I know she won’t comply.We fight together, or not at all.

Then, all subtlety dies. A deep voice booms across the courtyard: “We know you’re here, demon,” a tall dark elf male shouts, stepping over a broken statue. “Show yourself, or we’ll tear these ruins apart.”

My teeth bare in a silent snarl. We exchange a look—neither of us is inclined to surrender. I nod once, then spring from cover, letting my cloak swirl around me. Calla moves in tandem, flanking my side. The elves jerk to face us, weapons raised, eyesfull of triumph.Their numbers are greater than before, armed to kill.Dread coils in my gut.

One elf, presumably their leader, gestures with a gauntleted hand. “At last,” he sneers, black braids swinging. “Lord Vaerathis commanded we bring you in alive, but you’ve proven troublesome. I won’t hesitate to maim you if needed.”

I stare him down, shadows writhing along my forearms. “You’ll regret coming here,” I warn, voice resonant with demonic power.Bluff or not, we must appear strong.

He laughs, a cold, mirthless sound. “We’ve studied your weaknesses, demon. Your pact with that mortal girl. Don’t think we haven’t come prepared.” Around him, the other elves fan out, encircling us. I spot crossbows loaded with quarrels etched in runes, swords that glimmer with strange enchantments.

Calla tenses at my side, her pulse thrumming through the bond.We can’t be reckless.But the ring of armed foes closes in.No choice but to fight.

“Go,” I hiss at her. “I’ll cover?—”

She cuts me off, voice low and fierce. “I’m staying.” Her dagger flares with black sparks, testament to her new power. My heart clenches with mingled pride and fear.

Before we can form a plan, they attack. Bolts whistle through the air. I fling up a ward of shadow, deflecting some projectiles, but a few slip past my half-formed barrier. One grazes my leg, burning with arcane venom. Pain lances up my thigh. I grunt, staggering.

Calla hurls a blast of her own magic, catching one elf in the chest. He cries out, armor smoking as he collapses. Another lunges from the side, sword aimed at her exposed flank. I dart forward, intercepting his strike with a vicious slash of my claws. He reels away, blood spraying. But more close in, unrelenting.

They came prepared indeed—wielding wards that disrupt demonic energy, chanting spells that flicker in the air like silverglyphs. My power falters under the onslaught of their combined magic. Calla slams a swirl of darkness into a pair of elves, knocking them back, but she wavers, breath ragged.She’s not invincible.We’re cornered, pinned against a collapsed wall.

“Daeva!” she cries as another crossbow fires. I attempt to dodge, but the bolt buries itself in my side. Agony flares, scorching me from within. I snarl, yanking it free, black ichor staining the shaft. The runic etchings glimmer. My vision blurs for a heartbeat.

Seizing advantage, an elf drives his blade through my shoulder. I grunt, staggering back, pinned briefly against a fallen column. Pain rattles me.Focus, demon.Gritting my teeth, I unleash a desperate pulse of chaos, blasting him off me. He lands hard, but a second elf slams her mace into my ribs. My chest explodes in white-hot agony, and I collapse to a knee, fighting for breath.

Through the haze, I see Calla fighting with grim determination, her eyes glowing faintly red from channeling dark power. She dispatches one elf, but two more tackle her, pinning her arms. She screams, fury resonating. Shadows surge around her, forcing them back. The scene is chaos, both of us wounded, outnumbered.We’ll be overwhelmed any moment.

Gathering the last of my strength, I lash out with a wide arc of darkness, knocking several elves away in a swirl of debris. “Calla, run!” I rasp, pressing a palm to my bleeding side.

She scrambles free of her attackers, eyes locking on me. For an instant, fear and heartbreak war in her gaze. But she moves—grabbing my arm, hauling me upright with surprising strength. We break from the circle of foes, sprinting deeper into the ruins. Crossbow bolts clatter off stone as we vanish into a half-collapsed passageway.

Pain throbs in every fiber of my body, blood trickling from multiple wounds. My breath comes in ragged gasps, yet Calladrags me onward, refusing to slow. Our footfalls echo among broken walls. We take a twisting route, descending a crumbling staircase that plunges us further into darkness. Behind, the dark elves shout, their voices reverberating through the corridors.

She gasps my name, urgency in her tone. “Daeva, hold on.” Her free hand grips my torn cloak, steadying me. “We’ll lose them.”

I cough, spitting blood. The taste is acrid and bitter.I’m losing too much.My vision swims, but I force myself forward. The corridor narrows, debris crunching underfoot. A low growl echoes from somewhere ahead—not an elf, but some creature lurking in the depths. My battered senses flare.We’ve no choice but to keep going.

Sure enough, a hulking shape lumbers from the darkness—a beast with matted fur, elongated limbs, eyes glowing a sickly yellow. It snarls, baring fangs. My heart clenches.Not now…

“Move,” I bark at Calla, pushing her behind me. The creature lunges. I muster a thread of magic, flinging it at the monster. It staggers, yowling, but doesn’t fall.Too strong for a single blow.Calla tries to assist, flaring her shadows, but the corridor is tight. The beast snarls, swiping a massive claw. We dodge, and it rakes a chunk of stone from the wall.

Then the echoes of the pursuing elves draw nearer. We’re trapped between two threats. Adrenaline surges, momentarily numbing my wounds. I lash out again, channeling chaos into my palm. The beast roars, stumbling sideways. Taking advantage, Calla seizes my arm, hauling me past. We dash deeper, the creature’s enraged howls behind us.

The corridor slopes downward, crumbling steps slick with moss. Our pursuers’ shouts echo overhead—someone curses about “the demon heading below.” My side throbs with every step, black spots dancing at the edges of my vision. ButCalla’s determination buoys me. She’s desperate, guiding me on, refusing to let me collapse.

Suddenly, the floor gives way under our feet. We plunge into a hidden shaft with a startled cry. Stones clatter around us, and I slam hard onto a lower level, pain exploding anew. Calla lands beside me with a gasp, rolling over shards of debris. Dust billows.

I groan, forcing myself to check her. “Calla?—?”

She coughs, pressing a hand to her chest. “I’m… alive.” She grimaces, blood trickling from a fresh cut on her temple. “You?”

“Worse each passing second,” I manage, biting back a moan. My wounds scream, but I cling to consciousness. Carefully, we push to our feet, discovering we’ve fallen into some kind of subterranean hall. The walls are etched with faded symbols, half eroded by time. A faint glow emanates from braziers that shouldn’t still be lit, unless…

“Do you feel that?” Calla breathes, eyes wide. “Something… calling me.” Indeed, a strange resonance vibrates the air. My spine tingles, and even in my agony, I recognize the taint of old mirror-magic.

We stagger forward, exploring the hall. Broken pillars line the center, leading to a dais at the far end. Debris litters the floor, but one object stands out—a tall frame, half draped in tattered cloth. My stomach knots.A mirror?The shape resembles the cursed artifact that once imprisoned me. A wave of dread surges.

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